A funny thing happened...

Ever since I started graduate school, I couldn't wait to get out. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed myself; on the contrary, I've felt more comfortable professionally in graduate school than anywhere else. But I was always eager to reach the final destination, to clear all those hurdles and finally get my PhD. And since last May, I've pretty much been thinking that Spring 2009 would be when I would attain that goal. But then I met with my committee this weekend, and again with my dissertation advisor today. And their consensus has been, yeah, you'll be able to graduate Spring 2009. And all of a sudden I'm all, wait... what? And I start metaphorically wringing my hands and wondering why it got so hot in the room so suddenly. Can't someone turn on the air, please, and get me a cold glass of water? It feels so strange-- wonderful, of course, and scary at the same time-- that this is finally going to happen. Part of me, I confess, still feels like a small child entering elementary school and wondering who will sit with me at lunch.