Vicious Cycle

For those of you in grad school of some sort, when did you know you wanted to go?  Sometime in college? When you found yourself in a dead-end job you hated?  As the eldest daughter of a PhD and an MD, I'm the weirdo who grew up thinking it was normal to go to grad school.  Seriously.  I was maybe 6 or 7 when I learned that my parents had both been in school until they were 27 (coincidentally, the age I am now, and also the age I'll be when I FINALLY graduate).  I was horrified, and told my mom that there was NO WAY I was going to stay in school that long.  She laughed, and said, "we'll see..."  Sadly she was right.  Apparently going to grad school is a vicious cycle...

A conversation I had recently with one of my college roommates (CR):

CR: I am only on page 20 of editing a 140 page publication.  It's so slow...
Me: Ick.  Fortunately I can edit a chapter at a time up to the very end.
CR: Yeah, but you're writing a dissertation.  That's scary and difficult in so many other ways.
Me: I'll just be thankful that I don't have to edit 120 pages at a shot for right now. :)
CR: Haha, small wins
Me: Pretty much.  At this point I'm mainly motivated by being able to make other people call me Dr. [Last Name] after I defend.  Although that will be weird, because in my mind Dr. [Last Name] is my mom
CR: Haha, true.  And your dad too technically.
Me: Yes, technically.  He's got at least as much claim to it as I'll have.  And technically grandpa, too.
CR: So many drs
Me: Haha yeah.  It is a bit funny.  Easy to see why I grew up thinking it was normal to go to grad school. :P
CR: True that.  It's like a drug.
Me: Or teen pregnancy.  A vicious cycle.
CR: Best example yet!