I just received a plaque commemorating the award I got for my monograph. It’s big, shiny, and really pretty. And it’s in Spanish. And my last name is even spelled correctly. It would look amazing on the walls of my office where students could see it.
But I can’t put it up for the same reason why I haven’t been able to put up my diplomas: the walls of my office are covered with stupid sheet metal. I’m sitting here, feeling like I’m hiding in a bunker. I have been able to put up some postcards because they can be held up with magnets. But framed diplomas and this expensive plaque are heavy and I haven’t found a magnet capable of holding them.
Students often say, “Oh, so YOU have a PhD?? Really?” I’d much rather they saw the diplomas the moment they walked into my office and were suitably intimidated. And if there were a plaque next to the diplomas. . . well, you can imagine.
Of course, I can always hang the plaque at home, but who is there to be intimidated by it? And what is the point of a plaque if not to scare people into complete submission to your intellectual powers?
Clarissa's Blog 
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