3 days

Well, I have 3 days left until I am officially done with my first semester as a graduate student. It's been one hell of a semester, thats for sure.

But I can honestly say, that I learned more from taking the one required English graduate course than I did my entire career at UNT.

Possible Contributing Factors:

1. maturity
2. excellent teacher
3. classmates who I really connected with
4. support from friends and family
5. not as many distractions as when in Denton
6. maturity
7. dedication caused by maturity

That's about all I can think of. I can not say for sure if any of those are the correct reasons why I learned more this single semester than I did the 3 years I spent at UNT, but I can say that it did happen.

Of course, I'm older and more mature, but I also don't have many friends out here in Arlington, and I certainly don't HAVE to be in graduate school, which provides me with the reassurance that this is what I want.

I'll admit there were a few times throughout the semester that I questioned my motives and questioned myself. Why am I doing this? I'm not even that good at English! Is this really what I want? Am I happy?

These questions plagued my mind for a few weeks, but after it's all been said and done, I've concluded that yes, this is what I want, and though I'm not good at English, I thoroughly enjoy writing papers.

Which speaking of papers, I am finishing up my 10 page seminar paper, the Freudian analysis of The Castle of Otranto. Yep, all I have left is edits and MLA formatting.

It's due Wednesday by 5pm. I'm confident that I will receive an A in this class. I have received A's on everything thus far and this paper is only worth 20% of our grade.

But we'll see. Taking 2 classes next semester, will be double the work, double the study hours, double the papers, double the stress and double the self doubts. But in the end, I'll look back, wipe my forehead from the sweat and say "whew! what a year" with a smile.

Enjoy the Holidays.