Master of Ceremonies

Look Ma, no hands...

As an undergrad, one could use the exams sat as a progress indicator, to see how long it would take for you to finish your degree. This was not the case with the MPhil. There was nothing that stated you were any closer to completing your degree. Absolutely nothing.

Since my supervisor began to take an extremely hands-off approach and was mostly concerned with my helping him out with his workload, I began to get suspicious. My suspicion confirmed something horrible. Apparently, nobody (and I mean nobody) in eight years had attained an MPhil in computer science.

"How is that possible!?" I loudly inquired. There were so many bright people I saw come into the programme and had since left. Were they all dropouts? The MPhil students (I saw grading papers etc.) looked so happy and behaved as if they were working on a cure for cancer or something.

Before I had joined the motley crew, I had made inquiries about the life of an MPhil student but had received mixed information. Some were even downright tight-lipped about the whole thing. I joined anyway because it was a free master's programme, and I had no money to pursue a taught degree (e.g., MSc.).

Then came the most insane of information: Since the installation of this regional university (at the time 46 years ago) only two people had ever received an MPhil in computer science. One in 1996, and the other in 1999. The moment I heard that I had planned to quit with immediate effect!

Something stopped me. I am not quite sure what it was though. Was it stubbornness? I was involved with the programme for a few months now, and it was all I had left. At one point I had a boatload of options. All that whittled down to just this shitty "research programme". 

There was no more entrepreneurial work, no job offers, and no steady paycheque! I would be returning to the void from which I came so briskly. 

The thought of that made me so angry that I decided to shut the hell up and develop a steely resolve. 

I would succeed, or die trying.