Best Gifts For Grad Students

Graduate school is hard work. I know. I'm working on my third post-graduate degree at the moment, a Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University. Previously, I earned a Master of Science in Secondary Education (English) from the University of Bridgeport (CT) and a Master of Arts in English from Eastern Kentucky University.

My first Master's degree was perhaps the easiest in that I was young and unmarried and lived in a dorm so my obligations were fewer, but I still held a full-time teaching job and completed my degree in one year.

My second Master's degree was both easier and more challenging. I again completed it in one year (when it should have taken at least 18 months) so that was one challenge. I was also married, owned a home, and was caring for an older dog all while carrying a double assistantship. In addition, I was still working as a writer as I had a novel under contract that had to be finished and I was working as a freelance writer to supplement my pitiful graduate stipend. However, this was pre-parenthood and I entered academia after working full-time for years so the work load didn't seem so bad in comparison.

No question that my Ph.D. work has been the most challenging -- for me and my family. I am still married and own a home, but now I have a son. When I was accepted into my Ph.D. program I knew I would need to commit to traveling to Lubbock, Texas, for two weeks every year. This meant my parents and in-laws as well as friends had to step in to help out at home and my husband certainly had to step up and take on more of my mommy-duties not only in May but throughout the year. I was also working full time and fairly early in my Ph.D. coursework I accepted additional responsibilities that only made things more crazy. Add to that the need (and interest) I felt to pursue research and publication opportunities and our decision to double up my course load for a couple semesters so I could finish up sooner and you have a recipe for extremely high stress. Now that I am in the waning days of my Ph.D. work (I've been done with courses for a year, have passed my qualifying exam, and completed a draft of my dissertation) I can think about my Ph.D. work without getting a twitch in my eye but it was not always the case.

What I have learned, not only from my own experience but that of my friends, is that it takes a village to earn a graduate degree. If my family and friends and co-workers had not supported me I know I would not be so close to becoming Dr. Mascle. My husband and son had to put up with a great deal and make a number of sacrifices and my friend and neighbor, Laura Lee, and my mother especially gave me tremendous support in terms of child care.