Lessons in Perseverance: How I Survived My Second Semester as a Doctoral Student

Although less intense than summer, my second semester as a doctoral student still kicked my tail. I’m happy to report that I’ll finish with an A in my Special Education class and a B in my other course—and honestly, I’ll take it. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, and I’m so thankful for a break to catch my breath.

Let me set the scene for my final assignment: it was due Sunday, but the day came and went without me submitting anything. I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to get it done. I was completely drained, and no amount of Mushroom matcha or pep talks could pull me out of the mental fog.

Then came the email. My professor reached out Monday night with an offer I couldn’t refuse: submit the assignment by midnight for partial credit. As much as I wanted to crawl under the covers and forget about it, I knew I had no choice but to muster every ounce of mental energy I could to finish the project.

And so began the battle.

Murphy’s Law Meets Technology  

You know how they say, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”? That was me, and Murphy was relentless. The assignment required me to record a presentation. Sounds simple enough, right? Think again. Between three recording sessions, a fridge that decided now was the perfect time to hum like a lawnmower, and kids in full chaos mode, I found myself sitting in my car trying to control the noise.

When I finally managed to record, the learning management system had other plans. It glitched out on my phone and laptop, leaving me staring at spinning wheels of doom as the clock ticked closer to midnight.

But somehow—despite the chaos, stress, and endless technical issues—I got it done. I hit submit just before the deadline, sat back in my car, and let out the longest exhale of my life.

Lessons Learned

This semester wasn’t perfect, but it was full of lessons. Here’s what I’m taking away from the experience:  

1. Grace is key. There will be moments when I can’t give 100%, and that’s okay. Sometimes, survival mode is all you can manage, and that’s enough.  

2. Perseverance pays off. Even when everything seems to conspire against you, keep pushing forward. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you refuse to quit.  

3. Find your humor. In the middle of all the stress, it helps to laugh—whether at the ridiculousness of recording in your car or the audacity of a fridge that hums louder than your thoughts.  

Looking Ahead

Now that the semester is behind me, I’m ready to embrace this much-needed break. I plan to recharge, spend time with my family, and reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) so I can approach the next semester with a little more wisdom.

To anyone else juggling school, family, work, and life—remember, you’re stronger than you think. Keep going, give yourself grace, and find your quiet car sanctuary when all else fails and make it work.  

Here’s to growth, grit, and better tech luck next semester!

With gratitude and a dash of courage,