The Quals [Perspectives on Graduate Life]

We have arrived squarely in the middle of the second semester, and it has been a whirlwind of activity so far. Every aspect of my life that had rights to my time is demanding more attention than ever. I am taking more classes than the last semester, and unfortunately, the effect of increased class time has been compounded by a noticeable augmentation of their rigor. In the laboratory, I find myself deeply engrossed in the projects I have been helping out with and finally beginning to lay the groundwork for my own thesis project.