Last night, I had a really nice hang and conversation with a fellow doctoral student, whom I don’t get to see much anymore. Him, another doctoral student and I spent a couple of hours comparing dissertation work, musical advances, future plans, and general chit-chat.
I got some great advice about the anxiety I’ve been feeling about finishing school and entering the real world. Jeff, who had spent some time outside of academia before starting this doctorate, told me the fear I have is natural, expected, and won’t really go away. He felt it before his doctorate, working, and would be feeling it when he finishes his PhD. The way he said it was much more nice but obvious. Basically: It’s natural but something I need to get over. I’m not going to be comfortable either way, sooner or later; I’m going to have to deal with it. Having had a conversation about music and improvisation just prior, I felt the way he used the words “deal with” in the life-sense was the same “deal with” in his musical-sense; probably the reason I understood it this time.
