aspirant trying to study @nayani-reads - Tumblr Blog

🥀Hello! I'm Nayani.

🌷This blog is a journal of sorts, which houses all the things that inspire and motivate me on my academic and mental health journey. 🌷

🌸Current goals:

🍂 clear GATE to apply for an English PhD program

(Update: I DID IT!! I RANKED 129th IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY!!!!!)

(Update 2.0: I'm gonna retake the exam next year because I want an even better rank lmao.)

🍂 clear NET JRF for an academic grant

🌸Past achievements:

🍂 UPSC 2025: Cleared prelims.

🍂 BPSC 2025: Cleared prelims, cleared mains.

(Note: I'm no longer a civil services aspirant, because i realised that i was on that track just to please my family without taking into consideration my own strengths and passion. So I'm done with the UPSC/State PSC journey and focusing 100% on my love for literature)

🥀

I will be reblogging posts, and all of the pictures tagged #mine are, obviously, mine.

🌷🌷I am a huge believer in finding what you're passionate about, and going for it with everything you've got, as long as you keep your mental and physical health in mind. 🌸And everything is so much better if you make friends along the way!🌷🌷

🌸🌸Follow along if you find anything here that you like, and shoot me a text if you ever need someone to talk to. 🌸🌸

#studyblr #study motivation #studyspo #study blog #study aesthetic #study desk #desiblr #booklr #college #upsc #indian #phd #dark academia #academia #chaotic academia #academia aesthetic #academic validation

delocalisedpie

welcome to my blog ✮⋆~

rhea, 23, indian, any pronouns

autistic

bachelor's and master's in chemistry

currently a chemical engineering phd student - but i'll always be a chemist at heart.

i'm passionate about the environment, theatre, art, and literature as well.

fun fact: in the last 12 months, i've lived in 4 different cities in 3 different counties. the photographs above are my study setup in each of them.

about this blog

i have been either lurking or posting on studyblr since i was in high school, and i'm trying to find that excitement i had for learning again. studyblr had me excited about learning in-depth and posting again will help me romanticise my life and education again. i'll be posting daily to document my phd journey, for accountability, and to interact with other study-bloggers for motivation. i also want to have a happier, fuller life in general and get back into doing something creative again. i want to replace my social media consumption with this blog, reading, writing, drawing, and teaching myself the banjo.

my inbox is open and i love talking to new people. if you come across this post, i'd love to be mutuals and appreciate the interaction 🤍

trying to archive a life before it disappears.

some cities stay inside your bloodstream and refuse to leave your dreams. Delhi taught me how to romanticize exhaustion; i measured time in metro stations and library corridors. i left versions of myself across North Campus, the ghost of the person i was becoming still haunting university roads at dusk that undo me even now.

i think i miss DU a concerning amount these days. clearly i am processing this in a very normal and healthy way :)

– Nayani 🥀

🎶 Song: 'Kun Faya Kun' by A. R. Rahman, Javed Ali, and Mohit Chauhan

Hey how do you see yourself after getting your desired rank in gate in terms of career (just exploring career options)

Thanks for the ask! I love talking to people here lol.

As for your question, my one and only goal for now is to get into a prestigious literature PhD program by the end of 2027 or mid-2028 (depending on admission cycles).

I'll apply to all the IITs that have humanities faculty, as well as DU and JNU. (Ik I'll definitely get into the DU PhD program, because i did both my bachelor's and master's there, and some of the best senior faculty members in english there are very good friends now, so that's like my safety net option)

I'm also applying to a few colleges outside India, and because of the thesis topics i have in mind, the best schools for me would be:

SOAS Uni, London

Edinburgh Uni

Trinity College (Dublin)

Toronto Uni

Money might be the only constraint, because I'm from a very ordinary middle-class family :(

After that, if i follow my heart, I'll do post-doctoral research, but the more practical and financially prudent decision would be to start teaching at a good University as an assistant professor.

Both are good options, and I can't say for certain which I'll choose, because that choice will come at least 5 years from now, and a lot can change in half a decade.

(damn i feel old as hell already jesus christ)

Hope this answered your question! Please don't hesitate to reach out for anything whenever you want!

– Nayani 🥀

#nayani says #study motivation #studyblr #chaotic academia #study blog #desiblr #indian studyblr #ask #phdjourney

Found my old UPSC exam notes and realized that i actually did study quite a lot despite my hidden but utter hatred for the whole competitive exam scene in India. I'm happy that i didn't waste more than 1 year and 1 attempt on this charade.

Studying english literature makes me happy and I'm genuinely very good at it, so it's a win-win situation now (also Eng Lit professors in elite Indian colleges make great money lol).

– Nayani 🥀

🎶 Song: 'Forever Rain' by RM

#giving up decisively is a courage #study notes #desi studyblr #studyblr #indian studyblr #UPSC #english lit student #upsc preparation #study material #study motivation #mine

Can u show the cute notebook you're using. Where did you get it from?

Hey! I use a few at once, and these are the current 3:

Planner (from Amazon)

Small notebook (that i wrapped with cute paper lol) which i use for noting down my syllabus and using as a checklist throughout the term/year (from a local artist at a college fest)

Random ideas notepad (once again, customised) (mother got it for a seminar and i stole it lol)

+ a bookmark i made (on top, with the heart charms that broke off of my phone case :'))

As you can tell, i have an almost pathological aversion to bland or boring stationery products and i MUST customize them before using lmao

- Nayani 🥀

#ask #nayani says #chaotic academia #study aesthetic #study blog #study motivation #studyblr #stationery #notebooks

lulustudies

my study space ecosystem 🧸

nayani-reads

Sweet duck with umbrella and little rain booties my beloved 🥹

Only a month to prepare for my 1st year graduate finals, but I'm not too stressed because i love the material I'm studying.

(An iced peach tea with an espresso shot for the drink of the day, I've gotten better at making it foamy hehe.)

I've gotten into the habit of reading at least one piece of written media for fun in the morning and before bed. Currently reading 2 historical love letters every day.

– Nayani 🥀

🎶 Song: 'Don't Say You Love Me' by Jin

#chaotic academia #study aesthetic #study blog #study motivation #studyblr #desiblr #indian studyblr #desi studyblr #mine

hi! where are you from? and what exams are you preparing for? i love your blog so much it brings me so much joy and motivation!

Hello!! I'm from the state of Bihar in India.

Right now I'm reappearing for GATE for a PhD in English literature, and also the NET JRF in English for a grant.

You're so so kind, and i love hearing from lovely people like you! Thank you 🌸

#ask #nayani says

Sorry to bother you but which app do you use for recording your time lapses?

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to answer, I've been Struggling™ with some stuff lmao

But to answer your question, i have a Moto g32 phone and it has an inbuilt time lapse feature. Never tried any specific apps, but if i ever do in the future, I'll make sure to mention it in the post!

#ask #nayani says