A reminder to myself...

A part of me had always wanted to do my PhD overseas. It was my ultimate chance to live abroad, I thought to myself, it was the best excuse. Having had difficult past experiences finding jobs, I was less certain I would be able to secure on overseas, but studying seemed to be my cup of tea. But even then, I did not have the confidence to pursue this overseas path.

And last year when I actually had enough push factor to leave my PhD programme to find something else, I felt that the time was not right, the availability of scholarships just felt low and worse still, if I were to start afresh, what would I study?

A year ago, as I came to terms with studying locally, I told myself that my alternative to living abroad is taking many small trips around my region and the world while being rooted in Singapore. This is the next best alternative - I get to travel, learn about about the world, become more knowledgeable (good for PhD)... Yes, maybe I don't get to learn how to live alone long-term, yet, but you know you have to make the best of whatever situation you are in.

So yes, I think I will revive this dream... I chucked it aside last year because I was so preoccupied by something else, but now, I think it is time to fly high and away again, opening my mind and heart to what the world has to offer, and use that to improve the work of my PhD.

I sincerely believe that if I become a generally more knowledgeable a person, the quality of the PhD will improve. I don't believe that sitting down and working non-stop on the PhD can achieve that quality that working on myself first and then also on the PhD can.

So I really believe that graduate students need to carefully plan their time and lives to achieve more than just a PhD. We cannot have tunnel-vision during this period, it's too risky for our emotional health, and it doesn't work to our benefit when we graduate either.

A part of me is also exploring becoming a freediving instructor in the future. Remember that old part of me who also wants to be a writer? Yes... So these are things I will be exploring as well during my PhD journey.