1.Cut a hole in a box...

Quarters 1-3. Take classes.

Quarter 4. That DE thing. Forget it. Not doing one. It stands for "Designated Emphasis" and we can get them in Feminist Theory (I thought about that for a minute, but then realized that this dame doesn't really need to be in school any longer than necessary just to read things that some smart broads wrote about other dames); Native American Studies (Interesting, but my academic career is running on Indian Time enough as it is); Second Language Acquisition (Maybe I should give it second chance, it's probably changed since the early 90's); and Critical Theory (OK, I admit it, I didn't even consider this-why screw up my record of not taking even one of my department's CRI requirements from the actual Critical Theory Department?).

Quarter 5. I'm there now. "Identify dissertation adviser." Not such a no-brainer. It's like being back in high school. Like I have to ask someone to the Senior prom and I don't know who or when or how to ask. And I'm having a hard time with the rule about only being allowed to bring one date.

Quarter 6. By then, I'll be done with everything but Critical Theory 200A. Do I coast, taking my last CRI requirement and one Latin American Literature seminar? Or do I take it to the limit and take two Latin American Literature seminars, taking advantage of the opportunity to study from experts in their fields while filling in significant gaps in my reading? I hear the answer that several voices of reason are giving and indeed, they echo my own.