Thankful
A year ago today, I submitted my first grad school application. I thought it was pretty terrible and consoled myself that I at least had a couple of days/weeks to work on my other applications before I submitted them.
Turns out, I could have stopped right there, because that "pretty terrible" application earned me (eventually) my place in Columbia's PhD program.
So while everyone else in my cohort is starting to complain about having to give presentations and write papers and take exams, I'm going to remember how grateful I am to even be here, how privileged I am to be allowed to give these presentations and write these papers and take these exams, and how even in the hardest times, this is something that I fought for, and merely being here at all is a victory.