#Phd tips

[thephdpensieve]

Don't let the distance between where you are and where you want to be scare you out of moving forward.

But how?

This fear is like gravity. I can't feel it pulling me down, it is not prominent. It is not in the top of my head and making me fret every moment. It is not crushing or intense, it is not making me implode.

But it is there. It is keeping me from moving. I am paralyzed without even realizing. It has stopped me from being hopeful, or even looking at the future.

What's the cause? The distance between where I am and where I want to be, rather where I have to be. It is so far because I lagged behind once. And I am lagging behind still because the distance is daunting me now.

It's a loop. One thing feeds the other and vice versa. As time passes, the distance just keeps growing and I am standstill right where I was a year ago. And with the distance grows the fear. I get anxious more and more, and even simple tasks feel monstrous now. It is only a matter of time for me to succumb into the loop: to spiral into a blackhole.

How do I get out of this loop? How do I break this loop? How do I not let the distance scare me? Right now, I am all questions and no answers. I am writing this blog post to lift some weight off my chest and put it out in the open.

What helps you in such moments? Have you escaped the loop before? Or, are you too stuck in a loop like me?

[salvadorbonaparte]

Hey, regarding the PhD path I can highly recommend it, and passion really goes a long way in the application. I have a PhD and I'm a researcher at a university, and I have a part in screening prospective students for our lab. The thing I can tell you with absolute confidence is that grades don't predict how good a person is going to be at a PhD, and the people hiring know this. People with immaculate grades aren't always cut out for the challenges of a PhD (and sometimes they are - grades alone aren't a strong predictor).

It's an entirely different skill set and the key skills are resilience, passion, and creativity. Passion being the most important by a long shot. During the course of the PhD any gaps in knowledge or weak areas will be filled. But PhDs are challenging and the thing that's going to get you to the end is passion and creativity. And that's what people are looking for most of all.

I'm not in Linguistics (but omg I wish I was, I love Linguistics so much I'm considering going back to uni and combining it with Arabic which I've been learning for a few years - your resources have helped so much!), but to give you an idea of numbers, I applied to 21 programmes here in the UK, I got 2 interviews, and I got 1 offer (I only went to one interview). But I didn't have a Master's degree, just the BSc, which was a disadvantage. The point being is to cast your net wide and don't give up or be too discouraged if it takes a while. If you want it to happen it'll happen - this stranger on the internet believes in you!

One interview tip: at the end, after you've pitched your thesis proposal and told them how passionate and dedicated you are, they'll say: "do you have any questions for us?". At this point, show them how serious you are and ask them: "given everything I've told you about my goals and intentions, is this the place for me? Can you provide me with the environment and resources I need to achieve my goals?". It shows that you aren't just desperate for any position, you're willing to look elsewhere, you have options. It might be a bluff, but it'll make them want you more, especially if they suddenly think you might go somewhere else.

Best of luck! Sorry for the long ask!

Thank you so much for the tips! And don't worry about the length of the ask :)

I'm definitely going to keep this in mind! I'm planning on applying for a handful of places with good funding opportunities and just hope I'm lucky (or try again next year) and I definitely have a lot of passion. Like a lot. I've been telling every living soul about my current thesis project for a year now.

Based on what I've been through I'm also very resilient. Everyone tells me how tough a PhD is and I definitely believe them but I've also been through a lot so I am very convinced my passion and resilience would make me ideal for that kinda environment.

[bookbutterfly1999]

How do you know you won’t fuck up in grad school?

How?!

[nightbunnysong]

Mastering academic excellence

Becoming an academic weapon is about more than just studying hard, it’s about studying smart.

1. The power of a minimalist study space

Your study environment plays a crucial role in your ability to concentrate and absorb information. A cluttered desk or disorganized room can lead to distractions, stress, and reduced productivity. On the other hand, an orderly and minimalist space promotes clarity of thought and focus.

Why Minimalism Matters

Reduces Distractions A minimalist setup limits visual and mental distractions. With fewer items in your field of vision, your brain can focus more on the task at hand.

Promotes Calmness An organized space creates a sense of calm, reducing stress and anxiety, which are common barriers to effective studying.

