On the Plus Side ...

My expulsion from UCI means that for the first time since I was three years old, I have no institutional affiliation:

Years 3 - 5:  Randolph County Day School (Randolph, NJ)

Years 6 - 10:  Fernbrook Elementary (Randolph, NJ)

Years 10 - 11:  Shenandoah Elementary (Baton Rouge, LA)

Years 11 - 14:  Sherwood Middle School (Baton Rouge, LA)

Years 14 - 17:  Woodlawn High School (Baton Rouge, LA)

Years 18 - 22:  Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA)

Years 22 - 30:  University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)

The Evening of Day 11,309: —

I feel naked and alone. 

Comments

[Jonathan Dresner]

When you put it that way, I've been institutionalized my whole life.

It was a great day when my marriage was finally longer than my graduate career.

[Rich Puchalsky]

I've been without an institution for a decade. On the one hand, no boss. On the other, no guaranteed income. On that same hand, family health insurance now costs $10,000+/year in the U.S. On the other hand, well -- it's good for twitting libertarians with your brave small businessperson status; nearly all libertarians are safely ensconced at some large institution and disparage the social safety net because they've never taken a risk in their life.

[Tim Lacy]

Welcome to the so-called real world! - TL

[Jon H]

But just think, it's almost like having tenure - you can't be fired from this.

[Megan]

Heh. I realized one day that I was nineteen before I had my first summer off from school. Until then, I had been going straight through since I was two.

[adjunct whore]

ok, for thos of us who are new readers of yours, can you please shed some light on your position???

i ended up forgetting to register one semester, had to take a retroactive leave of absence, which fucked up my student loan status. i didn't have to reapply but it was a royal pain in the ass. this is what being abd does for you.

i am so happy that i'm finished. now on to greater anxieties....

so do tell: did you quit academia?

[mom]

You left out the summer programs of watching movies with Bruce Willes in them and playing baseball at night. The joy of schooling replaced by the fears of the Real World.