NESSA’S NOTIONS: Words go deeper as actions
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By VANESSA W. SNYDER
I’ve created my own definition for the word “dissertating.”
It’s actually in the dictionary as a form of “dissertate,” a verb. Not surprisingly, it is the act of writing a dissertation. Silly me thought I was making up the word. I mean, why is it a verb when all everyone talks about is the dissertation (a noun)?
Here’s my definition of dissertating: “The act of writing, researching, thinking, hoping, praying, believing, dreaming, and working toward a doctoral degree.”
It’s probably a bit blasphemous for a former English teacher to make up her own definition, but forgive me. Dissertating is causing me to think in all kinds of unusual ways. And because we’re at year’s end, I’m reflecting.
So, I believe dissertating – as a concept – is a thing. You probably understand if you’re working on a dissertation or another major goal.
At any given moment, I’m dissertating. If I’m not thinking about it, I’m actually doing it. When I’m not doing it, I’m planning when I’m going to do it. If I’m not planning it, I’m for sure praying and believing and hoping for it.
It’s a cycle, all day and every day to varying degrees. Dissertating never quite stops. Even in this moment, awaiting feedback from my committee chair, I’m thinking and wondering.
Could the draft I submitted been better? Did I miss something? Did I read the rubric closely? Will my chair find something new? Will the second chair agree?
However, as 2020 comes to a close, I’ve come to a realization. If dissertating is a verb that permeate my life so thoroughly, perhaps there are other nouns in my life that should become verbs.
Nouns like peace, joy, and humility come to mind.
If I can work this hard at “dissertating,” then I can work equally hard at “peacing” everywhere, “joying” in all things, and “humiliting” through life. Those actions join two common nouns/verbs – love and belief – that deserve as much effort as I expend dissertating. I can work equally hard at loving others and just as hard at believing in myself and, most importantly, God.
Once again, I am reminded that this doctoral journey is about so much more than a few more letters behind my name. It’s about growing and becoming who I’m meant to be. I hope that you’re encouraged to create more verbs in your life as 2020 ends.
Happy New Year!
(A former journalist currently working on her doctorate in Social Emotional Learning, Vanessa is a dedicated and passionate educator in the DC Public Schools system. She loves learning, leadership, innovation, collaboration, and discovering new ways to drive student gains and support staff members).