Enhances Efficiency Knowing exactly where your materials are saves time and keeps you in the flow of your work, avoiding interruptions caused by searching for misplaced items.

How to Create the Ideal Study Space

Declutter Regularly Keep only essential items on your desk. Store books, papers, and other materials neatly in drawers or shelves.

Personalize Mindfully Add a few personal touches, like a plant or a motivational quote, but avoid overloading your space with unnecessary objects.

Ensure Comfort Choose a comfortable chair, good lighting, and a desk at the right height to prevent physical discomfort during long study sessions.

2. Mastering active learning techniques

Active learning is the cornerstone of effective studying. Unlike passive methods, such as simply reading or highlighting, active learning engages multiple areas of your brain, enhancing comprehension and retention.

Key Active Learning Techniques

Summarization After reading a section of your textbook or attending a lecture, summarize the main points in your own words. This forces you to process the information deeply, improving understanding and memory.

Self-Testing Regularly quiz yourself on the material. This not only reinforces your knowledge but also highlights areas where you need further review. Tools like flashcards or apps such as Anki can be particularly effective.

Teaching Others Explaining concepts to others is one of the best ways to solidify your understanding. This could be done with a study partner, in a group setting, or even by teaching an imaginary audience.

Mind Mapping Create visual representations of the material, such as diagrams or mind maps. This technique helps you see connections between ideas and organizes complex information into a more digestible format.

3. Study aids for enhanced learning

Study aids are tools and resources that can support and enhance your learning process. When used correctly, they can make studying more efficient and effective.

Types of Study Aids:

Flashcards Ideal for memorization, flashcards help reinforce knowledge through active recall and spaced repetition. Digital flashcards allow for easy organization and accessibility on the go.

Mind Maps These visual tools help break down complex concepts and illustrate relationships between ideas, making it easier to grasp and remember large amounts of information.

Practice Tests Taking practice exams familiarizes you with the format and types of questions you might encounter, reducing test anxiety and highlighting areas for improvement.

Educational Apps Numerous apps cater to various aspects of studying, from organization (Notion, Evernote) to subject-specific learning (Duolingo for languages).

How to Use Study Aids Effectively

Incorporate Them Regularly Don’t wait until the last minute to use study aids. Regular integration into your study routine ensures continuous reinforcement of material.

Customize Your Tools Tailor flashcards, mind maps, and other aids to suit your learning style and the specific material you need to master.

Combine Methods Use a mix of study aids to address different types of content and to keep your study sessions dynamic and engaging.

4. Staying Healthy

MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO

The ancient adage "mens sana in corpore sano," meaning "a healthy mind in a healthy body," underscores the importance of physical well-being in achieving academic success. Neglecting your health can lead to burnout, decreased cognitive function, and lower academic performance.

Physical Health and Academic Performance

Nutrition A balanced diet fuels your brain, improving concentration, memory, and energy levels. Incorporate brain-boosting foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Exercise Regular physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, enhances mood through the release of endorphins, and reduces stress. Even short, daily exercise sessions can make a significant difference in your mental clarity and stamina.

Sleep Adequate sleep is essential for memory consolidation and cognitive function. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to ensure you are well-rested and ready to tackle your studies.

Mental Health and Academic Success

Stress Management Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep breathing to manage stress. Regular breaks during study sessions can also prevent burnout.

Work-Life Balance Ensure you have time for relaxation and social activities. A balanced life contributes to mental well-being, which in turn supports academic success.

Positive Mindset Cultivate a growth mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth rather than as obstacles. This perspective not only enhances resilience but also keeps you motivated in your academic pursuits.

[photos from Pinterest]

[skwpr]

🔆📝 HOW TO KEEP YOUR LIFE ORGANIZED 📝🔆

1. The 3 most important tasks. Write down the top 3 tasks you need to do during the day. Start your day with them, and then you won't have another day where you've managed the small things and there's no time left for the important things.

2. Make a task list. Every morning, make a list of tasks that you need to do during the day. This list will help you stay on top of your scheduled to-do's and make you more organized.

3. Do only one thing at a time. When you focus on just one thing, the work progresses a lot better than if you do several things at once, jumping from one thing to another.

4. Do it now. If something needs to be done, do it right now. Don't put it off for a minute, because then you'll find other reasons why that action needs to be postponed or not done at all.

