It’s official. I do not like winter. I do not like snow. The older that I’ve gotten, the more I feel the cold. That probably won’t make sense to many, but if you’ve ever found yourself walking across the Virginia Tech drill field facing a bitter north wind, you know what I’m talking about. Unfortunately the winter weather has put a damper on our fun road trip back to Blacksburg. We’ll get there eventually, and hopefully we’ll still be able to see some friends along the way.
The time away from Blacksburg was needed. The end of the semester is extremely chaotic, and the past fall was challenging. Needless to say, I felt more confident in myself this past semester. Yet at the same time, there were moments when I felt inadequate, incompetent, and, for lack of a better word, dumb. I tell myself that it’s all part of the process and that all Ph.D. students feel this way at some point. I am also not being naïve, I know that I’ll feel that way many more times before it’s all said and done. I’ll make it. This I know.
With that being said, I’m looking forward to 2010. This will be a challenging spring, but I am trying to face with optimism and intensity. It’s exciting to think that in a year, I will hopefully be looking for a job, a house, and the opportunities my degree will bring. Those optimistic thoughts sustain me in my moments of doubt.
Like I’ve done in the past, here are some things that I learned (or were reminded of) in 2009:
- I actually enjoy research.
- If you are uncomfortable in a situation, don’t put yourself in it.
- Negativity breeds negativity.
- Sometimes friendships change.
- Weeds is a pretty good show. Okay, I love it!
- Tragedies still cut deep, even two years later.
- I am fascinated by Middle Eastern culture.
- Sometimes people that claim to be open-minded are the most closed-minded.
- Being a Republican doesn’t mean you are conservative.
- Becoming a teacher was the best thing that ever happened to me.
- People in Kuwait wear too much perfume/cologne.
- I don’t give myself enough credit.
- Although I’m confident about many things, I still have self-doubt about other things.
- Going to church rejuvenates me and sets the tone for my week.
- Sitting at a desk and cubicle is not what I was meant to do.
- I love working with pre-service teachers!
- Audio books aren’t that bad.
- It’s tough to leave the office at the office, but sometimes you just have to.
- I am on Facebook too much. I should suspend my account during my preliminary exams.
- I talk a lot and to fill the silence, I talk some more.
- When you hang with your true friends, nothing has changed.
- Faith and hope are what I cling to each and every day.
With that, I do have some goals for 2010. They include:
- Successfully passing my written and oral preliminary exams
- Standing up for people that are being talked badly about in the office
- Quit biting my nails
- Becoming closer to God
- Staying in good shape
- Reading one book per month for pleasure
- Being on track to graduate in May 2011
- Getting published in a journal
- Counter people’s negativity with my positivity
- Be myself 100% of the time
- Not let fear stand in my way of anything.
Here’s wishing each of you the best in 2010! May all of your hopes and dreams come true!
