I passed!!!!

Today I had my qualifying exams for my Ph.D. program.  Basically, I have been dreading this day since I found out about it during my first year of graduate school.  I don't do well when people are watching me.  The experience of having 5 professors ask you questions about papers that you've written is so scary to me. I realize that this is scary for all people, but I think it was particularly scary for me.

So, I wasn't nervous as of yesterday.  Last night I didn't sleep well because I kept going over my presentation in my head.  This morning I waivered between being nervous and not being nervous.  By about 9:30 am a calm came over me and I just realized that I would either a.) pass or b.) fail.

At 10:30 I was ready to go.  My fifth committee member arrived and I was kicked out of the room so that they could discuss my papers.  Then I was invivted back and defended the first paper.  I was only asked 2 questions, but I got the impression that most of my committee members were happy with the paper.  I was kicked out again so they could discuss me and then came back to defend the dissertation proposal.  That was VERY easy.  The questions that were asked of me were reasonable and straightforward.  I felt very good about my performance.  By the time they kicked me out again I felt relatively calm.

So they invited me back into the room at exactly 12:30, 2 hours after we began.  They told me that I passed.  I just have to meet with one of the committee members about my qualifying paper and ways to improve it, but I do not have to do any re-writes.  My advisor then suggested I relax until the baby comes.  I could not have asked for it to go better.  I felt SO good about the whole process - it was not worth the amount of stress I have had over it for the past 4.5 years.

Now, on to the dissertation.  But first, I'm reading a few books for pleasure and enjoying the company of Hunter.  Then I'll enjoy the company of Landon.  Then I'll finish the dissertation.  Goal: Spring 2011 - Dr. Mom.