Friday 9 October
Sometimes you just need a cuppa before bed, or to use as an excuse to get up between moments of work. Tea can be used for all occasions: caffeine wake-up call, warm comfort, something to just hold in your hands, or a pre bed time routine. This is a tea within a tea post- drinking a cuppa while writing about another cuppa. Adding in also the fact that I am drinking a different cup while writing this post. I believe this level of tea consumption would be worthy of a Christopher Nolan story. Although he might need some sponsorship from Teavana and Starbucks to get any interest at all. (P.S. still trying to figure out how to convey sarcasm through a blog post).
As this was the end of the first week of graduate school here are three things I have learned.
- One must be prepared for the sheer amount of reading. And by prepared, I mean emotionally, not necessarily mentally. There are so many pages, that feeling overwhelmed in the first week is completely normal (don’t worry there’s been a bit of research with other graduate programmes). I’ve learned that skimming certain ones are okay! The important thing is learning what you don’t know and that the profs are there to help. Academic papers love to be long and convoluted, but profs definitely don’t- so asking them might get you further than just reading.
- Imposter syndrome: if you have suffered from thinking you don’t belong in graduate school, you might have imposter syndrome but don’t worry you are not alone. I still feel that I am too young to be in graduate school, especially when surrounded by people in their 30’s who have also had careers. Remember though, that you don’t have to believe what your elementary school teachers about what your life is supposed to look like. Aspects in life happen at different moments for everyone, and that’s alright. And being young and ill-equipped just means that you can ask your more experienced colleagues (another term to get used to) for help.
- You need a social life. Yes, and this can mean so many things: a weekly FaceTime call with friends from your past, dinners with your flatmates every so often, playing a pick up sport at the weekend. Doing something away from work, and preferably away from the taunting “screen time” is good for mental health, which will then help your studies. It will also usually bring your spirits up with jokes, or funny gifs, or a Christmas countdown. Do remember, though, that you can always take time for yourself as well, no one can judge you for that.
Happy Tea drinking, my fellow students!
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