Emmerson

Here to document my graduate school journey and things I learn along the way Currently in my first year of graduate school Amateur Astronomer, Bookworm, & Crossstitch Lover

[graduateschoolwoes]

Is this even for me? Do I deserve to be here? Should I be doing more? Am I doing the right thing?

Week 4 of graduate school. Saw some nice mushrooms while working. I've been contemplating over what I want to do with my life outside of work. (Though I still don't even know what I want to do for work) I like cross stitching and crafts (been looking into leatherworking). I think I like poetry? I like reading. Idk I feel really boring because I don't like these things so much that I can avidly talk about them. Is this imposter syndrome.

Went to another Star Party with my astronomy friends =D Saw some new stuff including a quadruple binary star! Very cool.

Balancing everything is hard. I am made for relaxing on a park bench while watching squirrels.

Please send your regards.

[graduateschoolwoes]

9/5/25

Ughhhhh got a cavity filled this morning. I've been dreading it but now it's over finally. After almost a decade of painful orthodonture I have no bravery for drilling into my teeth anymore. Finished the carnation cross stitch! I've found some cool patterns on Etsy and bought a huge pack so I've got stuff to stitch for a long time. There's cross stitch books in the library that I could look at too! (Thomas the Tank Engine i'm lookin at you👀). But right now I'm stitching my favorite planet Saturn.

Auditioned for choir yesterday. Got into the upper choir yay! Had our first practice too. It's going to be fun singing again.

[graduateschoolwoes]

Second day of graduate school~

Found a nice spot in the library that overlooks some trees.

Both of my classes seem manageable so far (I don't want to say they're easy and jinx it!)

Campus is so full of life! I want to check out a few clubs and organizations at the club fair this week. There's one that volunteers at the local SPCA I want to join if it fits my schedule.

[graduateschoolwoes]

8/31/25

I saw Saturn through my telescope Friday night!!! It is beautiful and I also saw Titan! Saturn's rings are straight across right now so they're hard to see but you can still see them it's so cool. I'm never looking at anything else in the sky ever again. Also found the globular cluster M13 on my own for the first time, and the coat hanger cluster. Attempted to find the Dumbbell Nebula but that quest got abandoned when I got distracted by Saturn. There's something that looks like an open cluster (or 2??) under Cassiopeia that will need investigating later.

~~~

School officially starts tomorrow. Balancing school and my personal interests have never gone well for me and this time I'm adding in a job as well. I have a plan to study and get my work done and do things that I enjoy so hopefully I can keep my head above water.

(P.S The telescope pic is from a star party I went to earlier this summer =D)

(P.P.S The cute Observatory keychain is from https://fiveboos.com/ !!)

[graduateschoolwoes]

I believe the open clusters I saw under Cassiopeia were NGC 884 and NGC 869. They are directly next to each other.

[graduateschoolwoes]

8/31/25

I saw Saturn through my telescope Friday night!!! It is beautiful and I also saw Titan! Saturn's rings are straight across right now so they're hard to see but you can still see them it's so cool. I'm never looking at anything else in the sky ever again. Also found the globular cluster M13 on my own for the first time, and the coat hanger cluster. Attempted to find the Dumbbell Nebula but that quest got abandoned when I got distracted by Saturn. There's something that looks like an open cluster (or 2??) under Cassiopeia that will need investigating later.

~~~

School officially starts tomorrow. Balancing school and my personal interests have never gone well for me and this time I'm adding in a job as well. I have a plan to study and get my work done and do things that I enjoy so hopefully I can keep my head above water.

(P.S The telescope pic is from a star party I went to earlier this summer =D)

(P.P.S The cute Observatory keychain is from https://fiveboos.com/ !!)

[graduateschoolwoes]

Had to go on campus today to finish some paperwork so I decided to scope out campus before everyone moves back tomorrow. The library is beautiful and I'm going to enjoy studying there for the next few years. In lieu of homework, I brought a cross stitch I'm working on for my mom. It's a carnation.

I gotta decide what my next project is after this piece and my local library has a Thomas the Tank Engine cross stitch book displayed and it's soooo tempting. Idk if I wanna do Thomas or more flowers or something in the colors of my school. Will keep y'all updated.

(Latte with caramel and cold foam, scrambled eggs and garlic aioli and tomatoes and cheese)