I have a ‘Pending’ folder in which I keep all emails where I need to take some sort of action in response. The further breakdown of those emails is somewhat revealing:
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Daily updates
Between today and tomorrow, I need to read a book and seven articles on ethnography and prepare a presentation on the topic, finish processing and uploading the photos from this year’s Clarkson Laureate awards ceremony, and produce an updated draft of the fossil fuel divestment lecture for U of T. Bonus points if I make […]
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I have just received word by email that on the basis of my supplementary oral (viva) exam, the examiners in Canadian politics have awarded me a passing grade on my comprehensive exam. This means I carry on with the PhD program, and that I will have another (harder) comp to write in public policy in […]
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Maddeningly, I am still waiting for a final result on my Canadian politics comprehensive exam, and I still don’t know whether I will be writing the Public Policy comp this spring or remaining in the PhD program next year. In all probability, these many delays have simply been the result of bureaucratic inefficiency, but they […]
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Back in 2011, I identified some of the reasons why I was considering starting a PhD: My hope is that I would be able to do my research on something of practical importance, and that I could do useful work of my own at the same time as the doctoral program was progressing. It would […]
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After nearly a year of constant exam stress, my stamina to continue jumping the hurdles that constitute the PhD program feels almost completely exhausted. And yet, next week will be critical for determining whether or not I will be able to continue with the program. The one source of motivation that keeps me from entirely […]
Complete all PhD comprehensive exam requirements (Canadian Politics and Public Policy) Finish teaching my three tutorials on U.S. Government and Politics Complete this term’s PhD coursework (Policy Analysis and Qualitative Methods) Write the March 6th fossil fuel divestment lecture for Toronto350.org Fulfill the mandate of Toronto350.org’s committee on administrative engagement at U of T
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The main skill acquired in PhD programs: Learning to deal with poverty and unrelenting stress while overcoming a myriad of procedural hurdles and pursuing a distant and uncertain objective that – even if achieved – will probably provide no career or financial benefits.
Yesterday I went to bed early and slept for fifteen hours straight. Now, six hours after waking, I am exhausted again. My schedule for the next two weeks, as well as for the next month, is brutal. I may be reaching the limits of my mental fortitude.