5. Clear your workspace.Remove from your field of vision all unnecessary and superfluous things that can distract you.

6. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Find methods to simplify your actions so you can get your things done in less time with less effort.

7. Keep things in order. You don't want to throw things around your apartment or office. Put each thing in its place and then you will not need to spend time looking for them.

8. Sign up for a time planning service. Nowadays, there are many different services on the internet that help you plan and do what you have planned. You will be able to keep your to-do lists under control, work on them through your phone, get reminders on your phone or e-mail and more.

9. Examine your daily routine.Analyze your days. What takes up the most of your time, what you are often distracted by, what activities do little good. Try to remove habits from your life that interfere with your life.

10. Add color. Those who like to work with different colors can try creating a to-do list in different colors so you can see important to-do's at a glance.

11. Let others do.Some to-do's are worth delegating to other people (work or home).

12. Be positive.If you are not able to make your life organized in one day, you should not despair. Try, try, try and you will see that you and your life will start to change.

13. Set goals. It helps a lot to speed up the process of work if you clearly see the end goal you are moving towards.

14. Set a deadline.Understanding that you have a definite time limit on a task, you will be less distracted and relaxed.

15. Encourage yourself. When you finish some hard work, an important task or some project, then do something nice for yourself, maybe even celebrate the event. Positive emotions will help you in the future and make life more joyful.

[justgivemethephd]

17.10.2024

Hey everyone! I went to see Cosmo Sheldrake last night and it was a religious experience. Cosmo is an incredible live performer as well as a genuinely funny and likeable human being. He was smiling the whole time and you could tell me was having so much fun. He had so much appreciation for the people working with him too!! It was lovely to see.

Today I finally gave the presentation I've been working on for about a week and a half now. I was genuinely excited about presenting this paper, and although I don't think I did as well as I thought I would everyone on my team was telling me they really liked it. They told me I was being cynical by not accepting their compliments, but honestly I don't know what to think. Anyway, I'm going to spend most of today working on preparations for my upgrade report and finishing an analysis that I was asked to do last week. I'm a little defeated after the presentation, but hopefully I can get back on track and have a productive day.

Remember to be gentle and patient with yourself! There are better days ahead.

_____

🎧 - Interdimensional by Cosmo Sheldrake

🎮 - Baldur's Gate 3

📖 - The River of Silver by Shannon Chakraborty

[ibchemist]

Spring Break Study Plan

March 24th Watch the glopol documentaries Finish copying the Spanish analysis

March 25th Finish planning the English Paper 2 Continue the guide for my friend's MUN (introduction to topic, and historical context)

March 26th Continue the guide for my friend (the rest of things) Begin the engagement activity

March 27th Finish the MUN guide

[medstudy09]

I'm surprised I might pass!!!

Now for tomorrow's paper....

Wish me luck.

[sage-thephdstudent]

I’ve just enrolled in an undergrad class at my university in data science / coding. It is the first time I’ve done any kind coding. It’s also been almost four years since I was in undergrad myself, so I’m pretty nervous for the exam.

Does anyone have any study tips, particularly for data science / coding, which they would be willing to share? This topic is so different from anything I’ve ever done before I’m feeling pretty out of my depth.

[yesninathings]

Watch me pull an allnighter to write a protocol for my doctoral research because i dont have enough fucking time in a day and I have to get it done by friday [its Wednesday 😢]

[thephdpensieve]

Rewiring the brain: the idea of productivity

3/100 days of productivity • 27-Oct-23, Friday

In light of my #NoZeroDays promise I didn't want to let this day go "unproductive". I have been struggling with untying my self-worth with my productivity level. And hence by extension to my PhD progress. I feel so guilty that I didn't work on my PhD at all. But I just couldn't get myself to work - It's something I've been struggling for the past few weeks. So I decided to be productive in a different way: art.

Productivity is not just academic work. Productivity shouldn't mean working full 8 hours on your PhD. You don't have to be 'productive' when you are sick. Taking rest is not unproductive. Indulging in a hobby is not unproductive. Moving slowly is not unproductive.

