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PhD

Reflections on My First Semester of My Ph.D. Journey

December 6, 2017 by Kim @ KimBocko 1 Comment

It’s official. I turn in my final policy paper in five days and will officially be done with my first semester in my Ph.D. program! Wowza. It’s honestly hard to believe that I have only been back in school for a semester because it feels like it’s been much longer. I find myself reflecting on the past semester and what my experience has been like.

 

Time Management

This semester was more challenging than I anticipated because of time management. Silly, right? I talk with students on the daily about managing time, but this truly was my biggest struggle. In July, I accepted a new position on campus, so in addition to going back to school, I’ve been learning a whole new job. I love it – both my new job and school – but taking on two new opportunities at the same time definitely stretched me thin. It took a few months to really figure out how to balance work, school, and family.

The best advice I got related to time management was to schedule, schedule, schedule! I ended up scheduling 7pm-9am Tuesday-Thursday evenings to focus on homework. I put it on my calendar so it was part of my “official” day and Jason was totally supportive of this. This helped me feel as if I had a standing appointment on these nights and was obligated to do homework in the evenings. It took some adjusting, but this model really ended up working for me.

Ph.D Classes

I loved being back in the classroom. This semester I took a class on higher education public policy. This is a subject I was incredibly naive about; I learned so much over the past ten weeks or so. Transitioning from “fun” reading to “class” reading required some adjustment on my part – it has been a long time since I have read with a critical eye rather than just accepting the words on the page. But I loved completing readings each week and then having a group of peers to debate with. This is really what I have been missing in my life that I’m finding my Ph.D. is providing me – a group of individuals who are invested in higher education and want to discuss it. I feel as if I’m constantly being challenged in my views and to consider issues from different perspectives and I love it. I feel as if it’s really helping me grow as a student, but also as a professional.

Kim CEHD Ph.D

Community

The community has been one of the best parts of going back to school. My cohort is amazing. I get to take classes with great people and have already begun to create friendships that extend beyond the classroom. I feel so, so grateful for the people I’ve met so far.

Final Thoughts

My first semester is officially done and I will have a whole month off – yay!! I’m looking forward to taking a break over the next month, but I also want to take time to reflect and consider what I want to research and what topics are really important to me. I’m finding myself drawn to adult/non-traditional/post-traditional students (ah, terms!) but really want to make sure I’m not just taking classes, but also tying my classes to my overall research goals.

Okay, five more days. Then I can say I’m officially done with my first semester!

 

Posted in: PhD Tagged: Ph.D. reflections

My Ph.D. Adventure Begins Tonight

September 11, 2017 by Kim @ KimBocko 1 Comment

I’ve had orientation. I’ve completed my first readings. And tonight, my first class for my Ph.D. program meets. My adventure is officially beginning. And I have a lot of feelings.

A big part of my cannot believe this is happening. When I started the application process last fall, it felt like a long shot. I had to take the GRE, which was a huge hurdle for me. I had to write my personal statements, identifying what I might want to research, and identify people I trusted to write letters of recommendation for me. And then I had to wait.

And then, the YES came.

Over the past nine months, starting my Ph.D. didn’t feel real. It was something that would start in the fall. And now the fall is here.

So how am I feeling? Excited. Terrified. Inspired. Inadequate. Crazy (definitely, crazy).

I’m still working full-time, so on Mondays when I have class I’m working until 2pm, then driving 75 minutes to the University of Minnesota for evening class. I’m hoping that excitement will give me the drive and energy I need to make it through these crazy days.

So, here goes nothing. I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes me!

 

Posted in: PhD Tagged: phd

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I'm Kim, a 30-something living in Minneapolis, by way of Wisconsin. I'm an avid reader, coffee aficionado, higher ed professional, wife, and fur mama.

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