Weeks 92 and 93: Coffee break with colleagues and my birthday

I’ve been working on my conference paper by clarifying descriptions, adding more references and grouping data more precisely. I’ve also submitted my proposal for a conference taking place in Hong Kong next year.

Two weeks ago, I was struggling to stay motivated, and listening to audiobooks on how to be productive.

This week, my colleagues and I talked over coffee about how daily interactions with someone who understands what you are doing are important for our lives. In my two years as a PhD student, I have found that the most effective ways to stay motivated or to recover from crises are to talk to colleagues and exchange feedback about writing, tiny mistakes, relationships with supervisors, and life.

My colleague told me that I must get through the current stage − chapter revisions − before starting my third year. The methodology chapter needs to be well elaborated to justify the analytical dimensions when I start my third year. She said this is something I must be more serious about, and I sincerely appreciate her comments. The relationship between PhD students is very cooperative.

My birthday

Luca and I had planned to travel to York this weekend, but unfortunately, he got the flu, so we decided to stay home.

Last night we very much enjoyed dinner and the Cirque Éloize show, and today I am baking an almond and pear tart. My birthday resolution for the new year is to break out of my comfort zone, try new activities and socialise more.