Qualy Drama

I'm taking my quals this week. It hasn't been as hard as I thought it was going to be. Normally, quals are supposed to be like the most horrific experience of your graduate career next to writing 100 drafts of your proposal, of course. Or this is what Cinda told me. Katie told me that I would feel dirty and stupid afterward, but so far it's been okay. I didn't think writing my proposal was that bad, either.

There have been a few curveballs though. Since I was out of town with my scouts all weekend, I missed my advisor's 5pm Friday email about how I was supposed to read a half a dozen papers for one of my questions since he had just realized that that committee member had never assigned me any. Not that I didn't read any or study for his question...I just thought I was more on my own. I told him that I didn't get his email until Tuesday morning and that I'd have to wait until next week to get around to reading those extra papers. He said "no problem, you can use the weekend to study." What? I have a life. I told him that I would be camping again and he dropped his head into his hands and muttered some profanity that can't be included in this family friendly blog. "This is the worst thing in the world!" is the gist of it. I said "Well, I was supposed to be done" I didn't mention that I was out of town LAST weekend doing the same thing... So now my quals week has been lengthened into my quals weeks.

Then, this morning while I was on my way to the health center for a little strep test--seems that I've developed some horrible sickness since I got back from the Trail. I've got a terrible sore throat and blah blah blah and white pus and blah blah. To make a long story short: I'm fine, I like it, and the doctors at the student health center should work on their bedside manner. I swear I could go in with a BONE sticking out of my leg and they'd still look at me cross eyed and say something like "I guess if you WANT that x-ray..."--right, as I was on my way to the main campus I got an email from one of my committee members who hasn't been seen or heard from since my proposal defense. My advisor and I had pretty much discounted his contribution to my qualifying exams. But here he is, popping out of the wood work in my inbox with three messages all flagged with little !!!. How do you do that anyway? The theme of all three was "Oh my god! You're taking your quals this week! I didn't submit a question! Here, read all of this information!" I don't think it's very fair.

I've had enough drama to make up for my lack of anxiety about the whole thing. I guess if I were a better student I would have worried more about this milestone, right?

In other news: Looks like I'm flying to DC for an NSF conference pertaining to my Science Made Sensible work. Should be fun. And I have a hunch that I'm shortlisted to go to South Africa if the funding comes through.