The job prospects for historians are pretty grim these days. I don’t know if all my hard work from the past few years will yield a position when I’m done, but I’m trying not to think too hard about that just yet. I’m just concentrating on enjoying each day of grad school and maximizing the many opportunities that come my way.
The catalysts for our family trip to the East coast were my research in DC-area archives and my attendance at the annual AHA Meeting in NYC–both of which were fantastic experiences. There might not be much money in pursuing a career in history-making, but the travel benefits are terrific. Most of my trips this past year have been related to my archival work and I have enjoyed all of them. Some days I pinch myself even as I wonder how I could be so fortunate.