Thursday, August 4, 2011

So it begins

Aug. 1 began comps studying. I take written comps for my Ph.D. program in early October and verbal comps a couple of weeks after that, so it’s time to start studying. I have five intense days of testing, and I am NOT looking forward to it. I received 4/5 questions so far from my professors and have answered one this week so far. Sounds lazy, right? It’s not. The answer to that one question ended up being 14 single-spaced typed pages. Comps are located in Dante’s seventh circle of hell. At any rate, as the classes I teach are winding up for the month (yet I’m still working 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), here’s an example of what my work day looks like.

Summer schedule
7:30 a.m. – arrive at work and write a list of what needs to be accomplished; read the news online
8 a.m. – grade papers, edit pages, and/or write stories
8:30 a.m. – study for comps
9 a.m. – eat breakfast; GP, EP and/or WS
9:30 a.m. – study for comps
10 a.m. – wonder when I should leave for lunch; browse the Internet
10:30 a.m. – bang my head against the desk as I study for comps
11 a.m. – cannot wait another moment for a break; head to lunch for happiness
11:45 a.m. – wonder why summer lunches can only be 45 minutes long
Noon – study for flipping comps
12:30 – check to see if Discovery Channel has any Shark Week videos posted; work on website stuff
1 p.m. – get a diet coke and pull up stupid comps stuff again
1:15 p.m. – get distracted
1:20 p.m. – decide that I can’t study for ^%$# comps any more today
1:25 p.m. – feel guilty and return to studying for comps
1:30 p.m. – take break; finish up any work that hasn’t been done
2 p.m. – wonder if I can wait til 3 to get a snow cone; e-mail everyone I know
2:30 p.m. – open the comps document and quickly close it back; wonder why it’s only 2:30 and not 4:30
2:35 – aimlessly meander around campus and/or the Internet
3 p.m. – go get snow cone
4 p.m. – thank God that it’s only an hour left
4:30 p.m. – start winding down
4:55 p.m. – and out the door

The sad thing is that while I try to get two good hours in now, in two weeks, I plan on moving it up to three hours and then four hours a day in September. *tear*

BTW, when I do get my Ph.D., we’re having the biggest party EVER. 

4 comments:

misti said...

Sounds familiar...comps are evil!

You're almost done with it ALL for good! :) :) :)

Brooke said...

just keep swimming - it'll be worth it in the end :)

Tara said...

You can DOOO it!!!! You're awesome! :)

Interesting, my WV is consolle. A twist on console, maybe? :)

lindsey said...

Ugh...this does not sound fun! But yes, you can do it!!