I've typed, deleted and retyped this blog post so many times I lost count. It keeps coming back to me though and I need to saw it.

For those of you who weren't subjected to me yelling on Twitter, I finally finished grad school. Like completely finished. PhD dissertation bound, sealed, signed, delivered and paid for (yes, apparently I pay people for the privilege of letting them have my blood, sweat and tears). The last couple weeks have been spent looking back and thinking about all the people who helped me get to this point. Most of them got nice cards and gifts. A few people deserve some other recommendation.

To the high school guidance counselor who suggested I stay away from science majors in college because the math might be too hard: 

Please stop giving out advice. This is the kind of bullshit that convinced me to give up the career path I wanted back then. It's also the kind of crap that kept me believing for years that I wasn't good at math. I'm not saying I'm a genius or anything, but the phrase "at grade level" does not mean "incapable". I won't lie, those graduate statistics courses were a bitch. There were days that I sat at my computer crying for hours trying to make it work. Nights that didn't end while I finished up assignments. Anytime I heard myself saying "I can't" it was your voice. So thanks for being the evil voice in my head that I stayed up and worked harder for just to prove wrong.

To the chair of my undergraduate major department who told me that she didn't recommend grad school for "people like me":

I'm not sure who "people like me" are, but we're doing just fine. Every moment of the last six years? Nope. Most day, weren't terrible though. There were some pretty nice highs as well.

Also? Your prize student who was perfect and went to a PhD program? Yeah, he dropped out after a year because it was too hard.

To the professor in my master's program who yelled at me when I asked for a letter of recommendation for a PhD program:

First, I'm not sure it is ever appropriate to arrange a meeting with someone you've said you'd write a letter for, bring their entire file and proceed to point out every single flaw. Second, I already know. I know all about the economics class I didn't do particularly well in. I know I got an A minus in your class. I know I don't have a strong math background. Myself, and most people I know, are already pretty good at picking out our flaws. It's a gift.

Second, about that comment where you weren't sure why any department would want me? Feel free to ask around. I'm no star, but I did well enough. I have a handful of awards, a few trinkets and they let me graduate.

Also, please stop smiling at me when you see me in the hall. We're not friends.


To all the magical people in my life who have held my hand, kicked my butt and generally not said terrible things while supporting me:

I love you.