Getting It Done

I cannot take that final breath of sweet relief, but dagnabbit I'm close - and that's what matters now more than later. What am I talking about, you ask? School, yes, school. Unlike a number of my closest graduated friends, save a few, I am waist deep* in what seems a distant memory of semester-endings full of papers, presentations, and for the lucky, an exam or two. (*It is important to note that I am now only waist-deep and no longer "up to my eyeballs" in this stuff like I was, just a few days ago.) I cannot complain, though, of my apparent lack of fortune to be now facing my fifth (count that, five) close of a Fall Semester.

What sometimes appears a grievous misfortune, as I'm coming to find, really isn't all that bad - on several accounts. Since I just finished the seventh page of a twenty-page paper, I will start with the more academic reasons. I wrote an email a little earlier to a friend and described these past few and next week as a whirlwind, one I should have added is benefiting my mind ever so studiously. I have not ever done so much analysis and research on varied aspects of one topic (that being higher education) in my whole life, and while the task in preparation and execution is daunting, the gradual completion of steps here and there along the way not only boosts my mental capacity but my belief in my abilities as a thinker, and especially as a writer. I am usually known to run as far away from pleasure-writing when swamped with academic-writing (a trend also seen in reading), yet, here I am. And why? Because I'm nipping the habit of looking at academic challenge as a chore, straight in the bud (I say this now, hold me to it in late-April, please).

In a matter of a few days, I have reflected deeply upon an individual's position of leadership over me and how my own leadership that duration of time was affected by it. I know who I am as a leader and especially who I want to be in leadership positions to come because of that experience, and was able to write a decent-lengthed paper on it that is due in just a few days. Too, I know a great deal more about the civil rights movement and its effect on higher education than I may have ever thought possible (and I'm only scratching the surface). I have been excited about this paper all along, a topic chosen by me about mid-Fall as an extension of my intrigue from last spring's studies with Vaughn May on "Southern Politics since 1954." I finally came up with a title, today, after sticking with "Higher Education and the Civil Rights Movement" for about a month. The new title? "Higher Education and Civil Rights: The Struggle and Triumph of Black Americans"

I have a consistently growing list of sources for this paper that right now, sits at about eight - and I am taking pride in that. And not one of those academician-type prides, but a simple recognition of what will hopefully be a successful demonstration of a new type of scholarship - one I never really had the ability to show in undergrad. I have thirteen pages left to write and two more five to six page essays due in about a week. And then after that? Yeah... then comes the other, more sociable and personal aspect of why I love being in graduate school right now.

Break, ah, wonderful Christmas (or winter, for more generalist types) break. That's yet another whirlwind, but one I've never looked forward to more - even in undergraduate. There's just something about knowing that after I turn in my last assignment next Wednesday, that I have complete leisure to close up shop (figuratively of course, I work in an office) and take a B-R-E-A-K. And this will be a break well-spent. Next Thursday, Cliff and I are heading to Park City, Utah to spend four days with our friend Aaron, skiing and taking in what I hope will be both an exciting and relaxing time in the Rockies. Should I mention I have never seen the Rockies except by plane? Oh, and I've never been skiing before, either. And then? I come back to Nashville, and get myself together for ten days with family - ten days I am so very much looking forward to, despite my lack of preparations (i.e. gift-buying) for the holidays.

I think, if I came empty-handed, though (which won't happen because I at least have a few things), not much would be lost. I'm just excited about Christmas this year - the first time I will spend Christmas day with both Mom & Co. and Dad & Co. Several people have asked me if I'm stressed out about flying on Christmas day, and I have to say, coming up with that plan was everything I needed to relieve stress. I didn't have to pick one or the other, this year, I got to pick both. For someone like me, who has experienced that almost her whole life, or at least before a child has the ability to truly store away memories - that... that is a gift beyond all measure. I get to be with my family this Christmas, not "with my dad" or "with my mom." This will be our first Christmas in the new house in Virginia and our last Christmas in the "old" house (that's a relative term) in Maryland.

So, here's to getting it done. And as I just informed my supervisor, that's the proper way of saying what my carpetbagger self really wants to say (and has been leaving you in suspense about, with the Larry the Cable Guy intro-photo), which is...

GIT 'ER DONE!