Sorry guys, it's a grad school freakout ranty thing
Friday, April 6, 2012
So I met with my advisor yesterday and man, can she throw out the Jewish mother guilt trip like no other. It was on par with the Asian parent guilt trip. I have a feeling I amplify the guilt trip by like 100% in my head. Le sigh. Anyway, we talked and it was obvious I was sitting on my ass procrastinating and therefore, I am not where we both expected me to be in terms of proposal and thesis writing. She was pretty understanding about my mental block/procrastination but the undertones of disappointment had me swimming in guilt the rest of the day.
I guess it's part procrastination and part fear....of writing and having to actually read and absorb the daunting piles of readings sitting on my desk, floor and on my harddrive and then making sense of it all in my head so I can put it into words. A guest speaker in one of my classes this week put it in perspective for me (based on her own experiences with grad school) so I know what the issue is......I'm just finding it hard to get around it. I feel a little like I'm floundering now that push has actually come to shove and I have to produce something. I'm actually reconsidering doing the PhD. I think she's reconsidering it too. My advisor, that is. Man, combine that with the crappy day I had before = a real downer of an end of a week. Right now I'm too busy having to cram this weekend to get my draft proposal and lit review written that I don't have time to dwell on it. But I guess I'm going to have to really think hard and long about streaming into the PhD once I'm done next sem. If I can even get the MA done in the first place. I guess I'm feeling a little panicked about everything grad school right now and I wish I had someone here who has gone through it and whom I can talk to in person. It really sucks that I don't have a reliable support network in my department who's here and not in the field. Whining sessions, pity parties and academic freak outs are not the same over skype. Oh man, what a stressful week....and it started off so well too.... I think I need sleep and a therapy session with my fav spanish housewife to put it all into perspective. And getting over the assignment hump. Hopefully that'll bandaid the issue for now until summer when I can corner friends in the field for advice and I have more time to contemplate the future.

We'll definitely talk in Cambo!
Girl I'm sorry to hear. I know you'll get over the hump though--I'm seen you hop over worse!
Van
Charm, I've been there, done that, got the MA. If you want to drop me a line feel free...Lou