If archaeologists dug up my PhD experience and interpreted the residual layers of rock and artefacts to figure out how the process evolved over time, the phase I’m currently living through would be known as ‘The Writing Age’. Right around the time I published this post about burning out, something clicked in my brain. I…
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A couple of weeks ago, I completed (and passed!) my Mid-Year Review. A Mid-Year Review (sometimes known as an ‘upgrade’) is a compulsory part of my PhD programme. It takes place halfway through the first year of doctoral study, and involves submitting a sample of written work (mine had to be 5,000 words in length, plus 2,000 words…
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Stratford-upon-Avon is a fabulous town, studded with a glorious selection of independent cafés, restaurants, and coffee shops. During my time as a student, I’ve spent a lot of time in coffee shops. I tend to work pretty well in these sorts of environments: there’s just enough noise and activity to make my surroundings feel interesting, but…
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I’m struggling with a social media addiction. There, I said it. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is pick up my phone and check Facebook, Twitter, BBC News, and my emails. I make a cup of tea and get ready to work. Before opening Word on my laptop, I…
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I’m generally not one for New Year’s resolutions. I am, however, very much into finding ways to improve my work and lifestyle throughout the year. I enjoy reading about ways to increase productivity, and I tend to spend (too much) time browsing through Pinterest looking at things that’d make my home, wardrobe, or food more exciting. This…
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The last few weeks have been totally bonkers. Since I last posted, I’ve completed on a house purchase, moved in, and got stuck into redecorating. I’ve been to a wedding in Mississippi and sampled some of the many delights that New Orleans has to offer (beignets, anyone? <3). Throughout all of this I was…
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My Masters year at the Shakespeare Institute is proving to be something of a learning experience. Not only have I found myself immersed in the relatively unfamiliar world of English literature, I’ve also had to figure out how to deal with multiple-essay deadlines. This time last year I thought having two essays due within the same week was…
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Until a few years ago, the Easter holidays meant a break from whichever academic institution I was in at the time (school/college). The prospect of a few weeks without classes was an exciting one, and I always looked forward to it: I could spend time with my friends, sleep in late, and – very importantly…
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This post is all about a topic that’s been hovering around the front of my mind since September: organisation. It’s perhaps not the most thrilling of subjects on the surface of things, but becoming more organised is a quest of mine at present. During the past few years, I’ve considered myself to be a fairly…
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Ella Hawkins 