Thesis Acceptance, Take Two

The University hustled to correct its mistake. As it turns out, almost everyone on the review committee had gotten the correct version, but the Poetry Reviewer, the one who actually had the final say over my thesis, did not. In any case, they all reconvened post haste after I alerted the Thesis Coordinator to the error, and re-reviewed my document. I got the new decision today via priority mail. This time my thesis decision was "accepted in this form," meaning I have no revisions of substance to make.

Now that I've calmed down I can actually see the compliment in the fact that my first draft was "accepted with minor revisions." Given that the only work that had been done to that draft was that it had been printed out, that's slightly remarkable. It was that rough by comparison. I feel so validated now, because as important to me as getting my thesis accepted, I wanted it accepted "as is." This is not, for my program, a lofty goal that few attain. I knew I could do it. It's great to know that my final draft earned the specific level of acceptance I set as my goal at the beginning of the term.

I am so grateful to my friends for not only supporting me throughout the semester, but for being there through the temporary crisis Monday night's upset created. All of you were appropriately outraged on my behalf while remaining positive and giving me some much-needed perspective. If it weren't for you wonderful people, I don't know that I would have gotten to sleep that night.

My coworkers, again, proved just how thoughtful they are. On Tuesday I received via delivery, at the office, a lovely basket of Afrian Violets. The card read "Kate, You will always be our Poet Laureate." First of all, I have never gotten flowers delivered to me, for any reason, so when the office assistant walked toward my desk with this beautiful arrangement, I was stupefied. Surely, she was not coming to my desk with this inspiring package...

Now I have the sense of joy and happiness I had hoped to feel on Monday night. It's all over and amends have been made; my work has been validated. I remember deciding to apply to this program 3 years ago. What a tremendous experience this was. It was everything I wanted, ultimately.

You know, I was so upset a couple of nights ago that I decided not to participate in the Thesis Reading on Saturday. In truth, I had never wanted to do it--not because of nerves, but for some inexplicable reason, I just haven't been "feeling it." But after the snafu, I decided there was no way I could even pretend to embrace the ritual in the proper spirit required for such an event. I told my advisor as much. And he replied that I was the only reason he would have attended--as a show of support, but more importantly to indulge in my work, my voice. This relationship has been the pivotal one of my master's degree candidacy. And I would be sad that this association is reaching a formal conclusion. I would be if I didn't already know that new contexts for continued collaboration await.

On to the next chapter of this book...