I passed!

I don't know how to express it otherwise, but Woo-hoo! Of course, everything comes with a caveat, which in this case is that the examining committee "recommends that Renee Michelle pass." However, I've never heard of a case where the graduate committee ignores the examining committee's recommendation, so we'll hope (in this case, unlike before) that I am just like everybody else.

I was quite nervous this morning, beforehand. But I walked into the room in front of three honest-to-god physicists and, using only a whiteboard and markers, showed that I knew quantum mechanics like they could only dream of knowing it. Okay, maybe not quite like that, but it went really smoothly. The three profs (my advisor plus two) were friendly - they acted like they wanted to know what I thought, not like they were trying to prove that I shouldn't be allowed to be a physicist.

I answered questions for about an hour and fifteen minutes. At the end, I wanted to say, "Wait! Ask me about Green's functions! Ask me about unitary operators! Ask me about coherent states! I know so much more, and I learned it all just for you!" But, thankfully, the thing was over. I had to leave the room while they talked, so I stood out in the hall with Andrew (who had sat out in the hall the whole time, just to give me moral support. Then I was called in and told that they recommended a pass. The best part was the comments. My advisor said that it was the best oral he's ever given, and that I didn't seem nervous at all. And one of the other professors said, "She will be a good physicist." I will treasure that comment for years to come, I think.

So, right now I'd like to thank my agent, my mother, God, and all the little people... Oh, wait, it's just a test on the way to getting my PhD. Sure feels like the Oscars. So, thank you to everyone who sent out good wishes and prayers. Right now I salute you and send thanks.

You can safely assume that coming posts will detail my many celebrations...