SEPTEMBER 2019

After a nice two-month break, I’m back with a thorough update!  Buckle up and prepare to scroll.

 

 

SONG INSPIRATION

This month’s blog is inspired by Naughty by Nature’s classic, Hip Hop Hooray.

 

 

FALL SEMESTER 2019

One month into the semester and it’s like plunging down a rollercoaster (I wouldn’t know actually.  I don’t like coasters).  Conferences, meetings, posters, power points…all that shit.  The promise of a buy semester hasn’t let me down.  The feel of graduate school has changed going into my last year.  I have no classes and very few extracurricular responsibilities.  As a result, I have more freedom and flexibility with my time and work.  Nowadays, I work 5 days a week.  Gone are the Fridays off of yesteryear 😦   I also work from home 3 days per week and longer hours since I don’t have to factor in commute time.  Productivity is up.  Morale is up.  But there’s still a number of deadlines to hit, which I’ll discuss later.  Being off campus has also put distance between me and my program – distance that I think I’ve needed for a long time.  There are a number of people and influences that I need to start weaning out of my life.  And there’s no time like your last year of grad school to gain perspective and orchestrate a purge.  Overall, I’m enjoying the semester and anxiously awaiting the fruits of my labor.

 

 

GSA 2019

This year I attended my first Geological Society of America annual meeting.  By the time this is posted, the meeting will have ended.  The best part about GSA – for me – was the size, the sessions, and the people.  I loathe large conferences (well, conferences in general) which can be overwhelming and exhausting.  Smaller conferences, like GSA and LPSC, give you more breathing room.  Since GSA is more focused on terrestrial geology, there were many interesting sessions on Earth-based geology education, volcanism, modelling, etc.  Always great to have different sub-disciplines (geology, planetary science, petrology) in one room.  In terms of people, I was delighted to catch up with two friends (and fellow wits) who live on opposite sides of the country.  I still have two more conferences left this year, so here’s to hoping for another pleasant experience.

 

 

DIRTY THIRTY

Next week I enter a new phase of my life – cruising altitude.  Being in your twenties is a fantastic struggle.  You’ll make some of your biggest mistakes but also take unforgettable risks.  You’ll learn about yourself, realize your passions, and get exposed to the real world.  Emotional roller coasters aside, I’ve enjoyed the last decade of my life.  But I’m ready for stability.  Cruising altitude.  I’m ready to put school behind me, start a career, pay off my debts, accomplish lifelong goals, and dedicate time to my passions.  I’m not a birthday person.  And I don’t have a gimmicky celebration planned or any pie-in-the-sky expectations.  As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already received a number of magnificent birthday presents this year (see previous 2019 blogs).  However, I remain optimistic and excited about the next decade of my life.  I know there will be heartache and struggle, but I also foresee love and adventure.  Aches and slower metabolism aside, I’ll saunter into my 30s with an air of pride.

 

Advice:  It’s all about perspective.  Thirty is just a number.  The next phase of your life can start whenever you want it to.  It’s arbitrary.  However, choosing when to start new beginnings can bring a wave of motivation and excitement.

 

 

TECHNICAL REVIEW

I’m less than two weeks away from presenting my case for defending / graduating within the next 6 – 12 months.  While I’m anxious to have this meeting, I’m not necessarily nervous.  I know how much I’ve accomplished and I know about how much I have to complete.  I’m well aware of my work ethic and productivity.  Having started my presentation, I’m convinced that I have a convincing story and a realistic timeline.  That said, I have no idea what to expect.  I have a sense of what my committee will or won’t say.  I don’t expect them to tell me I have another two years of work, for example.  But I also don’t expect them to encourage me to defend by the end of this semester.  Outside of those end members, it could go in any number of directions.  Depending on what my committee decides – but let’s work under the expected assumption, I will start applying to fellowships, postdocs, jobs, etc. once I have an expected graduation date.  Either way, I’m eager for clarity of my academic situation.

 

 

THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHOOSING A CAREER

“Sophomore three years ain’t picked a career.  She like fuck it I’ll just stay down here and do hair.”  Kanye hit a whole mood.  Picking a career is hard.  And it’s almost entirely up to you.  Harder.  Choosing a career has been exhilarating and, at times, absolutely mind-boggling.  Look, I know my first job probably won’t be my only job in life or my dream job.  But I am at a crossroads where the employment decision I make coming out of graduate school will affect my career trajectory.  None of the prospective positions I’m applying for derail any of my long-term plans.  But they could delay things by leading me down an unexpected path.  It’s tough.  There are so many opportunities and somehow, I have to choose one (at least initially).  I’ll just have to cast a large net and hope for the best.

 

Advice:  Don’t simply imagine the job you want.  Think about the traits that you want in a career.  And remember that the job you choose probably isn’t the one you have forever.

 

 

CURRENT SHOWS

Recently finished:  13 Reasons Why (s3); Dear White People (s3); Hero Mask (s2); Orange is the New Black (s7); The Good Place (s3); The Great British Bake-off (s5); The Handmaid’s Tale (s3); The Last Czars

Currently watching:  Dark (s2); The Great British Bake-off (s4)

 

 

Thank you so much for reading!  My next blog is scheduled for Thursday, October 24^th.  Until next time….