Some of the last small steps on the road towards grad school

I’ve spent most of the last six months in a state of self-perceived suspended animation. I felt, guided by the myopic view inside my head, that nothing about my life was changing or moving forward. That I was moving my legs (as if on a treadmill or going the wrong way on an escalator), but not achieving any forward motion. But, now that I’m less than three weeks away from starting a year-long Masters in Writing program, I realize that I have been manifesting alterations in my life all this time. It’s an interesting and good feeling to have, the understanding that the movement that feels all of the sudden is actually one that has been coming in very small increments over the course of weeks and months. It has helped me learn, on what seems to be a cellular level, the value of small mental adjustments and emotional recalibrations. They compound as I pass through time, creating space for monumental change.

A piece of good news drifted into my life today, via the ether of the internet. St. Joe’s has offered me a partial graduate assistantship for the year. In exchange for five hours of work a week (writing the departmental newsletter and website), they are going to pay for one course (out of three) a semester and give me a small stipend. It won’t cover everything, but it definitely helps.

0 thoughts on “Some of the last small steps on the road towards grad school

  1. Ashley

    Congrats on grad school! I somehow missed this… What exactly is the program? What are you hoping to do with the degree?? I’m actually going to go back to school part-time for another Masters. See blog!

    Reply
  2. ted

    > small mental adjustments and emotional
    > recalibrations. They compound as I pass
    > through time, creating space for monumental
    > change.

    I would venture that they don’t just create space for monumental change but in fact are the monumental change itself. Best of luck!

    Reply
  3. Ellen

    Congrats on the assistantship! And no grading – just website/newsletter sounds like so much less stress than grading or tutorials.

    Reply
  4. Bizele

    I am were you once were. I am on that slow walk, where nothing changes and everything moves backwards instead of forwards.

    Good luck in your studies!

    Reply
  5. albert

    woo hoo! congrats on the assistantship! every little bit of dough helps to chip away at that heaping pile that doesn’t really seem to get any smaller.

    Reply

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