It's Official

I just received word from Grad Studies: they've approved my official withdrawal, with the option to return at a late date. I am not a student, for the first time since I was three years old (other than the semester after I finished my Honours program and before I started my MA, and the retroactive year's maternity leave, only a few months of which I spent truly on leave).

So, now I'm starting to tell the wider public, and I'm trying to figure out how to move on with my life. I don't know how not to be a grad student: I've been one for most of my adult life. I've been working on this PhD for almost my whole marriage thus far (minus a month and a half, during which time we moved to start my PhD, and I defended my MA thesis). I'm taking little steps into my new life: E and I enrolled in a toddler program at the library (we started today, and it went badly). I applied to teach an online course, and I met with Dr. B, my MA supervisor, to discuss my options in this city. He's offered help, and my future looks fine. Honestly, this is the first time that the future hasn't terrified me in a long time.

I'm glad I have this blog: it's a useful place where I can process where I go from here.