Progress, Progress

Wow. I can't believe that a week ago I wasn't even thinking about applying to school this winter. Now I'm working on applications to OSU, U Montana, and U Wisconsin-Madison. OSU is due on the 15th and Montana and Wisconsin are due at the end of the month.

Since last Friday I've:

• Put together a draft CV
• Contacted people for letters of recommendation
• Ordered transcripts
• Started all three applications online
• Written and revised a draft of my statement of purpose
• Researched possible advisors at OSU
• Asked a couple of friends in grad school to see their CV/resumes and sop's

It's been a whirlwind the last week. Norm has really been the catalyst for all my work. I have been doing the work, though, which feels really good. Really good.

I've been "thinking about grad school" for something like 4 years now and "seriously thinking about grad school" for 2+ years. Finally, I'm doing something about grad school. Earlier today, when I was talking to Frank, I came up with the analogy of jumping in a swimming pool. I've been looking at the pool, and I've stuck my toe in the water a few times, contacting professors and friends about grad school. Now I feel like I've jumped in. I feel that same shock that you feel when you get in the pool, like "damn, it's cold!" I'm still kind of feeling the shock. Part of me is still in last week, but most of me--and, importantly, the part that types and makes phone calls--is in this week and has done some good stuff. We'll see what comes of it. The worst case scenario is that I don't get in and I apply again later. This puts me way ahead of where I was, though.

The best case is that I start school in the fall.