This week I received news that I have been waiting since Jan. 2: actually, the news came in this morning as I checked my emails. At 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning I was informed via email that my thesis proposal has been approved. I can now, officially, begin what should be a grueling yet beautiful writing process that will capture years of academic preparation with a lifetime of passion for the written word.
I am scared, excited and anxious but most of all I am feeling determined. It’s been a long process that has required countless sacrifices: missing family outings, ball games with my friends and cousins, late-night shenanigans with anyone of my friends bored at home on a random weekend, just to list a few. Add to all of that the insane amounts of coffee during those sleepless nights that were followed by a screeching alarm early the next morning.
I truly believe that we never stop learning in life and even with the grad-school journey nearing its end, I feel that I have so much more to learn because there is still so much life to live. School has been great and it has taught me much of what I needed know to reach this point, where I can write for a living and call journalism my profession: I love it and without the proper schooling it would not be possible. With that Master’s Degree in hand I will close one chapter in life and prepare to dive head first into whatever comes next.
I‘m excited about graduating and anxious to keep moving forward with life. More important, I am determined to finish my time at Mount Saint Mary’s College with a great thesis. I don’t care about a GPA (even though I earned As in every course taken) as much as I care about writing the best thesis that I can put out. Producing a great thesis is the goal and it will allow me to walk away satisfied.
So far every sacrifice has been well worth it and I am excited that I have reached the final phase of this process. It’s time to finish strong.