By Regina Sierra Carter. When I first began my appointment as one of the 2015-2016 Phillips Exeter Academy Dissertation Year Fellows, I was psyched.  I was blessed to receive free housing, a free meal plan (vacay from the kitchen… Woot!  Woot!), stipend, travel funds, and a dedicated office space in the renowned Class of 1945 Library. Read more...

By Patrick Bigsby. The inexorable march to graduation is nearly complete and the freshest batch of alumni is set to be scattered hither and yon in a matter of months or even days. As one of those alumni, my most important graduate school relationship is about to be transformed. Read more...

By Wendy Robinson. Even the healthiest backs suffer from the neglect, strain, and stress of graduate school. Not only do our hectic schedules make getting exercise seemingly impossible, but the hunched-over, seated posture required to write, read, type, and attend lecture, decreases flexibility in your lower back and increases stiffness in your shoulders and neck. Over time, this can lead to uneven muscle development and chronic pain. Read more...

By Wendy Robinson. Successfully defending my dissertation was the hoped-for, and even to some extent expected, outcome. Still, it felt surreal to walk across campus knowing that I was essentially done being a student for the rest of my life. Read more...

By Travis Grandy. While it might be easy to base your writing schedule off of the academic calendar (i.e. the flurry of writing seminar papers that happens in the last two to three weeks of the semester in a haze of caffeine and all-nighters), you’re probably also familiar with the burnt-out feeling you get after pushing through a period of intense writing. Read more...