So, one big update- I ran my first half marathon! It deserves a separate post.
Meditation
A lot of other things have been brewing too. Fermenting, actually. Slow, subtle, yet powerful changes that take time to show. So my second update is that I’ve been trying this app called ‘Healthy Minds’, and its been very helpful to my life. I am beginning to notice subtle changes like being more in the present, being more empathetic and receptive to others, being more grateful, and noticing the small things like beautiful mushrooms or the dance of the leaves as they fall down. It’s also been helping me to sleep better with body scan meditations etc. I really like that they have ‘Active meditations’ which can be done on the go. I doubted its efficacy, but I can see that it’s working. So I can listen and do these meditations while cooking or combing my hair or folding clothes.
Hail PhD
Recently, most of my focus has been on my PhD. I’ve put everything else after this priority. If me-past were to see me-present, me-past would judge me-present so bad- ‘Omg your’e missing out on life just like everyone else to your PhD; 20’s you’re ruining you’re 20's’. Sure, I do feel like missing out on life- like I don’t really have many friends and with the few friends I do have I don’t get to hang out; I’ve stopped reading outside my PhD, I love reading; Or going on trips- because my PhD is taking up a lot of my time. But, hey- who said you can only do these things in your 20's? I mean, I know profs who still go on trips and have good friends and time for their other hobbies and passions. I also really like my work, so sometimes I feel like, I’m getting to do what I like and I do it just for the sheer fun of it, and hey, isnt that life, doing things for the sheer fun of it?
Maybe me wanting to go on trips or hang out with friends and post blurry pics on instagram as proof of fun is just social pressure getting to me.
Like someone else tells me how to have fun- Sorry sir, I know what is fun for me. Sometimes, its just being in the lab, checking cells and the best part- the microscopy room! It’s my favourite thing about work- the moment of glory. When you get to see the results of all the hard work you put into getting that sample.
So yeah that’s one reason- Working itself is fun for me. And being an introvert I don’t really enjoy the things that society typically associates with fun. And I already touched upon the seond reason- I can do these things after my PhD- but I only have this chance to do a PhD. To be on a college campus. To explore new things- like now I’ve joined as a social media volunteer for a xyz initiative.
So yeah, the second update is that I’ve been focussing more on my PhD now.
Scicomm
And the third update- I touched on it already- volunteering for a social media page. The idea is to get some other form of Science Communication expereince, so far I just have writing experience. I thought it would help my CV to have a different form of scicomm experience other than just writing, when/if I’m in the scicomm job market.
Work
Otherwise, umm work has been pretty dull I should say. The manuscript pressure is high from my guide, but I don’t think we’re there yet. Planning for 1/2 conferences in Jan. Things are looking fine, I guess, workwise Just trying to do my bit everyday at work, consistently, and see where it goes. But perhaps now is the time to move on from consistent/steady mode to full-on/ crazy mode, I guess?
Running/ health
And the fourth update is that I’m trying to consistently run/ train. 3–4 days a week. Which I managed 2/3 weeks so far, and then I had to travel for the holidays and now I’m sick because of the travel lol.
So my life recently has been about my PhD, running, lil bit of scicomm when I get the time, and my relationship.
Using the healthy minds app has also changed me in our relationship I think. But I haven’t yet found how to put in words, so hang on till then.
Message to my Frens
To everyone I haven’t been in touch with recently- I still love you. I will always cherish our memories and would LOVE to meaningfully connect with you. But all our lives are so busy, its just our lives are so different and so full now, and theres no space to fit something from the past. I could do it haphazardly but that would be a disservice to the awesome times we’ve had before. Anyways, you haven’t been in touch with me either :P. Anyways, I’m always happy and glad that you’re lives are so full that you haven’t been able to keep in touch with me.
Thats also why I have this blog. Honestly, this is is a much better/ meaningful way to connect with y’all than waiting an hour to book an auto, then travel an hour, then meet with all the tiredness and irritability, and leave hurriedly because there are other things to do. I also hope that I’m more free here, because the intended audience is just me so I’m just speaking my heart out, which I rarely do IRL.
Small updates:
Also learning some German on the side using apps- since my field leaders are based in Germany and its highly likely that I go to Germany/ France for my postdoc (Touchwood).
Also, I’ve started using GraphPad Prism and Adobe Illustrator and Endnote much to my disappointment at the insistence of my PI. I prefer just seaborn/python to plot and inkscape for assembling figures/ making posters, and Zotero for references. These are free and are just as good. But gotta listen to the boss, esp if shes paid to get these softwares lol.
Pushing myself to introspect more
So I’ll try and write about the top three exciting things and top three things I should work on, based on the last 4ish months.
Top three exciting/meaningful things:
- Ran my first half-marathon
- Trip with bae
- Generated a LOT of data in August.
PS- Totally addicted to eating the cats/ dogs remix version
Three things I could’ve done better/ need to work on:
- Only get worked up about things that are worth it.
- Connecting with friends and family
- Be less co-dependent on bae, I guess.
