Today, I officially walked across the threshold. I have transitioned from student to doctoral candidate. I no longer have classes to take. Okay I just need a moment to soak that up……..

Okay.  Wow that feels good.  I have been a student nearly my entire life.  This final transition marks the end of 17 years of continually being enrolled–undergrad, masters, now doctorate.  This is a hugely defining moment.  No more homework.  No more assignments or intellectual endeavors that are based on what a professor wants.  No one to answer to except my own deadlines.  Which I have.  I plan to be hooded Dec 2012.  I’ll work hard to get there.  I have worked hard to get where I am.  The daughter of a high school drop out and a high school graduate.  I am the first to go to college in my family (extended family on my dad’s side) and the first to finish on either side.

I can look back and talk ab0ut how amazed I am that I have been able to accomplish it and it is worth every bit of the well over 100k it has cost me over the last 17 years.  I put myself through school and it wasn’t cheap.  My parents were never in a situation to help me through school–financially or academically.  Everything I did, I did on my own through my own hard work and determination.  I didn’t have fancy schools or parents to foot the bill (oh how that would have been nice).  But I did it and none of that matters.  I’ll smile when I pay off my last student loan at age 70 (hell, I’m laughing a bit now about that).

Today, I say good-bye to being a student and hello to the future.  One more transition to make–doctoral candidate to PhD.  Can’t wait for that one, but am going to enjoy this phase.