Things are happening. I have a date for my first comprehensive exam. Or a near date. Sometime in the first two weeks of May. How it breaks down is this:
First you compile a reading list in a particular area of interest – 30-35 texts or so (by “text” you are to understand: books, book chapters, journal articles). Seems simple, only if A. you’re not entirely sure of what area, exactly, you want to investigate or B. that area is not self evident (e.g. really reflects your interests and is thus not out of the CMNS 101 playbook) then you’ve got a challenge ahead of you.
Next, you “define the field”. I love this phrase: it seems so clear, so straightforward. Just say what it is that you will be studying. But if you haven’t read everything on your list (which you haven’t) then how on earth can you define the field or subfield that it comprises?
Third, you read till your eyes are bleeding out of your head and your brain is mush, its container (your skull) permeable, with information and thoughts – from the mundane to the sublime – slipping easily in and out and mostly elusive.
This is where I am right now.
Then, you write the exam. In my case, 2 (or is it 4?) questions over 2 days.
Ted Hamilton gave me a euphoric description of this process yesterday, and he literally said it was the time of his life. But, clearly, his comps have that afterglow memory tends to acquire – especially traumatic ones (childbirth, for example). What Ted was describing in elated yet reverant tone was giving me a panic attack (writing for 16 hours a day? I don’t think I’m capable). I’m not kidding: my chest started to tighten; my heart, to thump. I wanted to catch his excitement, perhaps even build some anticipation (rather than dread) for this inevitable moment, this rite of passage. But it was all I could do to keep the wobble of a smile affixed to my face and not pass out. Ted offered to lend me his notes – 1700 pages, bound, if that helps. I nodded yes, but what I really thought was that their weight would carry me to the ocean floor when I flung myself off something into the watery depths.
It is a fuck of a lot of work.
I thought I had a handle on it, but thanks to Ted’s enthusiastic account of his heady comps-writing days, I feel I am sunk. And I know that wasn’t his intention. And I have a sneaky suspicion that on that glorious day where my own exams are relegated to memory, I will be extolling their virtues to another poor, floundering doctoral student.
In more fun news, I’m going to RoCoCo Montreal, also known as Recent Changes Camp, or just plain old BarCamp, as we say around these parts. I think it will be supercool (I can’t wait to see how they achieve the “wikification” of the city!). I hope to present, but mostly this will be developing contacts and hopefully doing some field work for that crazy disseration I’m supposed to write one of these days. I’m totally geeked but I am also apprehensive about the whole French thing (even though I’ve advanced to Elemantaire Deux in French for Parents). As the unconference comes right after the oral comprehensive exam (which I forgot to mention) it will be a well deserved “vacance”.