I am about three weeks away from finishing up my second (really first hard) semester of graduate school. When I began the semester I had no idea what a literature review was, nor did I believe I was capable of writing one. I had never done a research critique, nor thought about semiotics; however, in about four months I have learned how to do it all.
Still, I pose a warning to all those that are thinking about graduate school, and I do so in a scholarly manner.
Observe picture one below: this picture was taken in around the beginning of September 2008. I had just started the beginning of my senior year at Utah State University. My skin is vibrant, my eyes twinkle and my smile has a genuineness about it. I had an inner confidence and assurance that I could do anything; I was content with life.
Now observe picture two below: this picture was taken 5 minutes ago. Although it has been a little over a year, one can tell the toll this past year has had on me. The bags under my eyes reveal the overexposure to reading research articles, sometimes more than 50 pages long; the wrinkles above my eyes have been enhanced from too much contemplation. While the zits on my face reveal the stress associated with deciding to go to graduate school, moving states, cultures, and universities. It's interesting to note a couple of weeks ago I had the Rocky Mountains on my forehead and the Alps on my chin. Still, my favorite is the cute line of chubbiness that is hard to hide--the documentation of my preferred pastime: stress eating on chocolate and salty snacks.
My Conclusion: They should put a surgeon general warning on your graduate applications.
