An Update

I have not updated this blog in more than a month. So what has been happening to me? Sometime ago and repeatedly thereafter, I made myself promise myself that I will not be a depressed PhD nerd-geek. I will not be one whose life revolves around the PhD. I want to have a life outside of PhD, I want to have hobbies, friends, to travel... I want to be a cool PhD student, or even one who says she does a PhD as an afterthought.

Why?

I consider myself a mature student. Many people jump into their PhD right after their undergraduate studies and they have had little exposure to the outside world. Not that I have much, having only worked in a university all my life, but I feel that I cannot begin my graduate studies with that idealistic view that I'm doing something wonderful and proud and I'm going to devote my all to it during this five years. No, I know that I may not find an academic position when I come out, I know that having a PhD as an accomplishment helps you look smart, but it doesn't mean you're smart, I know that my health (emotional, spiritual, physical, mental) is more dear to me and I am willing to give up any activities or loves that threaten it.

Gosh, what a strange post. I didn't come here thinking I would write about this, frankly.

But yes, so I have been doing some freediving the past month or so. :)

And I pulled myself back to work on my Research Proposal.

During the break, I wrote an article for a practitioner journal. Two days ago, I told my friend about it, and I said, "I've taken so much from teachers, I'm grateful I finally have a chance to give back."

I will be conducting a workshop end October on Academic Publishing and Writing. I was excited about this because from April to June 2017, I did a diploma in TESOL. I am prepared that if I don't get an academic position, or if I do get it, I will be ready to teach. But when I was given this chance to do a workshop... something in my heart leaped for joy. I was thinking that I can apply what I learned in the TESOL course to engage my audience.

Okay, how did I get these opportunities? I want to share with you... I simply asked for them. I am not someone who is thick skin, but I got a few chances to just ask. I asked the editor of the online journal whether they were interested in a paper I have in mind, and they said yes. I told the Grad Center that I was interested to share some of my experiences with writing and publishing with other students, and they gave me that opportunity.

Why am I asking and doing all these?

Because sometime ago, I realized I need to chart my own career path. I cannot just do my PhD. It will not only bore me to death, it alone is not sufficient to open doors and possibilities for myself now, and my future later.

Gosh, where are all these words coming from. I'm so talkative today. Maybe I should stop here.