September 26 2024 in The Beginning

I have a few brief moments where I can go on here and type away with what I’ve been doing with myself over the last few months. I’m currently about two months into my first semester at university as a senior and classes are going pretty well overall. They’re all easy but I know come late October into early November is when the work (especially the papers) will ramp up.

The hardest thing for me at the moment is the process to applying to graduate school, who knew it was so tedious? Having to get into contact with professors in the MA department, having to set up virtual and in-person meetings, having to get letters of recommendation from former professors, and the list goes on.

All I want to do for the rest of my life is travel across the country, go to a site with like-minded people and dig for hours. And if I’m lucky, maybe I’ll come across something cool like a piece of pottery or an arrowhead or a jawbone. Then, go to some run-down bar in some small town and have a few cold beers. All while getting paid.

I’m not building rocket ships or trying to fix the economy, I just want to be an archaeologist. Why does it have to be such a hassle?

Oh and another thing, applying for a field school for the summer (for the outdoor field experience, which is rightfully a requirement to be accepted into a MA program) is itself a hassle. Firstly, finding any field schools for 2025 hasn’t been easy. I’m sure they’ll populate as the summer nears, but I would like to apply to one as soon as possible. Additionally, all the ones that I found so far, were outside of the US, which doesn’t do me any good. I am hoping that by the time December comes (which is when my application for MA needs to be submitted), I will have a field school booked.

I will say that despite all of this, one positive thing has come out of it. Last semester I made a friend who is essentially like me. He likes the things I like, shares the same tastes in music, have the same humor, etc… but even better, he too also wants to become an archaeologist. Despite already having gone to a field school this past summer, he did tell me that once I find one to apply to, he’ll apply to it as well so that we can go together. He’s also trying to get me to move in with him once I graduate in the Spring (he doesn’t graduate until next Fall), although I’m unsure yet (need more money).