PhD Year 2

Hellloooo out there cyber world?

Nobody really reads this but I'll still write an entry since I haven't in a while and just pretend like someone is reading it :).

I just finished my second week of school this week of my second year in the PhD program. Wowwww, can you believe that??!! I certainly can't. I felt like it was just yesterday that I created this blog to write about my journey surviving grad school and now... I'm STILL in grad school, with no light at the end of this dark, really long tunnel. Hahaha just kidding! Let's not make this entry TOO somber!

Why did I start school so early, you ask? Wellllll... not only did I get jipped from a longer summer vacation but my school converted to a semester system. YAYY longer weeks in school. Awesome. Just what I wanted. So far, I'm trying to take things one day at a time. I have LOADS of reading, I don't seem to have any free time. At least before, I had a couple of times I could just fuck around and watch Netflix or work out all day. Now, it's just reading, reading, reading. I feel like I'm getting 2 PhDs, it's just overwhelming!

So let's recap a little about my summer that I didn't get to write about. I was actually a co-facilitator of a cognitive-behavioral program called Thinking for a Change for female offenders at a community-based facility nearby. It was actually a really awesome experience and I think part of me became a little more confident about my public speaking abilities. Although... I still hear my voice start to crack when I talk in class (still working on it, guys). Female offenders are LOTS of drama though, it was like being in a high school all over again... quite ridiculous but always interesting to work with them. I only did it for the summer and was hoping to keep going throughout this semester but I'm wayyy too busy. They've been kind enough to offer me an open door and told me to come back whenever I wanted to (obviously.. I'm awesome.. and free help).

I've also been working really hard at my research project. I was looking up articles, reading them, condensing information, and etc... I'm presenting the poster at the American Society of Criminology conference in Chicago in November so that's exciting! I have lots of other ideas and hopefully will get publication from them soon enough. Just gotta sit down and start writing.

Anyway, I hope you're all doing well and I miss all of you, Cali! I'll be back at the end of this month for two of my friends' weddings and then in November for Thanksgiving. I hope I get to see some of you when I'm back!!!! :)

P.S. There's an Asian-American girl in the PhD program that just came in! YAYYYY :) No more being the only Asian.. oh wait, but how will my professors ever recognize me now.. dang it!!!!! ;)