A PhD graduate describes the isolation of dissertation writing when cohort members are scattered across different stages, and how community support made the difference. They detail the joy of graduation milestones like the hooding ceremony, then map out what comes next: academia, consulting, or writing.
When you're in this environment, especially when you get to the dissertation phase, it can be lonely because your cohort's all in different phases. And so having a community where everybody's in different— trying to move to the next level, it's encouraging. I love the fact that you have the community. Like I said, I was at the tail end of it, but it didn't— it still was helpful. As far as graduation, I'm excited. I'm one who likes to celebrate. I mean, it's everybody that celebrate, but I do. I had my regalia when they said you can submit for your graduation application. I was like, really? Oh, okay. All right. Well, I'm submitting and we're gonna work on this. So I'm ready. I'm so ready. I mean, I'm taking graduation photos, photographers, professional photographers, making sure I got pictures and I'm just excited to walk and get hooded. I mean, it takes you to the next level of that experience. As far as the level that this can take me, it varies. I mean, now it can take me to the academia, to teaching, to also the consulting side of things. Like I said, my focus is STEM-related because I've written books and stuff too, but consulting side of things. So it can take me to different levels.
