Thursday

Welp, another day at the office. As usual, I have a million things on my mind. It's only 10 in the morning and I've already sent emails to family members, paid some bills, made a few phone calls (all to UW because apparently they want to do everything in their power to make me ineligible for summer financial aid) and browsed all of my usual news feeds.


Currently I am looking at GRE study guides. I spent the last year studying for the LSAT, but now that I'm confident law school is not for me, I have to study for the GRE to get in to grad school for fall of 2016. I would like to study bioarchaeology, which for those who don't know is the study of human remains from archaeological sites. I'm starting to think that a research or teaching position someday would suit me well. I helped teach a class in undergrad which made me feel accomplished, but also made me want to pee my pants a little bit every time I stood in front of the class of 150. I remember spending more time preparing for that than my own full schedule of classes. I did like feeling important, and being able to answer academic questions always made me feel good.


I'm hoping that the field school in Peru this summer will inspire ideas for a masters thesis. Which terrifies me thinking about it, but it must me done. I don't know yet exactly what we will find at the site this summer, but I'm hoping we get to excavate HSR (Human Skeletal Remains). I've always been interested in studying HSR, but laws in the US don't allow archaeologists to do much with them. Most of the time if HSR is found in the field, it has to be reported and excavation has to be stopped. In Peru, these laws don't apply. I know we will be working in a cave that has been largely unexplored. Caves are considered a closed archaeology site which is one of the best conditions to work in because climate is usually mild, and disruption of the site is minimal.


Now I'm thinking about the GRE again. I remember for undergrad always stressing (to the point of making myself sick) over any papers or exams. I always ended up doing better than I thought. I'm hoping this is how it is for the GRE as well. I'm not looking forward to spending another $400.00 dollars to take another test. I spent almost a grand total in studying for the LSAT and taking it twice. I haven't bought any study materials yet, I'm already stressed about paying for all of the things I need for field school. I just bought a camera yesterday, because I refuse to travel for my first big trip without one.


I still have a million things to do. I leave June 21st which seems like a long ways away but it really isn't. I know I still have to get all the finances situated through UW, have to get travel insurance, there are a couple meeting with the project directors, vaccinations, a big cleaning list for Shane (hehe) clothing, and other things I'm sure I'm not thinking about. More to come.