Adieu - Final Post from "The Lonely Dissertator"

Dear Lonely Dissertator,                ID: xxxxxxx

Congratulations! You have completed all requirements for your Ph D degree in Your Department. (. . .) Your degree award will be awarded 6/30/2010. Your official transcript will be updated, to show the award of the degree, 2-3 weeks following the award date.

Your diploma will be mailed to you 4-6 weeks following the award date by the Special Office.  If you need to change the address to which the diploma will be mailed, you may contact Special Office at xxx-xxx-xxxx. 


Note: Posting of your degree is contingent upon payment of all assessed University fees, fines and bills. 

Congratulations on your accomplishments at the University of Yourchoice.  We wish you all the best with your new endeavors.

Regards,

Xxxxx XxXxxxxx
Coordinator, Doctoral Degree Services
Graduate Student Services

Address at Yourchoice U

Phone numbers and other contact info.

---

The above is the email I received from my graduate school two days ago.

It's over folks. The Lonely Dissertator is no more.  (Yes, I've already paid all of my dues to the University.)

Thank you for your companionship over the years.  It is sad to leave this blog after so many years, but it is time for me to move on. And so, I bid you adieu.

~ Adieu ~

Which Option?

Option 1: Dr. Lonely Scholar

Option 2: Lonely Scholar, Ph.D.

(Yes, I'm done. Date: May 13, 2010)

(No rewrites.)

(I'm still in disbelief.)

Defense Date Unofficially Set

Given my distance from University, I could not go through the proper administrative procedure to get all the signatures properly signed for confirmation of Readiness for Defense.

So I did the next best thing: Asked my reviewers to give me an informal indication of my readiness.

As of tonight, all reviewers came back saying "yes."

O.O

My defense date is thus set (unofficially) for May 13th. There is no reason to believe that any of my committee members will change their minds, and so I will be purchasing my plane ticket tomorrow.

The countdown begins: two weeks and two days left to go...

Will I have any fingernails left to bite by then?

Anxiously Awaiting

At first, the plan was end-May to early-June. Three members of my committee were okay with that. Then the 4th came back to say that s/he was not available then, and suggested up-to-mid-May or after-mid-June.

So on Friday, I sent out an email asking for the two weeks leading up to mid-May.

So far, two of the committee members have agreed. It being the weekend, I'm not going to push the other two. But if they agree, then I'll be defending in less than 3 weeks.

LESS THAN 3 WEEKS!!!

I'm not sure which is more anxiety provoking: not being able to set the date or being able to set the date!

In Between Done and Defended

Sunday, April 18, late into the night. The Lonely Dissertator sent in the final, final i's-dotted-tees-crossed version of his dissertation to his committee.

Monday, April 19. With very little sleep, the Lonely Dissertator entered into the office to fully assume his new role as the Reflective Director of a Center of Excellence at Local University.

Tuesday, April 20, 5:30am. With little sleep again, the Reflective Director woke up to all kinds of dreams and thoughts associated with his new job, and wonders to himself: "I thought things were going to get easier post-dissertation."

In the meantime, the Lonely Dissertator awaits the the reading of his dissertation by Committee Members before setting up a defense date. Adviser has informally agreed that his dissertation is ready for defense.

You Know You Are A Geek When...

You know you are geek when you happen upon a scholarly journal article, utter a little bow-tie exclamation to your illustrious self, "oh my! I wonder what this article has to say?" and then print it out just for reading.

Yes, just for reading.

Not reading to write a paper; not reading to teach a class; not reading to publish another article.

J u s t f o r r e a d i n g.

- g e e k -

(I really ought to invest in looking geeky so that there is more congruence between how I think and how I look.)

Anticlimax

On Friday, I sent in the full draft of my dissertation write-up to Adviser.

In other words, I am, practically, done.

There is still the references I have to put in, a couple of minor figures and appendices, and I have to figure out the formating for the front matter. But the write-up is complete. And it's been through a few rounds of editing as well.

I had imagined different kinds of feelings I would have at this stage. Euphoria, a sense of lightness, a big smile of accomplishment... all those positive feelings. But I never imagined this: blah.

Yeah, I feel kind of blah.

Maybe its because I still have about 4-6 more hours of work to do on it (all the references and front/back matter)?

Maybe its because I am not sure if Bigshot Outside Committee Member will be okay with my dissertation?

Maybe its because I have yet to defend and pass?

Maybe its because I have a ton of work to do at the office?

ding dong

Someone's downstairs. I think I'll take that as an excuse to go get a bottle of red wine and chill out for the rest of the night. Tomorrow begins a very busy week at work.