Doctor in the house!

It is now officially official.

I know it was mostly over after my defense, but I didn't want to jinx myself with all the the bureaucratic tasks that laid ahead.

I just got an email confirmation from the doctoral degree evaluator saying that I have successfully completed my Ph.D. requirements and I will graduate.

My dissertation has been uploaded to the dissertation server, it has been checked for formatting, I have turned in my bazillion signed documents verifying, confirming, authorizing, accepting all that the graduate school wants me to verify, confirm, authorize and accept. I am done.

NOW you can call me Doctor! (No, don't really, it makes me nervous.)

I have a million ways of downplaying my own accomplishments. For a long time it was the fear that I might never finish. If I think it will make someone uncomfortable, I change the subject. If I think it might come across like I am bragging, I don't even mention it. I say it has taken me a long time (though no longer than most). I say I just wanted to finish because I was so close. I say it is not all that useful or important in the grand scheme of things--it's just education after all, I won't be saving anyone's life or making a lot of money. But deep down I know it is huge.

Monday, when I talked to my supervisor for the last time before submission, she told me that she didn't want to add extra pressure, but that she was going to submit it for the dissertation of the year award for one of the major organizations in my field (she says it's well-written and that the topic is sexy--obviously not that kind of sexy, but that is what she said). She is very forgetful so it may never happen and even if it did, I doubt anything would come of it, but even the consideration is enough to tickle me pink, so to speak.