Second Year

**Updated:  I passed The Test.  I will get feedback next week, but it doesn't matter, because I PASSED!

Well, I am officially a second year PhD student.  I didn't take a first day of school picture this year.  But maybe I'll take a first day of teaching picture on Monday.  We'll see.

My first classes were Thursday.  Stats, all day.  I like stats, but four hours in a darkened room is A LOT.  The lights are turned down so we can better see the projector, but it makes me a little dizzy, then staring at a bright screen in front of me.  I also had my first writing class, it's a workshop/seminar that I think is going to be really helpful.  I enjoyed talking about some different issues in academic writing and also defining what we mean by academic writing.  Really boring stuff right?

I already have homework, and I get the feeling that while the first year was heavy on reading (insane amounts) the second year is going to be heavy on writing.  I'm just hoping for less stressful than last year.   I also start teaching on Monday.  I should probably finish my syllabus.  I just can't quite seem to get in the mood to do it.  A friend taught her first class on Friday and enjoyed it.  So I'm hoping it will be a little fun.  It's so strange to be back in school already again.  We've had such a great summer.  But the weather felt like fall for a couple of days last week.  It will be sweater and cider weather soon.

I'm still waiting to find out how I did on THE TEST.  Results come in on Tuesday.