I'm in the library right now working on my first "real" paper of the semester. Not my first paper of the semester, mind you...more like my tenth...but the first one that is actually inducing anxiety in my classmates and me.
Anyway, I just heard word that the first of the first year doctoral students (or D1s) has withdrawn from the program. I say "first" because I'm trying to keep it real...there will probably be more. One of them might be me, for all I know. This program is officially no joke. If you are not disciplined, you will not make it. There is just too much to do. And in order to maintain a semblance of a life, you must be diligent and super efficient.
Still, with all of that said, the fact that one of us is no longer going to be in our core class tomorrow is creating a sort of...effect. People don't not go to class, so when someone isn't there, you feel it. Apparently, she left because of personal reasons, but still...there is a hush every time someone speaks to it. Ultimately, I know she will be fine. The majority of the world don't get a degree from Harvard and live to tell the tale, but you wouldn't know from the reaction of my classmates today. It's as if she died. Me, I'm more worried about the underlying reasons for her decision and if they were worth it, but I guess I'll never know.
Unfortunately, I can't think about it too much right now...gotta get back to my Econ paper.
3 comments:
You'll be there at the end. I'd put money on it.
I remember we had cuts at Columbia Film School...when people were asked to leave after the first semester. Yikes. Hang in there, and as long as you want to do it and see it as a challenge, you'll get through it. (After all, I now work for 2 Harvard grads, and they...say no more!)
interesting peek inside that (your!) world. Thanks for writing about it!
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