Cohort 2013

I am a member of Cohort 2013 - 15 students embarking on a graduate program together. We are wide-eyed and apprehensive but completely relying on one another to survive.

We created a private Facebook group to share our turmoils and update each other on our progress. We also have email and phone numbers to keep in touch. We will see each other only once a year for three years during a week-long seminar. Bonding must happen quick and must be strong!

As you can imagine, our program is unique. The week together was spent listening to other cohorts experiences, finding out what the expectations are from the program, faculty, and ourselves, learning more about our field, and taking very interesting tours of nearby federal facilities. To each and every one of us, we were in our element trying to soak in as much knowledge as possible. Every night, I was exhausted.

Here are some pictures from our first year integrative seminar:

How to be Successful in your Degree

From PHDcomics.com, Originally published 10/27/1997

The professors gave sage words of advice for us this week.These were the ones I managed to jot down during the session.

"How to be Successful in your Degree":

1. Align yourself with someone in the faculty who shares your passion.
2. Communication, Committee, Cooperation - most important aspects of your dissertation research.
3. Pick a topic you want to work on for 1 to 5 years.
4. Stay focused on your goals and be flexible.
5. If your committee isn't serving you, ax them.
6. Write 10 pages in the afternoon. Edit in the morning.
7. Use your networks to get access to data.
8. Finishing your doctorate is not about how smart you are but how bad you want it.
9. Be OCD and Get 'R Done.
10. Grow up or go home.
11. The entire process is suppose to be demoralizing.
12. Faculty is not going to support you emotionally. Rely on your cohort for that.
13. It's about the process of getting it done.
14. Become a subject-matter expert on something.
15. Get some money to support you.

Welcome to My World

To the future Doctor of Science in Emergency Management:

Today marked your first week as a doctoral student. You successfully completed your integrative seminar without bumps, bruises, or any tears shed. Congratulations! Only 260-364 more weeks to go.

You started this blog to detail your journey and provide a record of your accomplishment. These were the questions you asked yourself in the first week:

1. How will you balance a full-time job and research?
2. How will you support your family and be a student?
3. Where do you want to go in life?
4. Will you able to work and study to your full potential?
5. Who do you want to be?
6. Will being a researcher provide value to your family?
7. How much time will you devote to your dreams?

May the force be with you!

Sincerely,
Me