Still in school

Now that it has been four years, the questions at family gatherings are getting worse.

"You're still in school? How is that possible?"

Shock, horror, confusion. And from one person, flat out, "But you should be finished by now!"

One of my mother's friends told me that her daughter is in a doctoral program. I said, "Oh good, so you understand. I think I'll stand here by you." She leaned in and said, "In our house, we say that grad school is code for slavery."

Not quite, but I know what she means.

When you're in grad school, some people understand -- but to everyone else, "No I'm not graduating this year" sounds like, Yeah I'm failing at life because I'm too lazy to finish my "paper."