I met with my thesis adviser on Friday morning.  She invited me to come to her new house in Fishtown, but I sorely underestimated the time it would take to get up there and so was nearly half an hour late (I did call to say I was running behind).  Not exactly the best way to make a positive impression on someone who holds the fate of your academic future in their hands.  It’s a good thing she knows me pretty well already.

I finally got there and she gave me a big hug as I walked in.  We spent some time catching up while she made a pot of tea and laid out a few little pastries she had gotten at a local bakery (I have a really terrific adviser).  Settling in at her round dining room table she said, “You know, you really had me scared when you first sent me these pieces, as you said in the email that they were really rough.  Personally, I think they need a little cleaning up, but essentially they’re in good shape.”

At those words, I let out a sigh I didn’t even know I had been holding in, starting grinning and said, “I am so glad to hear that!”

We spend some time going over them (two essays and an introduction) line by line.  It was helpful for me to have someone else look at them and offer some suggestions as to where I could potentially go.  I left her house nearly two hours later, feeling good about the meeting, my thesis and my potential as a writer.  Not a bad way to spend a Friday morning.