Rite of Passage

This exam constitutes 1/3 of the entire PhD process, and it is the most important part, the culmination of coursework and foundation for dissertation. I felt the need to mark this period as a rite of passage and, like many people from various cultures, mark my body to visibly express this process of transformation. I asked my husband to shave my head. He laughed so hard he cried. So both of us got something out of it. My children have been rubbing my head, which feels good and nurturing. I anticipate seeing the passage of time daily as my hair grows. In the end, I will have a new measurement for this task, something like, it takes ___ inches of hair growth to know your qualifying exams are complete. When most folks use the metaphor of pulling hair out during stress like this, I'll ask, "Hey, how much did your hair grow writing exams?"