PhD Comprehensive Written Exam: Day #1

Day #1: PhD Comprehensive Written Exam: Part One: The Major.

Day 1 – April 1, 2016
Major (6 hours)
Start – 8 a.m.
Lunch – 12 noon – 1 p.m. (Subway)
Finish – 1 – 3 p.m.

Why do I do this to myself? Apparently I am a glutton for punishment, as today is Day #1 of hell day aka the PhD PhD Comprehensive Written Exam: Part One: The Major (which for me is Political Development) and lasting 6 hours!

I woke up to rain and the power in my room going out. Nothing like having to get ready to the iPhone flashlight (best app ever), then walk down five flights of stairs with the emergency lights, and then go out in the rain and try to figure out the windshield wipers on a rental car, all the while freaking out that I don’t know enough to take the test. I got to school and found the testing area: Elizabeth Hall. Five of us sad souls were testing today (I heard that originally seven had signed up). The department was really nice and let me bring in Advil, a cushion for my back (I left it back at the hotel), and I was seated in the back of the room, so I could stretch if need be, as I knew that sitting was going to be bad for the back and both my back and foot were not having a good day. A few times I stretched in my seat and by the end my back was in a lot of pain, but all the while I kept typing. No time to stop or slow down, as 6 hours is really short when you think about it.

Those first four hours flew by. I brought some earplugs with and really, they are the best invention, but I could still hear the rain. The department brought in Subway for lunch and there was water, pop, coffee, and other snacks. After lunch we still had two hours left on the exam. So a totally of 6 hours in which you had to answer 1 of 2 questions and then 2 of 4 questions. At the end I was typing like a mad woman trying to get everything in. Apparently my face was all red, but strangely my hands were really cold. I have no idea how I did. It was hard and not what I expected. Not sure what I expected. I answered the questions, but I know that I should have included more names. I could visualize various books, their colors and what was on the covers (yes, the good little bookseller in me), but the names were not to be found in my sad little memory. I always have issues with names, even in real life.

So after the exam I got a chance to go up to the department offices, as I had never been there before. Its a nice area. I also got to see where all the dissertations live in the department office. It was very fun to see the names of people that I knew.

Totally exhausted and still fighting the rain, I stopped at Juan Tequilas for takeout and had a nice dinner back in my hotel of steak tacos, chips & guacamole, & fried ice cream. The perfect meal! It finally did stop raining and the sun peeked out for exactly 5 minutes at 6:30pm. Crazy weather!