I ♥ My Grad School Friends

    

Today I took care of the last few things necessary to take care of in order to be eligible for my degree. It was a very bitter sweet day for me. While I'm super-psyched to be done, I'm also super-bummed because being done with grad school means I won't be spending the summer with all the awesome people I met over the past two years. This really breaks my heart.

Starting grad school was a very pivotal moment for me. I'd been putting it off for YEARS, unsure of where I wanted to go and really not that excited to return to school. Of course, great old NY State told me that I HAD to get my Masters or I would lose my certification to teach, so I really had no other option. 

When I started school, I was nervous, scared, and really unsure of what to expect. I had enrolled in a summer intensive program, and I was really terrified of the schedule and the work load. I have to tell you though, grad school has been the best experience of my life. It wasn't so much the classes that were so great (because they really weren't), it was all the great people I met and friends that I made. Spending 12, 13, sometimes 14 hours a day with the same people day-in and day-out, 7 days a week for 6 weeks, you really get to know one another. Sometimes more than you would prefer. Or not.

My experience in grad school as well as the friends I made have really helped me to discover who I am, and has allowed me to be really comfortable with and embrace who I am. I met so many great people, all of whom I hope to encounter again in life. I met my soul mates, SMos, Stormey, and Pooh, all of whom I can't imagine not having in my life. It's sad to think that this is the end of our time together. I know people always promise to stay in touch and get together, but you know how that goes. I'm afraid that without the bond we formed as suffering comrades trudging through grad school hell to hold us together, we'll slowly drift apart. We've already lost a few along the way.

In honor of our good times, our great collaborations and our constant support of each other, I'd like to share some pics (but not many, since apparently we were all too busy working to take pics. Or something like that) of us while at "Summer Art Camp." (because that's truly what it felt like). Enjoy.

 (left: the best looking group of ceramists EVER)

(right: Oodles, Bubba, K-Dub, The Canadian and Without Hair experiencing the pains joys of crit day)

(left: more critiquing)

(right: some of my work on crit day. Which wouldn't have been what they were if it hadn't been for Stormey)

(left: me and Oodles sitting next to more of my crappy colorful work, inspired by SMos and Bubba)

(right: at the scene of the crime where the most hilarious "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" spoof occurred)

(left: four lovely ladies)

(right: and the Three Musketeers)

(left: celebrating T's birthday on our lunch break)

(right: me, Cutter, Stormey, Pooh, SMos and Miss Gabs-a-lot)

(left: With Hair and Stormey at our Last Night get-together)

(right: Cutter, Pooh and Derby discovering that cheap plastic chairs can only hold one drunk ass, not three drunk asses)

I think I need a drink now. Otherwise I'm going to start bawling.

That is all.