First Real Outing

In order to go anywhere, besides the RRC, this month, I have to let my CW know and have it approved. This morning, I did my 3-hour driving for 10 minutes with my CW in order for her to approve my schedule for the week. This includes: meeting with an assoc dean at my school, going grocery shopping, going to a couple meals out with my parent (mom and stepdad who are coming Wed-Thurs), seeing a real movie at the theater, and attending GA meetings. All approved. I had to provide an address for each place and I will have to have a form signed at each location - worth it!!!

After my drive back, I went immediately to my campus. I forgot how much construction happens in summer and had to go in several circles to get to the building I needed. The Associate Dean was waiting for me and was incredibly kind. He was not at all phased about having to fill out the attendance verification form once I said I was on home confinement. 

Anyway, as I knew, the grad school has very little to do with whether I get back into my school or not. It's all done on a departmental level. However, it's good I met with him, because he helped me figure out how I can take classes before formal admission, if I need it. Also, given that I may already have my grad assistantship lined up, he didn't see an issue for me to be admitted outside of the typical cycle (which would have meant waiting a full year to start back up once readmitted to the school). He did encourage me to consider other departments, which I am.

The Assoc Dean gave me advice that fits well with my own thoughts -use the past as an asset, not an incumberance. I certainly have even more passion for the value of education! He literally said, if you talk to them like you just talked to me, I think you'll have a chance. The biggest hurdle will be whether the programs think that having me as a student will harm their reputation. I need to turn it into an asset to have me.

It felt good to be on campus. It's where I belong. I may have to knock on 40 doors, but I just finished the first one and it was a positive experience. Plus he told me that his door remains open to me. That's a good thing.

After the meeting, I called my former supervisor from my graduate assistantship. That conversation also went super well. She'll be talking to her boss today and trying to get permission for me to help them out this summer, and in my old job once I am able... While her boss works out of the same office as my old advisor, I believe he knows my work enough and is an independent thinker. I pray he allows me to continue on. 

There are many, many more things I will need to do in order to move forward with my phd work, but at least I'm trying and I have certainly learned to jump through hoops!