It's hard to believe that it's really here: the hunt for a job offer. Before I came to graduate school, I dated a humanities PhD student who was on the academic job market for the first time. Needless to say, it left me somewhat traumatized and deeply anxious about my own future employment situation – starting 7 years ago. And now the time is here: I have several campus visits lined up. I'm polishing the talk, revamping the handout, editing the slides. I'm preparing my teaching demos, researching faculty interests, and starting to imagine myself here, there, or somewhere in between. Part of me wants to ask, how did this happen already? The other part of me reminds me: oh, about seven years of hard work (and I'm even getting the right husband out of it, too!).
I was feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed by it all last week. Too paralyzed even to blog about it. I'm not ready! I'm just a diversity candidate! They'll find out that I'm too young or not what they want or a total red-faced Asian when I drink! How on earth can I possibly the survive the scrutiny I will receive over the next six weeks? Then my dad reminded me, "It's just six weeks." That's right: six weeks. I can do this! It's just "a busy season," right? With all the travel, snatching of sleep, and frantic hand-washing, it will all be over before I know it. It's a little microcosm of this blog's subtitle: "seven campus visits. four performances of beethoven's 9th. one bridal shower. one job offer. six weeks. let's go!"
I'm off to my first school on Tuesday. Wish me luck!
I was feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed by it all last week. Too paralyzed even to blog about it. I'm not ready! I'm just a diversity candidate! They'll find out that I'm too young or not what they want or a total red-faced Asian when I drink! How on earth can I possibly the survive the scrutiny I will receive over the next six weeks? Then my dad reminded me, "It's just six weeks." That's right: six weeks. I can do this! It's just "a busy season," right? With all the travel, snatching of sleep, and frantic hand-washing, it will all be over before I know it. It's a little microcosm of this blog's subtitle: "seven campus visits. four performances of beethoven's 9th. one bridal shower. one job offer. six weeks. let's go!"
I'm off to my first school on Tuesday. Wish me luck!
That's right-- it's just 6 weeks! Make sure you get enough sleep... and no more Skittle lunches :)
ReplyDeleteI'm marveling at how you are such an attentive, caring friend despite being CRAZY BUSY!
hehe the right husband is key!! ;) all your hard work is paying off now.. you're coming into the home stretch!!
ReplyDeletei have to say, after seeing your practice talk, the diversity thing is the icing on the cake. you are hot stuff regardless of what you look like. that was one fabulous talk. it really built on itself (layered, like the cake i imagine you to be. mmm i do love chocolate cake, will you have chocolate cake at your wedding? are you going to do that thing where there's half chocolate and half vanilla? if so, i humbly request a slice of chocolate), and steamrolled into this fabulous, well reasoned, novel interpretation of a play that sounds (i'm being totally honest here) kind of fascinating...!
ReplyDeleteso. good luck today, as you embark on a whirlwind tour :) and DON'T FORGET TO SEND THANK YOU NOTES!
I am so jealous that Sarah B got to see a practice talk! Ahhh! But of course, without watching it I knew it was fabulous :)
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