Grad School

Everyone warned me it would be tough.  Lots of reading, writing, reflecting, and referencing.

So far, they've been spot-on in their warnings.

I left my first day of school with 6 (or was it 7?) different reading assignments, one paper, and a group project to work on.  Today, I added around 5 more chapters of reading and a more creative assignment to that list.

And yet, I can't help but smile and relish the work a bit because someone else is doing the assigning.  And that same person will also have to do the grading.  It was not my responsibility to create the learning objectives, course outlines, rubrics, group projects, reading schedules, lecture notes, or assignments that may or may not stress me out in the future.

Also, I'm only responsible for my personal learning - not the learning of every member of my class.

Week one isn't even half-over yet, so this is all subject to change, but as of right now: I'm loving the new knowledge I'm gaining, the nature of our discussions in class, and the values of the peers that surround me.

I won't deny the intense culture-shock I'm dealing with, adjusting to Portland and the intensely liberal lifestyles and beliefs that surround me. My relatively conservative upbringing is definitely not the norm around here. :)  In fact, many aspects of my life prior to grad school are not the norm compared to my peers.  My faith, my education background, my career experience, my AGE... it's all new.  And exciting.

I won't deny the fact that I'm stressed.  I'm adjusting to a lot (a LOT).  But I can see the hand of God guiding me through so much of this process already.  Many things that seemed stressful or less-than-ideal before have since proven to be blessings.

Case in point: I have to be on campus by 8:00 am every Monday morning.  This means I need to be on a bus by 7:20 at the latest.  This means I need to be standing at the non-covered bus stop just shortly after my clock reads 7:00 am.  This means I will be out there in the dark, often raining, potentially freezing weather.  Every week.

I thought I was going to have to do this alone.  Until my roommate complained to me that he now has an 8:00 am Monday meeting every week for work.  Awful for him, wonderful me.  No more lonely bus rides.  :)

Second example: my registration process was a complete nightmare.  Through some intense networking, I was eventually able to somewhat resolve the situation, but it still left me registered for a class with a professor I knew nothing about.  Not my first, second, or even third choice.  But after a morning in her class, I realize she is probably the BEST choice for me.

Third: my internship was beginning to look like a complete disaster.  A non-profit organization that isn't even up and running yet, I feared very little support.  Quite the opposite appears to be true.  Since they don't have the referrals to fill our caseloads yet, they need to fill our time with other things: TRAINING.  Lots and lots of training.  Just what I needed.  :)

Coincidences?  I think not...

I could give a million more examples, but the longer I sit here typing the more I am putting off the aforementioned homework assignments.

Love you.