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Needn’t worry about future
There are three weeks left until my PhD viva, and my stress level is rising every day. I have now read four general viva guidebooks and re-read my thesis. The guidebooks are helpful, and it’s nice to read many different variations and stories. The format of the viva seems to vary depending on the institution,… read more
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Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Creamy risotto is my all-time favourite meal. Because it is very easy and simple to cook in one pot, this is certainly a go-to meal on weekday evenings. This is my basic mushroom risotto recipe. I love adding ham or prawns to it, which gives a rich flavour. On one occasion, I cooked it without… read more
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Five weeks to go until my viva
My preparation for my PhD viva has officially started. On my desk, I now have a Wiro-bound copy of my thesis, sticky notes, index tabs, highlighters, and a couple of guidebooks on viva tips. I first added index tabs on each section, and I have been re-reading the thesis while creating a page-by-page summary. At… read more
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Fresh air in the balcony
Last weekend, Luca and I thoroughly cleaned the floor, window glass, handrail and furniture on the balcony. It’s a very small, cosy space, so the clean-up was finished in two days after a broom, a short-handled brush, cleaning cloth and cleaner arrived. Now, we have coffee on the balcony chair in the… read more
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Week 177: Submitted my thesis!
On Monday, 18 May, I submitted my PhD thesis! This week I have fully enjoyed the freedom. The world feels very different, as if I have come back to reality after three years and five months (176 weeks) of journeying on a small, different planet. My feelings transformed slowly, day by day. After the submission… read more
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Weeks 175 and 176: The final polish before submission
I’ve just sent the final text of my thesis to my supervisors for their final check. This weekend and probably next week, I will be waiting for their approval of my first submission. For the past two weeks, it’s been all about ‘inspection’ of the final text – working with my proofreader chapter by chapter,… read more
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Teaching motivation returned
I stay in touch with some of my students from the last academic year who went back home across countries. It’s nice to hear about how they’ve managed to continue to study at home. We discuss useful books and how they study in their online modules. One student told me that the pandemic situation is… read more
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Cheese & pea muffins
Savoury muffins are often referred to as a lunchbox idea. I’m a big fan of them and love cheesy muffins in particular. Luca and I very often enjoy cheese and pea muffins as appetisers served with a glass of white wine or Prosecco at the weekend. I’ve been testing my muffin recipe for the past… read more
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