Pages

Monday, March 05, 2012

Perpetual Education...Fun.

It is with a bit of a heavy heart that I announce that Andrew has been accepted at Indiana University—Bloomington (with full funding). Over the past few weeks I've fallen in love with the idea of Duke, that's all, and the other schools were taking so long to get back to us that I'd just about given up hope that they ever would. I mean, it's been ten weeks since we applied to some schools. At this point, because Andrew got into Duke (a really good school in a really great place) with full funding and Indiana (his top choice, academically) with full funding, we're really giving up on Michigan and American University.

They don't have much to offer that we haven't already been offered (by way of money, location, or academia) so we don't feel too badly about narrowing our choices before we even know if they are choices. We're rather indecisive so choosing between two things is much better than choosing between four things.

We've already decided, fairly firmly, that a PhD is the direction to go (although it was an honour to be selected as a PMF finalist).

Recently I had a conversation with someone about our future plans. They wanted to know if Andrew had gotten any jobs or internships and I excitedly announced, "Well, he was accept at Duke for a PhD program!"

This person, who probably should have been more supportive, kind of narrowed their eyes and said as if we had gravely disappointed them, "That's more school, you know?"

What I said was, "Well, it's fully funded—with a scholarship and a generous stipend and..."

What I thought was, "WHAT?! He told me PhD stood for [insert bogus expanded acronym here]!"

Examples: Public Health Director, Publicity/HR Director, President-Highness-Dictator, Professional Hair Dresser

I think I chose the better thing to say. I find that it is often better not to say the first thing that pops into your head. Still, sometimes I think that what I don't say is infinitely more funny than what I actually end up saying.

We're quite looking forward to more school, actually—especially since we've been offered full funding and because this is it: the final stretch. After this there is no more "school." You know, beyond post-docs and being a professor and all that (if that's the route we go when the time comes). Our state of Perpetual Education will draw to a close, at least formally, and we'll settle into a real grown-up routine (at least, in theory).

For now we just have to decide where we'll be at the end of the summer: Indiana or North Carolina.

There will be much discussion about this: lists of pros and cons drawn up, dancing line graphs constructed, and advice thrown our way by numberless concourses of opinion-holders.

Your input is most certainly welcome as well, especially those of you who currently live in or have lived in Indiana. Do my husband a favour and sway me in favour of your state.

PS. Friday turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The doctor's office called about 10 minutes before we were due to leave the house to announce that the doctor was out delivering a baby and so our appointment would have to be rescheduled. So now tomorrow is the big day. Someone asked me if I was mad about this, but I'm not. It takes a lot more than something like that to make me mad. But I do start to feel antsy when people who are due weeks after me are already making their announcements. We'll be 21 weeks on Wednesday and I had a friend announce who is only 18 weeks. Boo.

2 comments:

  1. Well, I've heard North Carolina is beautiful, but then you have to deal with hurricanes, right? You only have to deal with tornadoes in Indiana... is that comforting? Haha! But, we LOVE Indiana! And there are so many beautiful places in central IN, like lots of State Parks down around Bloomington (that I've never been to :( boo! and we're leaving already) that I hear are beautiful. And there are covered bridges and lots of festivals in the fall that are a lot of fun. And lots of U-pick places. And there will be a temple in Indy sometime... but Louisville is not too far away, I'm assuming that would be your temple but I'm not sure. The winters aren't too bad (well, people here think they are), but compared to NC I'm sure they're colder! It does get hot and humid, but it's probably hotter and humid-er in NC, and I know you like the heat! :) Fall is beautiful. If I think of anything else I'll comment again!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's really conservative and there are lots of churches, which I like. And, due to that, it's very family friendly. Of course, I've never been to Bloomington, but in my area it is, and everyone's really friendly. And it's not too big of a city, but then we like it small. :)

    As far as going for MORE SCHOOL!! Really, it's just life! I've never got into the "Oh, I can't wait to get done and start real life", this is real life! And now us graduating is just another step, another change and I'm actually kind of nervous to leave the known world of student living behind... :) And it's fun being a student because there are lots of other families in the same stage of life with small children, going to school. It will be weird to be done. But I'm kind of glad we're going academia because then it won't be quite as different. (From what I hear until tenure will feel a lot like grad school anyway!).

    Wow, that got long. :) BTW, congratulations on it being a boy! That's exciting!!

    ReplyDelete