Why is it that when I imagine my defense, the confrontation between David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly at the end of Labyrinth is what comes to mind?
Now that I think of it, maybe Labyrinth as a whole is a metaphor for graduate school. See, Toby is your PhD. Wait, no, that's too generous. Considering as you had it before you went and got yourself into this mess, Toby must be your dignity. David Bowie is your PI/dissertation committee. And Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus are your fellow graduate students (each representing a certain archetype: the Cynic, the Depressive, and the Maniac), also lost in the maze.
Yeah, I think I'm on to something here...
Or maybe I just need to get more sleep.