The countdown to the Comprehensive Exams is down to a few days, and since I’ve gotten tired of trying to cram ridiculous amounts of solid state physics into my head for the day, and AMO is for tomorrow, I’m going to post about my personal angst.

You see, the comps are to graduate students the last giant wall to climb before they advance to candidacy. Leading into them, there is distressing uncertainty about the future: what if we pass but our adviser doesn’t have money? what if we don’t pass at all, not even as the masters level? what if I end up vomiting violently during the exam, do I keep going or excuse myself?

Once we get past the comps, we are well on our way to our PhD; it essentially becomes a matter of finishing up writing a thesis, defending it, and cutting through about a month’s worth of red tape in the spare time over the next few years. The Comps are sort of like that uncertainty you get on that first date after the relationship transitions to “serious”, and it has similarly life-altering effects. My career path totally changes if I fail this exam, and I’m still in flux about funding even if I do pass it.

However, come Thursday night, this existential angst is liberated as my fate is no longer in my hands, and I just have to sit back and wait for a few congratulatory e-mails.