ladymercury_10 | Wait, when did I become an adult?

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Wait, when did I become an adult?

I just turned in my last final. I guess this means I've passed college? Graduation is on Saturday...it feels really surreal. In some sense, nothing's really changing--I'll still be doing coursework in the fall, since I'm going to grad school. In another sense, it's going to be very different. While I'll still be a student, I'll be doing math all the time. I may never have to write another paper again. I've gotten so used to being an English major, and it's going to be strange not to have assigned reading and writing.

I can't believe it's been four years already. I think in some ways I never expected college to end. Of course I knew I would graduate, but it was always such a distant thing that I only really considered it in the abstract. I've changed a lot since I got here. If you had told me on the first day of freshman year that I would go to grad school for math, I would have laughed in your face.

I really love it here. I'm so proud of my school, of how good-hearted and passionate and smart and unconcernedly dorky all my classmates and professors have been. I'm going to miss it a lot. And

ityellsback, you've been a splendid roommate, and I will miss talking about fandom and bugs and feminism when we should have been sleeping.

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Aw, congratulations on finishing up your last final and graduating! That is a huge step. How did you end up going into grad school for math as an English major of all things? XD

Thank you! :D

I meant to double major, but I started math a bit late and so didn't have time. I decided I wanted to keep going even though I didn't quite finish the major, so I'm supposed to start a master's program this fall. I'm very excited. :D

That is really neat! I love English majors who defy the English-majors-can't-do-math stereotype, which is so unfair and so prevalent :(

Haha, thanks! Somewhat entertainingly, there is a related stereotype that math students can't do math. The trouble with higher math is that it robs you of the ability to, say, add and subtract. I always have a moment of panic when I have to calculate a tip, because I'm used to setting up problems and making the computer carry them out.

Dude, that is what calculator apps on cellphones are for, obviously~! ;)

I'm glad I'm not the only Maths student who can't do Maths :P
My friends always expect me to be able work out how to split the bill off the top of my head, and I always have a panic!

Haha, arithmetic is so hard, right? :P

Congratulations! Graduation is kinda a surreal time, to be sure. But the nice thing about going right into grad school is that you don't quite have to leave the school bubble just yet :) Even though it's kind of a sad time, I hope you have a lovely time celebrating as well.

I didn't know you used to be an English major! That's an interesting transition to make from English to math, but that's what college is for, right? Figuring out what you want to do. I'm glad you found something to be excited and passionate about so much so that you're going to grad school for it.

Thank you! Haha, yes, I am happy to not be leaving the school bubble yet. :P

Yes! I started as a creative writing major and picked up math along the way. I really liked being at a liberal arts school because they give us so much freedom to explore lots of subjects. I'll miss my writing classes but I'm super excited for grad school in math!

Huzzah for liberal arts schools! I went to one myself and my life is so much better for it. I think it's pretty safe to say that it would have been nearly impossible to do a double major in biology and music at any other school and get out in four years. It's nice to hear other people's good experiences with them!

That's a really cool combination! :D

*throws confetti*

Congrats!

I heartily approve of both English and Math, and all the places they intersect. How long is the MS program? 1 year or 2? Will you be taking any stats courses? *rubs hands together gleefully*

(Oh also, I should mention that my reaction to the "OMG when did I become an adult?" realization was right before my (extra) fifth year of college, in the summer. My first apartment, shared with my math chick friend, and one day it hit me like a lightning bolt: "Holy crap! I am basically an adult! I can do whatever the ef I want!" So I went to the convenience store down the street and... bought a pack of cigarettes. Because I could! I'd tried smoking once or twice about eight years prior with a neighbor. But I tried it again! and then realized, "this is dumb", gave the rest of the cigs to a smoker friend who was in my a cappella choir, and decided that instead, I would spend exorbitant amounts of money making halloween costumes that year because I could!.)

Thank you!

Hahaha, elaborate costumes > cigarettes, definitely.

The MS is 2 years. I have to do some transitional coursework. (I almost took a fifth year, but they're letting me make up some undergrad courses and supposedly it won't make me graduate later.) I doubt I will get to do any stats as that is technically a different department, but you never know!

Hooray! Congraulations!! Grad school sounds like it'll be an interesting change of pace for you. =)

Thanks! I hope so. :)

Congratulations!! :D

Thank you!

Oh, yay! Congratulations!

Yay, thanks!

Congrats! And yay grad school!

Thanks! :)

Congratulations! Yeah, I thought graduating was really surreal as well. Then I went out and got an actual job and that felt odd. Then I quit the job and came back to uni and that felt odd. And then I'm finishing in september and I can see the feeling odd on the horizon. I think it's just a change and time thing.

Grad school should be fantastic :D I'd love to come back again and do a PhD...we'll see.

Make the most of your time left and enjoy your graduation!

Also, if you haven't seen Neil Gaiman's Address to the University of Arts 2012, have a listen. Much better than any other graduation speeches I've heard *grins*.

Edited 2012-05-29 16:53 (UTC)

Thank you!

What did you study in grad school/would you study in a PhD program?

Ooh, that sounds exciting, thanks for the link! My favorite commencement speech is "This is Water," that David Foster Wallace gave at Kenyon.

I did Geography at undergraduate, currently doing Risk and Security working on a dissertation which is 'Risk Imaginaries of War: from the Cold War to the War on Terror in Young Adult Literature' and I would love to carry on the themes from this into a PhD, maybe do some work in schools on it, about othering and broadening the horizon of the future.

There's a a fun comic strip based on it too. I am a shameless Neil Gaiman fan *grins*. Huh, got a link for the This is Water one at all? Not heard that :)

Oh, cool!

Here's the speech text. You can also find audio if you search YouTube.

Ajdklsfs, graduating is so strange. I guess it's mostly because of how it's closing a door on a part of your life, and you're moving onto a very different stage?

BUT CONGRATULATIONS. For graduating and for grad school especially :D

It does feel really strange. And thank you!

Yeah, it doesn't get any less strange, tbh. I keep reminding myself I don't have something to do or class to go to when I get up in the mornings, which is so weird.

I haven't even left yet--we're in the middle of senior week--and I'm already like, what, no homework? No class?

Belated congratulations! :D

Thank you muchly!

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