2011: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Hey, folks! It's that time again: the year in review! Last year my goals were very similar to what they had been in 2009, but this year, since I've started grad school, my goals have shifted. Hooray new goals!

Here is what last year's list looked like:

2011: Stuff I'd like to do

-Publish the results of my thesis
-Get accepted to grad school
-Get the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
-Move to a new city
-Start grad school
-Choose a research topic for my dissertation
-Apply for the NSF GRFP (if I don't get it in April)
-Select an adviser
-Print more of my photographs

2011: A Year in Review

So what did I end up doing?
-I did NOT publish the results of my thesis. This is driving me crazy. I've had an impossible time getting Walt (my former adviser, and thesis adviser at CLAS) to respond to emails and get his butt in gear for resubmission. It's written! It's ready to go! I just need his approval! ARGH! So, yeah. This still hasn't happened.
-I DID get accepted to grad school! Yipee!
-I did NOT get the NSF GRFP. That was not fun at all.
-I DID move to a new city: WCU!
-I DID start grad school, and made it successfully through my first semester!
-I have NOT yet chosen a research topic for my dissertation, although I've been slowly narrowing down my options. My lab is pretty prolific right now, with big projects in several areas. My problem thus far has been the number of projects to choose from! I just can't decide.
-I DID apply again for the NSF GRF. I have one more year of eligibility remaining, but hopefully I'll manage to get it this time.
-I DID select an adviser, sort of. I didn't really select Paul, per say, as he was my default adviser for this program, and our department at WCU doesn't do rotations-- students come into the program to work in a specific lab. So I chose Paul by choosing to come to WCU. Either way, I have an adviser, and it all works out.
-I DID print more photographs. It was easy to get that one off the list.

I did a few other things, too:
-I leased Jet and continued to improve at barrel racing.
-I started running, and got myself to the point where I could run a 5K without dying.
-I took Jet calf sorting.
-I moved. Three times. Yeah. I really need to stop doing that.
-I found a new place to ride outside WCU. It's not the same as the barn outside MHT, but it's a nice place, and I'm slowly starting to get to know everyone. Not much western riding out here. I've yet to hear of anyone sorting, penning, or barrel racing, but I do know of a few reiners, so it's out there... somewhere. Hopefully I'll meet some of those folks soon.
-I've been more social. I'm not antisocial, but sometimes I don't make the effort to get out and do things. I'm perfectly happy spending a quite night at home. Since moving to WCU, though, I've really put in the effort to go out and do things with people. It hasn't been too painful. ;)

So, what am I looking for in the year ahead?

2012: Stuff I'd like to do

-Publish the results of my thesis. Seriously. This needs to happen.
-Get the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. I'm really hoping this is in my cards this year.
-Choose a research topic for my dissertation, or at least get started with something. In the next few weeks, I need to decide what I'm going to do with my summer, so I can get out there and start collecting some data!
-Attend a conference. I don't think I'll have anything to present, but there are a lot of conferences in this area this summer and there are a couple I'd REALLY like to go to.
-Survive my second semester of grad school.
-Explore more of the area around WCU. There is TONS to do out here, and I feel like I've barely seen any of it!
-Date someone. Okay, this is only semi-serious. If I don't find the right guy, I'm not just going to date for the sake of dating. But holy crap I'd really like to have a boyfriend. So why not make it a goal for this year?
-Learn to swing dance. There is a dance center not too far from where I live that gives weekly swing dance lessons. This is something I've wanted to try for a while. I have good rhythm, but lack any semblance of grace. Hopefully learning to dance will help... at least a little?
-Make friends. Okay, okay-- I already have made 'friends' out here, people in my program and the people at the ranch I've been visiting. But they're not good friends. No one out here really knows me that well... yet. So my goal for this year is to solidify some of these friendships. I'm not tied to this area yet. I like it, and I go to school out here, but I don't yet feel a sense of place, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I don't have those good, solid friendships or relationships out here to draw on. I'm sure this will come with time, so that's why it makes my list of goals for 2012!

I'm sure there are other things I could add to this list, but there is plenty on there for now. Happy New Year everyone! I hope your year is filled with good things!