-- this is something I told myself today. I don't know if I fully believe when I say this, but I want to ❤️

About today

Still sick. I was so tired and demotivated today. Couldn't sleep early last night and so the day began at noon today

Lunch and dinner with friends

Completed a painting that I was postponing since september. It's called A sunset at the sunflowers' 🌻

Started a new painting, which is at 80% completion. (it's in the picture)

I hope tomorrow will be better and I want to be able to stick to my plan🤞🏼

[vermillioncrown]

ands snippet: duck tolling and retrieving

as teased yesterday, the snippet on how vivienne meets tim, and how tim gets involved with the bats in this 'verse. tim accidentally noses his way into bat business and makes a mess. vivienne is the collateral and is not happy about it.

(tim is 11, jason is 13, dick is 18, bruce is early 30s and ros&vi are mid 30s)

if you guys spot cursed aughties teen fashion/styling choices -> @rozaceous and i made choices okay

===

In a rush of sudden, sobering clarity, Vivienne stands up from the table. "I need to make a call." She glares down at the preteen across the table and adds, "Don't run. You won't like it if I have to chase you down again."

Her captive audience nods, long bangs flopping comically with his vigorous motion. Wide baby blue eyes, looking at most 100 lbs sopping wet, still clutching his skateboard in a death grip—Timothy Jackson Drake would pass as a commonplace patron of Robinson Park. Innocuous. Benign. But the trouble he's caused her over the past month…

Right. That's why it was on sight for her as she was driving off for lunch break. But it's also a reminder that she doesn't often let her temper get the best of her, despite the naysayers at the office. She's curt and all business, and the type of work that's under her purview doesn't tolerate carelessness. Every action is carefully considered and executed to the best of her ability.

And this fucking teenybopper, this little skater boy, almost ruined everything.

Even so, her reaction was admittedly…rash.

"So, I might have done something rash," she says as such to Ros as soon as her girlfriend picks up the phone.

"You’re lucky I’m in between clients and you have ten minutes until I’m at Marius’s place.” Despite the snappy comment, Ros isn’t mad. Little chuckles come out naturally with her exhales as she walks. “Which closet do we need to clear out now? Can you fit everything into the car?”

“What? I’m not keeping a child in a closet!”

“—what?”

“—huh?”

Vivienne stops. Finds herself at a loss for words with the complete overshoot of the conversation’s trajectory.

“Go on—you have me piqued. Why do you have to put a child in a closet?” She pauses for dramatic effect, letting Vivienne stew. “Which, by the way, is not where we put children.”

“Okay, this phone call was…kinda rash, then,” Vivienne admits.

“Well, you’ve got me now, no take backs.”

“Okay, fine—I saw him.”

“Him?”

“The Termite.”

“…no. Nooooo, Vi, don’t—he—he’s still whole and healthy, yes?!”

“I’m already in a fucking metric ton of hot flaming garbage, I’m not adding homicide into the mess!” Vivienne hisses. She glances back through the crack of the door, view to the table clear where Drake—the Termite of her life, as they’ve been calling him for the last three weeks of this debacle—is still sitting like someone glued him to his seat. “…it could be aggravated assault if his parents catch wind.”

“Vi, I was joking, please tell me you’re joking.”

“He’s fine. Just rumpled from some. Um. Manhandling.”

Ros doesn’t say anything for a minute. But Vivienne knows her well enough to know that she knows Vivienne well enough to know exactly what happened.

Weeks of internal investigation, legal red tape, forced paid leave, all devices checked and wiped…it all forms the toxic legal mire that’s export control and proprietary information being so blatantly compromised. Important projects due for a midterm review halted. Possible lawsuits if collaboration was involved with certain data. The budget—

Forget the corporate throat-slitting some of the other D-Suites and ladder climbers are trying to leverage with this incident—annoying but ultimately, being the equivalent of Lucius’s favored workplace poodle means he’ll swat away all detractors. She won’t lose her position and it’s not like she cares to climb any higher.

But the indignity of the damage done from the harebrained plot of a fucking kid, to her—

That he targeted her and her device for some incomprehensible reason and fucking managed—

It’s like someone knocking on her front door, her opening to answer it in good faith, and they rush in to pee on the carpet before anyone would have the wherewithal to stop them.

What is anyone supposed to do in that situation? How is someone supposed to feel after that?!

