Alternate Vision

Everyone sits by the window staring out in anticipation. Tension in the air. One by one, each Ph.D. student gets called to Scaife to find out if they passed their quals or not. If you passed, the walk back across the lot while the world watches your every move is easy because your not so self conscious. But if you didn't, its the walk of shame. Heads down. Weeks on end of sleepless nights cramming and taking practise quals, and you still didn't cut it. Sure, you get a second chance. But you have to go through the whole thing again. Kudos to the fighters who come back stronger the second time around. One thing is for sure, whether they passed or not, the immediate desire is either sleep or to find the nearest bar.