Qual #5

Ugh! At first the last member of my committee did not return my e-mails to set up my last written qualifying exam. Finally I cornered him in his office this morning. And guess what? My next exam is this coming Thursday at 8:30 am. With absolutely no hint what it's going to be about other than "floriculture." This is troubling, because this member is not from my department, he is my so-called "external" committee member.

Floriculture is not my field. I'm a plant pathologist. I'm really good at making plants sick, not so good at keeping them alive. The plants in my house are (not so) living proof of that. And I have about 2 days to prepare for this exam. Well, I suppose I really cannot prepare for it. There is nothing to be done. Either I know what he asks, or I don't. It's not as if studying for the next 48 hours is going to make a damn bit of difference.

Who am I trying to fool here? I'm going to study floriculture like crazy over the next 48 hours. If anyone can think of a really important point I should know about growing flowers, this would be a good time to state so in the comments.

I'll be back after this torture is over. Or not, maybe I'll just dig a hole in the ground, lie in it, and cover myself up on 10:30 am on Thursday.


Note added: I'm not actually suicidal, and I will not be no matter what the outcome of Thursday's exam. I've faced much, much more serious hardship than failing a stupid exam. I've survived before, I will survive again, and I will be happy. Let me qualify that. I might be really pissed for failing the exam, but it will pass, and overall, I will be a happy person anyway.