autumnal goodness from the last couple of weeks
So things have been a little...manic of late.
I have had an extraordinary start to 2013 with plenty of awesomeness, but, alas, I've also had a seriously challenging few months. Most of said challenges can be attributed to that insane decision I made at the end of 2011 to do a PhD (seriously - what the heck was I thinking?!). It's a long, trying, physically, mentally and emotionally draining journey (so I am starting to learn). Thankfully I study at a small regional campus of a major Victorian University and have the opportunity to work and learn from souls who have been along this path, who kindly offer offices to scream and cry in and offer words of consolation and encouragement over cups of T2. There is definitely no romanticising of the PhD journey from those people, and I really like that. Since January I have been working on a substantial report for my first assessment that pretty much determines whether I am allowed to keep going. There have been some serious speed humps along the way, many tantrums, many nights spent working diligently until the wee hours of the next morning and many conversations to myself and others that start & conclude with, "why the heck am I doing this?!" Yup, there have definitely been long periods of suckiness.
At 6pm-ish on Monday, I sent off a 14,000 word-long document to the powers that tick tiny boxes and determine the next stage in this PhD journey. Now I wait.
I am hoping to spend some more time here, reading, thinking, reflecting and sharing. When writing has become something I have come to dread a little of late, it's been a challenge to overcome that to share in this space. There is still plenty to be done, and this new photography venture is keeping my spirits high and my days busy.
Anyone else balancing study in their busy lives?
I know what you mean, well, I'm not about to embark on a phD but I am about to really start studying, back to school for Miss Emma, and the whole doing it by correspondence thing takes a lot of discipline and routine. Sitting at my computer learning from teachers thousands of miles away has it's advantages and disadvantages. Even though I'm studying something creative, I still need a creative outlet, which is where my blog helps, and picking up my camera for my 'other job'. Twenty minute rule - that's how my mind works, only twenty minutes in each given task, which seems ridiculous but lots of clever people swear that's all us gen y'ers are capable of, or not capable of, how we work best. I've read a few articles on it and I tend to agree. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Good luck x
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite at the PHD level, but I hear you :) There's always a battle for balance in my world between study, work and creative outlets. I haven't reached that stage where I wake up and go to a job that I completely love, but I'm taking steps forward and just love learning so much! The delight of new knowledge is worth the late nights, the occasional boring lecture and the writing of reference lists (this is the part I dislike the most, thankfully I can often talk my husband into doing it for me).
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