Looking Back Over the Year

Just last year, I had barely started my PhD thesis research. Now, a year later, I have passed my thesis proposal defense, and have completed a first run at a data pipeline. I have downloaded just about all of the data I will be analyzing (with the exception of data that will be added in the coming year or so).

Andrew and I have been settling nicely into our life together. We seem to share the house and our lives very easily, and I feel so luck to have him in my life. He’s loving, caring, has a great sense of humor, and can weather out my dark moods. I can’t imagine having anyone else in my life.

I’ve started to take control of other parts of my life. I’m starting to feel more and more like a “real person.” This has been a struggle after all my years as a student. Somehow, it’s hard to think of myself as a full-fledged person when I’m “just” a student. I feel as though I’m not really contributing anything to the world. Now, even though I’m still a part-time student, I’m starting to see that I have lots to contribute, and not just to the scientific world. My definition of success is changing.