You’re the most principled person that I’ve met. Your decision appears to be a sound one. Rest up, and I know you’ll come back stronger.

Perhaps I’m learning to believe. And I am still becoming.

But I’m not counting on any hips against my shoulder, although we’ll just have to see what summer brings.

Hope you’re doing well and had a good break.

I do realize that in many ways I am in a privileged position [see my comment to Jennifer above].

I certainly think it is doable; I only hope employers see it in the same light as I and as several of you do.

As I told my advisor, GSLIS admin and a few other folks — I am not promising that this paper will be any “better” in the Fall than it might be now. But it will mean what it needs to mean to me. This (nor any of my education) is not for a grade or a degree. It is for me.

And while I am quite happy that I am able to make the time to do what I need to do for myself educationally, it breaks my heart that most others are unable to do so.

When I see students consistently taking 4-5 classes every semester and (often) at best skimming their readings, plotting what corners can be cut in assignments, trading one grade off for another, etc. I am ashamed. Not really for the students but for the system that allows and even encourages it.

Part of the reason for grad school is supposedly to professionalize us. We are supposed to learn to model certain behaviors, attitudes and so on. In a case where someone is rushing through and has no time outside of the classroom to do anything more than their job and their homework I must wonder how that is supposed to take place.

I don’t bite. Not since 5th grade anyway.

While I may want to be the best I can be, it is to serve others that I do so. But if the push to reach the standards I have set for myself are harming me then I cannot serve others as well as I’d like.

Part of the problem is probably due to “learning” a couple of years ago that I can do good work even when I am in drastic shape. My old boss must have seen me gray quite frequently. While I did much good for my patrons, my library and my university during those dark times, I have no doubt I could have been even more effective at getting the support we needed for our work.

Well. No; that’s untrue. But I would have been more effective at understanding why the administration would not provide support while continuing to sell and grow our program.

I can truthfully say one thing about that situation, though. Like so many others before and since then they drove me away. I had intended to stay and continue to serve my patrons while going to school part-time. Thankfully I got fed up enough to leave, moved here and attended GSLIS full-time. I cannot imagine how much different, and how poor of an education, compared to the one I have received that would have meant.

One of the difficulties I sometimes have with school is the lack of time to really process and ponder — you’ve created the space to do that, and I’m a bit envious.