… The spring semester, that is. Yours truly still has to take a summer course, and obviously go on the internship, but the main thrust of the program is over. The policy brief has been turned in and my other final papers submitted. Next weekend I get to walk in the commencement ceremony and “graduate.”

And yet, I still don’t feel like it’s over.

Maybe it’s because I still have requirements left, maybe because I haven’t moved out of my apartment, or maybe my brain is protecting me from the twin demons of sadness and disappointment that come with the end of my time with IEDP.

I will say that the semester has finished on wonderful notes. For our last Proseminar class, we answered any lingering questions regarding the internship and tidied up its FAQ (you’re welcome, future cohorts). To briefly summarize our experiences here at IEDP, we played “Diamonds and Pearls,” Dr. Wagner’s variation of “Roses and Thorns.” (According to him, pearls are thorns. Whodathunk?) Naturally, the most popular rose was the cohort itself, and I couldn’t agree more. I think everyone in our cohort is stellar, thoughtful, and downright cool. I’m going to miss these guys.

Other highlights include the last Advanced M&E class, in which Dr. Thapa read us a children’s story:

And meeting up for coffee with Team Vanuatu just one more time, proving that there are wonderful group project teams in the world:

This has been a pretty incredible experience, and I’m grateful for IEDP for being the challenging program that it is. But I won’t go in much detail, because there are still plenty of things to get done!

But what a difference a year makes!

#IEDPlove