Get my PhD

... of my 14 things? Because THIS should definitely be the first one, and it really is, for me, now. I guess when I opened my account here i was way too focussed on personal issues … ex-boyfriend issues. But now it’s about me. And I like what I’m doing, I want to reach my academic goals and I know I can do it! If only I was less lazy, could work better without massive pressure, and spent less time reading and writing on websites that have nothing to do with my research whatsoever. :o)

(EDIT: Found the way to change the order … and did it :-) )

I’m in the PhD program in linguistics at the University at Buffalo. It’s a great program and I like the department, it offers a wide variety of perspectives, theories, and ideas on language and linguistics … so I feel I’m in the right place. I’m getting good grades too, and good feedback for my work. It’s just that sometimes I feel I lack the personal, or emotional, requirements for doing a PhD. It’s hard for me to motivate myself and to focus, especially when I have personal problems. Very soon I get to a point where I just question everything and completely lose any objective attitude to what I do and accomplish. I wish I was stronger, and things outside academia would influence my work to a lesser extent. Intellectually, I can do it; I know that. Unfortunately, intellect is not the only thing you need for completing your PhD.