First-year of Ph.D. done and I am thinking what have I learned this year.
I have:
- Finished my viva
- Became vice president in my college
- Went to my first conference and presented my poster
- Lost 7kg!!
- I tried to run and got to 5km!!
- Learned how to cook more veggie and pescetarian dish
- Despite being in a completely different field to my training, I’ve learned that I can do this and I can discuss the topic with academics.
Sure, I do not have a core group of friends but I have individual friends that I can rely on, call them and hang out in those moments when I feel low.
Sure, I stopped dancing or well I tried but have stopped going because I felt like I could try something else and also felt a bit anxious going.
Sure, I have not worked out for these last two weeks and have been a bit demotivated after the poster.
But this blog post has helped me overcome this.
“Life is about slumbering and awakening. It’s about falling off the wagon, the exercise routine, the diet, the spiritual practice. Anyone who appears to always be perfectly aligned is most likely not being fully authentic. We are human, and this is what being human means.“
““When we do stumble, when we do fall, when we are capsized, we learn to have compassion and simply laugh at our humanness.”
Thank you so much for this very important lesson, Tiny Buddha :)
I think being a Ph.D. student means to love yourself and to be more compassionate with what you need and understand more about yourself. I want to make myself stronger, more skilled and more happy with what I have. I remember those days when I was just content with what I have. I was so excited about new opportunities and new challenges. I went to places not because my friend went but because I did it for MYSELF. So I guess what I am trying to say is Dessy. I know I know that it is not easy and Ph.D. life is not easy but you have just set a weekly meeting with two of your co-workers and I think what I should do is go to fresher’s fair and just explore :) FOR ME <3!! Talk to people, see what is available and GO <3 and do not fear to have no plan. Remember Ph.D. is about you planning your goals. You can set a monthly goal where you concentrate on programming, on ODE, on R, on AI, on microbiology etc...
Like yesterday, you said you will not go to the event but you decided to go and hola! it was actually so much fun :) This is what I mean! Let’s try to meditate 2,3 times a week and try to go dancing :)! <3 YOU GOT THIS <3 You can go and go for a walk, you don't need another person to do this. I know you feel lonely but I am here for you. Remember that sometimes giving yourself time is more important than always exploring outside.
I love you and believe in yourself that life is full of happiness and adventure and you can do this :)
