My New Career as a Blogger (a.k.a. yes, I’m avoiding my dissertation)

Growing up, I always thought I would be a writer. I loved writing. I loved reading. I loved reading so much as an adolescent that I spent an entire week in the backseat during a family road trip consuming novel after novel. I read seven books that week and missed the Northern California coast, the state of Oregon entirely, and the Space Needle. My parents still give me crap about it today.

So five years into my clinical psychology PhD program (and nearly done!), I think, “Man, I should give it shot, at least write something” (not APA Style, of course).

How I ended up in a PhD program? I don’t know. I remember graduating from the University of Utah with bachelor’s degrees in psych and women’s studies, thinking, “Wow, I’m not ready to get a real job. I don’t even know what I would do…In fact, I don’t think I’m qualified to do anything…” The last part was true.

So I applied to graduate school. Mistake? Some days I think so. Other days I don’t. I think I will really decide after its official and those letters are behind my name. I do know that I am too tired to do it again if I had the chance. And I actively try to talk people into more useful careers such as accounting, engineering, and public health.

Today, I’m going to try to balance both. Finish my dissertation (speaking of, I should get back to that…) and start writing to see what comes out.