Reflecting on Our Mid-South Experience
It is much too late, and I ought to be getting to sleep. I just figured I’d write something before heading to bed, since I’d been thinking about my fast up-and-coming move to Utah.
Having it hit me that we were moving in 30 days (29 days, now), started making me think about my experiences here in Memphis, and trying to decide if it was all bad. I mean, my department, which was once great and pretty selective, has been quickly tanking itself thanks to a great rift between the small bio and the organismal bio halves of the department (perpetuated by our crappy departmental chair), and it’s been hard to not be homesick for the beauty of the PNW (since Memphis is pretty damn ugly). But, I endeavored to really sit and think about our experiences out here and decide if it was an overall good experience or not.
I have decided that it was a good experience, overall, as I had research and teaching opportunities I don’t think I would have had elsewhere, and I was able to put career goals and research interests in much better perspective. In addition, Josh’s career was able to grow and expand in ways it most likely would not have, had we remained in the PNW. Maddisyn has also benefited from the experiences, and has really blossomed. So, I think overall, despite the more distasteful stuff, and all of us missing the PNW, it has been a good experience to be here, but we’re ready to be closer West and to be in a gorgeous part of the country, nestled in the mountains.
I’m pretty convinced this move is going to be pretty amazing for all of us. Aside from being closer to the PNW, we’ll be in a breath-taking environment, and all of us have amazing opportunities before us. Josh has a fantastic new job, with new advancements for his career, and Maddisyn will be a great new school in a much more family-friendly environment. I will have a fantastic research opportunity, plus an amazing fellowship. I feel like even with the stress of moving and finding a place, everything is looking up for us.
Looking back on my stint at UM, I know that I have accomplished a lot more than I could have expected for my first two years of grad school, and although for many people, transferring would completely fuck-up their timelines for graduation, the effects on mine should be reasonably minimal (thanks to the fellowship, that I don’t think I could have gotten without my two years here in Memphis). Looking back, if I want to focus on the good parts of my experience here I can proudly say:
* I was a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention (a great honor)
* I conducted amazing original research and worked with fantastic people
* I had a great teaching experience, and was a highly rated TA
* I earned a 4.0 graduate school GPA
* Thanks to my experiences here and glowing letters of recommendation, I was awarded the best fellowship possible at USU (which is only award to one incoming student each year), after already receiving the one departmental fellowship offered each year
So, all in all, I think I can be proud of my accomplishments here, and despite my dislike for UM and how fast the departmental chair (and his cronies) are destroying the department, I think I made the best of my situation and came out on top.
It’s just nice to know that I won’t be leaving Memphis with all bad memories, or feeling like these past two years were a waste. It was a long two years, and rocky at points, but I honestly think it was for the best, and we all have certainly benefited from it. Besides, if anything, I certainly have gained a deeper appreciation for just how different various parts of the country truly are.
And now, on to our next adventure.
Goodnight!
.md.