Hello!

Well, if you read my last entry, you may have sensed that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. However, things are looking much brighter this week. Although I really wanted to finish my classes and defend my dissertation proposal this semester, after several sleepless nights, I realized that that was simply too much for one semester. There is so much to learn in every class here, and I don't want to miss out on that or not give 100% because I'm so busy trying to get my dissertation proposal done in time. I also want to enjoy the dissertation process and learn as much as I can from the experience. So, I've decided to put my proposal defense off until the end of summer or even next fall. I'm going to focus on my research class, my independent study, and my research/teaching assistantship. I'm going to continue working on my dissertation proposal, but I'm not going to put the majority of my time into it. I will start spending a lot more time on it once my classes are done in May.

Throughout my doctoral education I've learned that sometimes I need to make sacrifices, and that I can't do everything and please everyone at the same time. It's been hard, being a single mom, working, and going to school full-time. I think my son will be happy when he starts seeing me sitting on the sofa someday instead of glued to my computer, however, he is also happy now that I'm able to volunteer in his classroom every Monday, read to him every day, do his homework with him every day, and listen to his stories and jokes. I've learned to live in the present and enjoy where I'm at. I understand that I'm going to school to prepare for my future, but I'm also loving the process of going through the program, attending classes, and getting to know the people here. Although I will be happy to start earning a larger salary instead of borrowing student loans, I am very appreciative of my time here.

Feel free to leave me a question or comment! :)

Posted by Ann Buckwalter at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We've been back in school for a few weeks now this spring, and I'm already amazed at how quickly this semester is flying by. That's good in some ways and not so good in some ways. That's good because this is my last semester of classes (after 3 years), and summer break will be here before I know it. It's not so good because I have a workload this semester that feels overwhelming right now. Most students finish their classes and then focus solely on writing their dissertation proposal, and they usually take up to a year to write it. I'm taking two classes and writing my dissertation proposal - in one semester. If you remember, I'm a transfer student, and I've ended up squeezing 3 1/2 years of work into 3 years. I could have stretched it out, but the student loans and credit card debt has been catching my eye lately, so these are the decisions I've made for myself. However, looking at the big picture, having a lot of stress for a short time is better (in my opinion) than having a lot of stress in a job where I'm unhappy or unsatisfied all the time. In other words, it's worth it.

Please feel free to leave me questions or comments. Also, students who are interested in our program are welcome to sit in on a class and even have lunch with a current student. Our classes are Thursdays and Fridays, and I'm also on campus on Wednesdays. If you're interested in visiting, please contact Dr. Harrington, the program director.

Posted by Ann Buckwalter at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)