Outtakes: Dissertation as a Challenge Worth Celebrating

Deep in the wilderness, amidst granite boulders, pristine lakes, and formidable peaks, I try to apply what I have learned as an educational researcher. My legs are weary from the long hike in and my throat is dry from gasping at the thin summer air. I hurriedly pull out my notebook and scribble observations as young climbers—my research participants— join me on the mountain pass. Sweat drips from my brow to pages filled with drawings, quotations, vignettes, and reflections from the trail. As my body bears the pain of the rocky path, my mind carries the weight of a dissertation in progress.