I've heard more than one person say that taking some time off at the end of the semester is important. I acknolwedge the wisdom of this recommendation, but it is hard for me to conquer the feeling that I should be accomplishing something, literally, all the time. Last week, I visited my parents in …
Tag: phd
What happens when. . .
. . . I attempt to study.
Here It Starts: books, exams, and, of course, cats
And so it begins. Last week, it finally had to happen. I spent hours looking up call numbers on the university library website. I dragged out the rollerboard luggage (and my partner, Stephen). And, together, we went to pick up the first batch of comprehensive exam books. I think I underestimated the amount of time …
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Spring Semester: Done
The end of the term. . . finally. The spring term is a notoriously breathless run from January through to April every year. The semester starts a bit early down here, and it is relatively unbroken by vacation days. The exception to this rule is, of course, spring break, but, this term, it did not …
My Week
So, what's been going on this week? Here's Emily, providing me with what is, to her, much-needed notetaking help. This is Oscar. This is NOT our house. Oscar decided to go and visit the neighbors yesterday afternoon (observe door cracked open in the background). He is now under "house arrest." Introducing: the inside of my (tiny) office and …
Somehow. . .
. . . I will move these books from my office to my house.
Naptime
So, I try to take a nap, and this happens.
A Grad Student’s Plea for Standard-Sized Books
As a PhD student, reading is a daily activity. And not just reading, but reading as much as you can as quickly as you can. Training to speed-read is like training for a marathon--each book is a new opportunity to improve upon the overall time it takes you to understand: the author's argument, the sources …
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Stop thinking about it. . .
Inevitably, working as a PhD student places one in close professional proximity to many important, influential individuals--professors, other scholars, university administration, graduate students, library and archive staff; the list goes on. Arguably, one of the most important professional relationships--if not THE most important professional relationship--is a PhD student's relationship with his or her faculty advisors.I …
Back to the Classroom once again. . .
Spring break comes to a close, and, of course, I didn't get half as much done as I wanted to. I suppose that makes this vacation week about on-part with every other since I started this program. Comforting? Maybe a little. Disappointing? Absolutely.One of the things that inevitably has to happen at the end of …
Medievalist in the Making 