There were points during the last three years where I believed today would never come. Days where I was trapped in my studies, looked at this huge mountain called Masters thesis and had no clue where the trail is that leads me up to the mountain top. Couple of times I had taken a wrong turn, had to turn around and walk back down or just had made a break that had been way to long enjoying the view from the mountain half way though. But then looking up to the mountain top let me think, there is no way possible that one day I will reach the top and have this meanwhile almost nightmare mountain behind me. But then again I got up and hiked or climbed one page at the time and somehow I woke up this morning, super nervous and I realized, it is there the end I could almost touch the crest. Only the defense between me and the success. Only the defense. Right only, so nervous, for sure I didn't really feel prepared for it. I mean you study for so long but then there still more papers you should have read. What if they ask me a question about this or that, will I be able to answer it or at least be able to make up some convincing s**t to pretend to know what's going on. So yes I was nervous. Luckily I had Bee, mother goose, around who made sure I ate something for breakfast and who got me a coffee, that and here is how nervous I was, I didn't actually drink. Me not finishing coffee that's just wrong... Oh well it's 9am, time to impress. So I start of with my presentation apparently I only needed 15 minutes, which is strange because when I practiced it I needed at least 19 minutes, so I wonder where the other 4 minutes went, oh well nobody cares. So the first question: "Let's start with an easy one" that's what the professor said. What does the acronym of your tool stands for, me "Uhmmmm... you mean CDAShip, well, uhmmmm it used to have a meaning... uhmmmmm...." So I don't even remember what the name used to be, well it's 2 years ago that we created it and then we have never used the real name later, I made up some stuff and that's it. Couple more questions and comments from the committee and than there it is the question of my defense that let me almost laugh out loud. "Where did you get your figures from? They are so cute" Hello, this is a master defense and not a painting competition. Oh well I think he thought I stole it from somewhere and should have referenced where I got it from, but hey they were only MS clip arts that I modified. hehe. Some more questions and 1 hour 10 minutes later it was over and I was asked to leave the room so they can decided about my future, death or alive. Actually I had a good feeling at the time, I answered most the questions and that not even in a bad way, and the fact that they stopped that early was a good sign usually a defense goes for 2 hours. So 5 minutes later I am allowed to get back into the room. Some blah blah and I passed with editorial changes, it took me like 30 minutes to realize that it means no real revisions only some cosmetic changes, and I only noticed that because Jens said I never had a student that passed with editorial changes. Now I am impressed with myself. But still it has not kicked in that I am done, done with school, I am the Master of the thesis mountain. The rest of the day I spend eating and drinking and drinking more, hehe... and now I am siting on the ferry on my way back to Van, trying to realize that I have reached the goal that I had for the last three year, the end of school, what I had hoped for for so long. I am happy, happy being done, happy having not to feel bad if I am not thesis mountain climbing on the weekend, but I also know I will miss the fun times at UVic as well and even more the people. I like to thanks everybody who has made this last three year to what they were to me, tones and tones of fun. Miss you guys already.
