Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼

Usually thinking about higher ed, baseball, and what show to watch next. Political scientist by training, data analyst in practice. Often tired.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

I interrupt this #DemDebate coverage to provide you with my sleepy doggo

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@Stangmeister When we were in grad school my husband used to say he studied squids (because no one has strong opinions about squids).

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@alixabeth Bill Cosby was the commencement speaker at my alma mater the year before I graduated. Dodged a huge bullet there.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@kvanaren I was physically unable to breastfeed even though I desperately wanted to. I resorted to stocking up on formula whenever I could find it (which was rare) because I literally had no other option.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@AmyAddante Pregnant with my second less than a year after giving birth to my first. Wouldn’t wish these symptoms on my worst enemy. (Well, maybe Trump.)

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@danafachner I was pregnant when my diss was 90% done. Had I been pregnant earlier and needed to finish the dissertation after he was born I don’t think I would have finished it. I used my due date as an absolute deadline for finishing. I defended on a Monday & he was born 5 Mondays later. 😊

[Detroit Tigers @tigers]

We are now in second place in the AL Central.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

I’m now past my due date and have already been on maternity leave for the last week. Evidence of boredom/anxiety attached.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

@alixabeth Thank you!!

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

I’m a doctor now! (Or will be after I technically graduate in June, but who’s counting)

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

S/o to my unborn child for continuing to gestate through this afternoon

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

Now that I’m on this side of it, I’m not exactly sure how it came together. But regardless, my dissertation is officially finished and in the hands of my committee. Some thoughts:

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

I’ll be defending my dissertation with five weeks to spare. Now here’s to hoping my son stays put until at least April 26. 🤞🏼 he’s welcome to arrive anytime after that though!

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

Options are either online or Target. Target worked out for Grandpa’s wake, but was a bust for my defense. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

I’m defending my dissertation today! Feeling good except for one (foreseen but not currently fixable) problem: after spending all of my pregnancy working from home, I don’t own a single maternity blouse. Good thing Zoom is understanding of this issue.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

This is a good time to lament how hard it is to find maternity clothes nowadays. @johndoesntsleep and I took a tour of metro Detroit malls looking for a maternity dress for my grandpa’s funeral and were unsuccessful because there are NO MORE MATERNITY STORES.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

It’s on the website so it’s official! Two weeks away from defending the product of seven years of grad school and four years of writing. Doesn’t hardly feel real yet.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

It was well worth the $40 to get it bound at Staples.

[Rachel MacMaster (she/her) ✋🏼 @rachelmacmaster]

S/o to @johndoesntsleep who I met in my first ever grad school class and subsequently married. He’s a cool guy that I’m very glad I know.