Wednesday, December 2, 2009

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.

10 comments:

Sara said...

Cute photo! That, and let me be the first to comment on this post and congratulate you again!

Danielle said...

You are awesome Dr. Annje! I think it's a wonderful thing to brag about. You should :)

mosey (kim) said...

A perfect photo to accompany this post. I'll only call you Doctor in my head, if you like. But I'm so tickled to have a blogging friend with such an accomplishment!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Dr. Annje!!! Wow! What an accomplishment! It must feel amazing to finally be finished all that long hard work and knowing you did a great job! I don't know if you mentioned it already, but what did you study?

Congrats again!

Joanna said...

Hi Annje,
Congratulations! I´ve been reading your blog for a little while (found my way here through the other Chile blogs), and am in the process of writing up my PhD thesis (PhD in UK, writing and teaching in Stgo). It´s a painful process, and I don´t even have two munchkins to worry about! So felicidades, from one of your ´lurkers´: reading your post made me happy for you, and gave me some hope at the end of another day chained to my laptop... Joanna x

Annje said...

Thanks everyone!

Joanna--Thanks for commenting. It is a painstaking process--keep plugging away! I'd love to know what you study and what took you to Chile if you get a chance to email.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Annje said...

Aaron, where did your comment go?

Unknown said...

I deleted it after I second guessed its comedic value and overall quality as my first comment on your blog. It was something to the effect of,"Does this mean you don't need me to write for you any more?" Now, in explaining the deletion, my first comment is even worse! The interwebs are going to laugh at me.

Anonymous said...

wow, what an honor to be submitted for dissertation of the year! I am curious about your "sexy" topic though... :)