As usual, this semester started off with daunting reading lists and syllabi that were quickly followed by anxiety and self-loathing. If there is anything comforting about this dysfunctional and completely imbalanced lifestyle, it is that we (my peers and I) are in it together. Nonetheless, it is easy to feel stupid and intimidated. For example:
“We have also obtained modest facilitations of play with peripheral injections of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine (Panksepp, et al., 1984) and with intracerebral neurotensin and thyrotropin release hormone (Panksepp, 1998)” (Panksepp, 2008, p. 57).
Welcome to my world.
It should come as no surprise, then, that this is my worst nightmare (although instead of toddling on stage like a trained poodle, I am sitting in front of 9-12 brilliant people in a graduate seminar)-
While it’s still possible my advisor will have the same response to something I write, Ms. Teen South Carolina reminds us of two very important points:
1) I could be profoundly more dumb than I generally feel.
2) When I graduate with a PhD in 2014, there will still be a dire need for Professors of Communication.
Pax Attack 