Two Years After Surviving Grad School: Surely I Can Make Bread Rolls?

Dear Onyinye,

I was buzzing with excitement. You know that feeling of putting in the last puzzle piece and being amazed that you somehow managed to finish it? That was how I felt on Friday, October 25, 2024. I had just defended my thesis and given one of the best presentations of my life, at least up to that point. I was officially Dr. Merenini. After 5 years, the grad school chapter of my life was done.

I was so excited but also scared. What was I supposed to do with myself now that thoughts of Prussian blue analogs and electrochemical desalination technologies no longer occupied every corner of my brain? Could I finally watch K-dramas for fun instead of using them to de-stress? To 2024 me, I am happy to report that life went on. I watched more K-dramas, moved cities, made new friends, and tried a couple of new hobbies to fill my newly found free time.

From time to time, I ask myself, “Was going to grad school worth it?” My LinkedIn feed is filled with posts from people who regret going to grad school, American academia, or both. Personally, even 2 years after graduating, my answer is Yes. Grad school taught me many lessons, including the fact that I can do difficult things and do them well. So now, whenever I encounter a new challenge, I am very optimistic. Maybe overly so. Surely, I survived 5 years of grad school, so how hard could making copycat Texas Roadhouse bread rolls really be? For now, the scorecard is Texas Roadhouse: 1, Princess:0. But, like grad school, grades don’t really matter, so I am not counting.

Enyi gị
Ijeoma
(Princess).