Does this change things?

It's recruiting season at school! Tomorrow starts the first interview weekend, everyone is always excited to meet the recruits, reminisce about their own interview experiences, and most importantly soak up some of the free food that is foisted on recruits. Their schedule is always the same for all three weekends- breakfast with the chair of the department, interview with faculty, student seminar over lunch, more faculty then happy hour, dinner and drinks (except at our school drinks = chocolate fondue at the Melting Pot). Most grad students get called in to help with at least one of these weekends in some way or another. This weekend I am a student liaison, which hypothetically means reaching out to the student to answer any questions before, during or after their visit, but practically means giving them one face to look for in the fuss and making sure they get places by the buddy system.

And I just found out today that I'll be called to service again in two weeks- I'll be giving the student seminar. It's not like the interviews were planned based on the seminar schedule, but I am flattered that they'll be seeing me talk regardless. And a little terrified, how do I explain my work in a way that would inspire someone else to join our department? I am not sure this is any different then giving the same seminar I would normally give- I've done a lot of work, some of it worked, I had a lot of help from a lot of people. What would make the school seem more appealing anyway?

This is just the current thing I am sinking time into that isn't "doing science." I stuck in some kind of interminal rut- and there is no way I am still huffing over not getting the AAAS fellowship. The whole nature of the fellowship is that is gives me a reason to leave and a focus for my aspirations, so the idea of not being eligible doesn't seem acceptable. After I wrote that blog post, I stole my courage and my info and went to talk to Dr. Boss. Tuesday I told him that this fellowship would move up my graduation schedule, and is it possible for me to graduate before Dec 15 2010? (but stay in the lab until the program starts in Fall 2011) He seemed a bit taken aback, no, 10 months is too soon (which I expected but was disappointing to hear anyway).

I should pause here to say that I didn't sleep more then 2 hours the night before, I was so sick nervous about having this conversation. It also took me all day to decide what I would say, and even then, I wanted to bring a puke bucket. See, I don't get a lot of direct or general feedback from my boss. It's possible he thinks I need 4 more years and remedial school before graduation, and that asking him about graduating might be the catalyst for him to detail all my failings. I really have no idea how he feels about my work.

But thanks to this WISC stuff we've talked about, I felt organized and I knew what I needed to get out of this conversation, besides rejection. I pressed him a little further- it is feasible for me to be looking for fellowships that start in Fall 2011? Will I be graduated before then? Well, yes actually. A few more months is a lot once you've been in the lab that long so that seems very do-able and right on schedule. *celebratory moonwalk* So chances are my undergrad will still graduate before me, but at least I won't have to carry on long without him.