The summer hasn't been all fun and games (although it has been a lot of fun and games). I've put a lot of work into the class I am teaching in the fall, The Rhetoric of Going Green. I've worked on IRB applications and surveys for a research project I am doing with a fellow student this fall. I've volunteered on a conference that will take place at NMSU this fall. I feel as though I've had a very productive summer.
I am really nervous about the fall semester. I am done with coursework as of the spring, so this semester will be preparing for my comprehensive exam, that I hope to have done in March. I am nervous for two reasons:
1. I've never been a student and not gone to class. This will be a huge test of self-motivation. I don't doubt that I can do it, I just...well, I don't know. I won't miss class and having to deal with all the personalities that come with classes, but I will miss bouncing ideas off people and hearing new perspectives.
2. I am just nervous about the whole process. Picking questions, finding roughly 140-160 sources, writing 40 pages....sounds daunting. I admit, I am saying this before I've looked at the questions, before I've even thought about sources. But I am nervous and even though I know I need to just sit down for an afternoon and figure stuff out, I am afraid and the fear is keeping me from doing anything....
which might scare me most of all - that fear will keep me from moving any further. I think I understand how people never actually finish their PhD.
Fortunately, I don't really think I'll be one of them. Or I hope anyway. I suppose we'll find out. Since I am such an awesome blogger, the next blog post might be about doing my comps.
