brainylady

Much-needed inspiration

I was just getting caught up on sleep (and laundry), and then a big conference began at my university, which I am helping out with, so I'm in the middle of three long days. Trying to see as many presentations as I can between sitting at the registration desk yesterday and helping set up for a party tonight. It's been fun. Three particular highlights: the two professors who supervised my undergrad honours thesis are here, and I hadn't seen them in several years; I met someone who may prove to be very helpful in my thesis research; and at last night's reception I got to tell a certain professor from Vancouver that I took his intro course in 1996 and look! now I'm in grad school.

It has also been encouraging for me to be reminded of the very wide range of research areas that exist in my field. I'm still undecided about my academic future (that is, whether or not I'll have one), and more often than not over the past two terms I've felt discouraged. But I have to remember that there is a place (or, there are places) for me and my interests in academia, even if it isn't here. There are many people doing really interesting work. It's inspiring. So, basically, if this is what I want to do (i.e., be a smarty-pants scholar), I can. Now I just have to decide whether I want to...

ADDED LATER: I just came back and reread this post, and I realize I'm being vague and -- let's face it, I'm actually talking to myself here. Don't mind me, just trying to sort some things out! I'll knit something soon and return to regularly scheduled programming. :)