News: Student life
Christmas culture!
For those who like to get into the Christmas spirit, these are my Christmas Culture recommendations based on my entirely subjective and undeniably #basic opinions.
Accepting eco imperfection
When I first decided to change my planet killing ways, I was shocked at how difficult it was. I couldn’t step foot in a supermarket without being overwhelmed by the amount of plastic that surrounded me. I felt so guilty when I didn’t bring my keep cup to the local café, or when I forgot my eco-friendly fruit and veg bags at the supermarket. I would’ve hated to be the person who served me and put through all the loose items in my trolley.
I need to be alone
Sometimes, in social situations, I start to feel very overwhelmed. My body gets very tired and I feel on the verge of tears. I can’t think properly. I get irritated at the smallest thing someone says or does. What is wrong with me? I wonder. Then I realise that the feeling is familiar. I am socially exhausted, and I have been in this situation many times before. All I really need is to be alone.
Defeating writing distractions
PhD students have quite a bit more flexibility in their working day. Sometimes, too much flexibility. What makes it worse is that there are so many sources of distraction around me. I easily use it as an excuse to delay writing my thesis chapters. There’s making sure I am on top of current events and can spend an hour just reading the morning news. Then there’s finding out what people are saying about the news so I can possibly spend another hour on Twitter. Then there is reading journal articles in my field, answering emails, grabbing a coffee with other PhD students, checking and rearranging my calendar, and so on and so forth. By the end of it all, I would have wasted several hours and not have really written a single word.
A rant about stealing Santa
If you’re not aware, ‘Stealing Santa’ is a version of kris kringle gifting, where you buy a present (it could be for a particular person or not), and then people have the option of stealing / swapping another person’s present for their own. I was first introduced to the concept by The Office (US version), where a thoughtfully gifted teapot almost doesn’t end up in the right hands and everyone else fights over an iPod.
Christmas: you either love it or you hate it
In my experience, Christmas (if you celebrate it) is one of those things that you either love or you hate. Personally, I love it. I’m deeply passionate about all things Christmas: the food, the movies, the decorations (consumerism wins again), and the time spent with friends and family. It’s something that I look forward to every year, and when it’s over, I fall into a brief state of depression. That’s how much I love Christmas.
[Read more about Christmas: you either love it or you hate it]
Story of an entire life
My grandfather (Pa) died three years ago, and his memoirs were recently published for his family and friends to read.Â
Don't forget to have a break
I often don’t get to actually have a break in the holidays. This is because I fill up all my time doing little things that don’t really feel like a break at all.
Where to live?
As 2019 draws to a close, and I’m as unorganised as ever, I rapidly need to decide on where I’m going to live. Everyone is different, but there are a few key things I want in my accommodation.
How do you deal with disappointment?
It can be hard when things don’t go to plan, or don’t go your way. It’s all well and good to have high hopes and dreams, but when they don’t turn out, how do you deal with it? It can be a real knock and can put you off taking similar risks in the future.
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