Benchmark... complete

I got to be a nerd this weekend. I listened and analyzed research that others had spent countless hours preparing and then in turn had others do the same to me. Intellectually stimulating conversation, people conversing about new ideas, making suggestions about how a study could be improved. I sat back and soaked it all in. Realizing that this was my last chance to be in an environment like this. I'll be graduating soon and may not get to attend another conference in my field of study, or get another chance to present my very own research again.

And now it is done.

I have gone through and now am familiar with the process of completing a study, APA paper etc. I know the difference between dependent and independent variables, qualitative and quantitative, now if those darn statistics only made sense to me! The point is I am mourning in a way. Mourning the completion of a part of my college career. This was a huge milestone, a benchmark leading me to that cap and gown, crossing that stage. And now I'm done. This brings me one step closer. I remember looking forward to this day, about a year ago, wishing I was already done with my research. I didn't want to have to write chapters 4 and 5... now I am there, wishing that those chapters were not yet written.

RW