So what am I doing?

I’m recharging.

To: Phil
From: The Director of Mathematics
Date: Today
Subject: Succesful M.Sc. thesis

Hi all,

I am pleased to announce the successful M.Sc. thesis defence of Mr. Phil [T]. The thesis is entitled “Unifying the Resonant Solutions of a Broad Class of Korteweg-de Vries Equations” under the supervision of Dr. [Dave]. Congratulations to both Phil and Dave!

[The Director of Mathematics]

It was fine. That’s really the best description I can give.

They asked me to wait in the lounge, came to get me, shook my hand, then told me I was given a “Pass with Distinction”, and was being recommended for some medal. Can’t seem to remember which medal.

But it’s not covered in gold foil and edible, so I’m sure it can’t be all that bad.

It wasn’t life changing. It didn’t happen in slow motion. It just sort of came. And passed.

And then everybody left and I just sat there.

Clutching my teddy bear. Rocking gently back and forth.

Okay, not really, but close enough.

Thanks to David (for lending me his “baby”), Nishant (for spending a couple of hours listening to me), Jen (for, well, it’s a long story), and to all my friends who called Thursday night to see if I tanked the defense, only to be turned away since I was sleeping.

Oh, and to Rhys. Who sent me this.

To: Phil
From: Rhys
Date: Two days ago
Subject: Dude!

Dearest Phil,

Please quit giving yourself ulcers over your thesis defense. Dude, you’ve already nailed it. You effin’ rock. Oxford knows it. Your peers and professors know it. EVERYBODY knows it. I’ve sweated through the thesis thing myself and sat on committees to torture my own students, and if there’s one thing I can tell you, it’s never as big a deal as you think it’ll be. It’s the word ‘defense’ that gives it the awful shuddery feeling. You don’t actually have to DEFEND anything. Merely explain bits…it’s more a show of your own personality and interests than a grilling session.

Seriously? Universities do NOT want people to tank on theses. They don’t go looking for a reason to ‘fail’ them. Because when students are un-graduated, it makes the department look bad. Trust me, you’re cake. And if anyone gives you any lip, just shove that newspaper article all about Hawt!Brilliant!Phil! into their faces.

It will be good. Deep breath…let it out…you are not allowed to think about the damn thing tonight. It will be over tomorrow. Over. Even if it turned into the absolute worst bloodbath imaginable with you taking out your entire committee with well-placed slices to the throats and stabs to the eyeballs, it’ll still be over.

Except there will be no bloodbath. They will be proud to have known someone not only of your academic caliber, but of your character. You will emerge victorious and wonder what all the fuss was about. I promise.

XXXXOOOO,
Rhys
Been there, done that

Rhys, sometimes, I forget how ol—I mean, sage, you can be. Thanks and I wish you were there.

Hope to write more about it, soon. But at the moment, I’m just sorting things out.

Because unlike the Energizer Bunny, I do need to recharge.