I have been so excited about school but it hadn’t really sunk in yet that I am a student in graduate school. Yesterday there was a get together for the new M.A. English Language and Literature students — we went on a walking tour of the Applewood Estate in Flint, Michigan and had a reception at school afterwards. There was also a grad student orientation that I didn’t really need to attend but I decided to go because I had a chance to win an iPad. I am so glad I went to both events…the Applewood Estate is gorgeous and I took some fabulous pictures. Of course it gave me a chance to meet up with friends and former professors from school, and to become acquainted with some of my new classmates and faculty I hadn’t met yet. My friend Nancy’s enthusiasm is catching — she kept saying “We are in grad school!” It wasn’t in her plan to go and she couldn’t believe she was attending graduate school. Tired old me just kept saying, “Yep, we are in grad school.” Of course I was and am happy and excited but like I said, it hadn’t hit me yet. Nancy’s wondering statements helped everything kind of sink in…
I went on to the orientation after are departmental event. Unfortunately I did not when the iPad but all incoming graduate students receive a messenger bag. That is awesome because earlier in the week I was thinking about looking for a messenger bad and now I don’t have to buy one. After I signed in and was sitting among my new classmates, I sat my messenger bag on my lap and looked at the UM-Flint logo and “Graduate Programs” embroidered on it…I ran my fingers over the lettering and only then did it really sink in and I got a little emotional. Of course the words “I can’t believe it” ran through my brain. But then there was Nancy to remind me, “We are in grad school!”
And of course the 87+ pages of academic articles I need to read for a class by next Wednesday. Gah!
It is so awesome, too, when you are around people who are into the same things as you. To be around other English scholars — people that like to read and write is nourishment to my soul. Nancy and I didn’t want to leave school last night — having too much fun chatting and laughing with our super nice advising professor, Kazuko ; we were also laughing about how we are such big nerds.
So today I think it would be fair to say it is finally sinking in. I was looking at my messenger bag again today and I got really emotional — I actually hugged my bag. I am just extremely thankful that I am going to graduate school, that I have a plan that encompasses utilizing both my degrees and passions, and that I am going to be able to study writing. I am so happy.
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