Oh summer… summer… where art thou summer? Summer in Corner Brook, NL is generally cool and overcast with a few warm days when the sun peaks its face through clouds. Those are the days you sit outside and soak it all in, reminiscing of the recent flurry of researching and writing. Well folks, it ain’t over yet. I am coming to the end of my degree and the clock is ticking!
Currently, I am in the middle of an exciting internship that has me up to my neck in hours of work. I am working on a publication AND attempting to find time to work on my master’s research paper. It is hard work, but I wouldn’t give it up … not even if summer finally showed her face in Corner Brook! Not yet.
A peer of mine told me that it’s easy to fall into the lull of summer break, especially coming from an undergrad. However for a graduate student, this is not a time for slaking. In fact, it is a good time to project yourself forward – either completing your degree (if it’s one year) or to set yourself up for the following year of research and writing.
So this is where I am. Sitting in front of my computer, reading about community use rights and connecting this concept to my paper on food sovereignty planning. I am currently taking a break to write this blog.
I cannot stress enough how much I have learned over the last year. Far more than I had in the many years previous! Who knew there is so much more to publication than just writing a paper?
I could not have been as successful up to this point without the full support of my family, my supervisor and all the faculty and staff at the Grenfell Campus. It is sad to think that I will be leaving soon to start a new chapter – however I don’t think this small-town vibe could ever leave me. This entire campus community has been an amazing experience for me. People CARE about your well-being and your success, and faculty, along with peers, become friends.
If you are considering pursuing a graduate degree but you’re not sure if it’s the right fit for you, know this: you are completely capable of succeeding in your goals! The level of your success will be determined by the degree of your commitment but also finding the right environment that works for you. Follow your heart on this one – “and you just might find… you get what you need”!
Expect one last post from me in August… hopefully expressing my excitement for finishing my degree! Yay. Wish me luck.
Until next time…
~Jennifer