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Oh my gosh, I just realized today while giving my MS thesis presentation in front of my lab group, I AM DEFENDING MY MS THESIS ON MONDAY! I am frightened (especially now that my MS advisor decided to invite the whole Neural Engineering Center), but kind of excited at the same time. Luckily, the person that makes the final decision is my advisor, and he has already told me that he will let me graduate  . Please cross your fingers for me!
Laura "The Yellow Dart" U. (Alicia U. on the archive)
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." -- Christopher Reeve
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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Good luck, Laura! If you get nervous, just picture yourself as Lois going after a hot story -- Mad Dog Laura, LOL! (And if that doesn't work, try picturing Clark in his underwear ... hmm, not a bad idea at all. Just don't start drooling over your slides.  ) This must be a good month for defending dissertations, though. I just got a phone call last night from my best friend who dropped the good news that she defended a few days ago and now has her PhD. She was begging forgiveness for sneaking it in, since she knew I would have made the trip to offer moral support had I known she'd set a date. (Even her husband is out of town, LOL.) But of course, I was just thrilled that she can finally be called Doctor! Good luck and keep us posted on Monday about how you did! Kathy
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Columnist
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Good luck, Laura! Follow Kathy's advice and you'll do great!  ~Anna
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Pulitzer
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Good luck, Laura! You know that dissertation of yours backwards, so just concentrate on showing them that. Answer the questions you're asked, and not the ones you'd like to have been asked, and you should do great! Next stop PhD!  Wendy 
Just a fly-by! *waves*
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Pulitzer
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wow, laura! congrats! i know from watching my sister go through the process that it's not easy getting this far... getting the dissertation written, editing, getting it ready, preparing to defend, all the forms and processing... it's an accomplishment. so, thought i'd take a sec and congratulate you for getting this far. as for the defense itself, good luck. just try to stay cool, remember that it's the panel's job to be tough (it's easy to forget and take it personally), and just be confident that you know your stuff. hope everything goes well. Paul
When in doubt, think about penguins. It probably won't help, but at least it'll be fun.
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Pulitzer
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Good luck, Laura!
AnnaBtG.
What we've got here is failure to communicate...
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Pulitzer
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You'll do great, Laura! But here's hoping for a little bit of luck, anyway... PJ
"You told me you weren't like other men," she said, shaking her head at him when the storm of laughter had passed.
He grinned at her - a goofy, Clark Kent kind of a grin. "I have a gift for understatement."
"You can say that again," she told him.
"I have a...."
"Oh, shut up."
--Stardust, Caroline K
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
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You'll do just terrific Laura!!  S (who's just thankful she didn't have to do that to get her masters  )
"Well, let's see, so far I've been given a glimpse of ritual crop worship, treated as your girlfriend, and I insulted your parents. No, I couldn't have planned this. Mmm, mmm." -- Lois to Clark, 'Green, Green Glow of Home'
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Merriwether
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You'll do great, Laura. You've been ready for this for MONTHS.
Do you know the most surprising thing about divorce? It doesn't actually kill you, like a bullet to the heart or a head-on car wreck. It should. When someone you've promised to cherish till death do you part says, "I never loved you," it should kill you instantly.
- Under the Tuscan Sun
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Pulitzer
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Good luck, Laura! You'll be fine. Just remember to be confident. Tricia 
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Top Banana
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Good luck, Laura. But I'm sure you'll do just fine! Saskia
I tawt I taw a puddy cat!
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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We'll all be rooting for you, Laura. Go get 'em, girl! 
Lois: Well, I like my quirks. I think they make me unique.
Clark: You certainly are unique.
Clark: You're high maintenance, you know that?
Lois: But I'm worth it!
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Thanks for your well wishes, everyone . You guys are really the best! In less than 22 hours, I will be defending my thesis. 
Laura "The Yellow Dart" U. (Alicia U. on the archive)
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." -- Christopher Reeve
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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You'll do just fine Laura! Luckily, the person that makes the final decision is my advisor, and he has already told me that he will let me graduate Then you just have to worry about not babbling <jk>. Honestly, what are you afraid off? You just have to believe in yourself, in what you've accomplished, in what you're defending (say, your thesis). Don't be afraid of the people standing in front of you. Most of them (public included) are not here to put you down but to help you. The questions they'll ask you are may be harm meant, but usually it's just to point out something so you can either develop, explain or rectify it. If you must defend you thesis within a defined time though, don't let the questions overflow you, but don't be rude while replying if you think it's derailing your purpose at the time, just say you'll come back to this question later... still try to avoid babbling and go straight to the point, it'll be clearer for the ones listenning, but most importantly, it'll prevent you from loosing your train of thoughts. Oh! And I think your advisor wouldn't have invited so much people if he wasn't convinced you've already done an A++ job, so, three deep breaths and... Go get them girl!
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