She saw him ditching class at the skate park, like he didn’t have a single worry in his little puffball bobblehead brain, and admittedly lost her shit. He’s lucky she only scruffed him—she could have strung him up by his oversized crew neck sweater sleeves and tied him into a knapsack instead.

…a fucking emo kid skater boy, with the quintessential TWLOHA crew neck, managed to hack into her fucking laptop. The audacity.

“…That’s aggravated assault, yes.” Ros’s voice breaks through the current wave of anger.

Vivienne lets out a frustrated whine in response. They both let the situation sink in for a moment as they consider their next moves. It takes more than a minute but the mutual silence is productive.

“Well, he must be terrified out of his goddamn mind right now,” Ros brings the conversation back, tone forcibly casual.

“You’d immediately fall for his ‘I’m baby’ wet eyes if you were here,” Vivienne says. The quipping grounds her, brings her back to focused assessment.

Ros laughs and it makes her feel better immediately. “Considering Kevin fears for his immortal toad-shaped soul every time you breathe around him and you actually like him, the Termite might count himself lucky to escape with life and limb intact.”

Huh. That…might be the play here.

“Of course, just a talking-to, and then I’ll send him on his way,” Vivienne promises. “Being that he nearly got away with what he did, I don’t think he understands that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. It’s only fair that someone tells him.”

“Yeah, it could be worse next time—skipping grades straight to Yale,” Ros agrees.

“All Yale, no Yob.” Vivienne’s chest feels lighter. It’ll be fine. “Okay, thanks for picking up. I’ll see you tonight?”

“Won’t be too late. Oh, and I’m sending the cavalry with the expensive lawyers your way.”

“Oh Jesus, no—”

“—bye!” And Ros hangs up.

Vivienne looks at her phone. She has…twenty minutes to an hour to impart the fear of god and federal-level criminal repercussions without outwardly threatening a twelve-year-old. In a public, if secluded, restaurant.

At least she asked for private seating?

Whatever, she’s worked with less. Vivienne rolls her neck, hears the satisfying crack, breathes in deep, and puts her Workplace Smile on before making her way back to where she’s left the Termite.

===

“You vibrating the car isn’t going to make us go faster,” Dick calls out peevishly. “Are you auditioning for the Flash?”

“Shut up, Dickiebird. I’m worried about Aunt Vi,” Jason snaps back. He does stop shaking his leg, though.

Dick’s worried, too, which is why he’s trying to concentrate on the road—traffic picks up earlier on Fridays, and he doesn’t need to add a car accident on top of extracting Aunt Vi from a possible lawsuit, on top of the information security compromise she’s currently dealing with. Jason’s obnoxious frosted tips keep distracting him in the periphery every time he turns his head, looking out the windows like he can mentally will the car to teleport.

Why the hell did Aunt Vi egg Bruce on to let Jason do that to himself? And why the hell did Aunt Ros not stop either of them?

…if Aunt Vi goes to jail for murdering a kid, justified anger or not, none of these questions will be answered, and though Aunt Ros is a deft hand with Bruce she’s not the one that wrangles the Batman.

Jokes aside, he’s not as worried as Jason because Aunt Vi’s not the type to get violent, even if her demeanor is like a psychic aura that inflicts fear based on proximity. It’s not like she beats people up, even at her workplace where her subordinates scuttle like little bugs around her. She doesn’t even swat at Bruce when he’s pissing her off, despite having the stones to jab her finger into his chest plate as she reams him out for fucking up the Batmobile’s suspensions again.

But she’s usually in control or a position of power. She’s never been made to lose her cool; at least, not while Dick’s been around to see or hear about it. This is the first time she’s been brought this low—even when Bruce was bleeding out all over her that night, Aunt Ros performing first aid on panicked autopilot, Aunt Vi was coolly deciding their next move to get Bruce to safety unnoticed. She had no qualms plucking the control fob for the Batmobile from him and told him to, “Sit the hell down, boy—that car’s more mine than His Dark Grace’s, with the amount of man-hours I’ve put in.”

(And he did sit the hell down at that tone.)

Little Timothy Drake did a number on her; Dick can’t help but feel guilty for not nipping it properly in the bud when they first met. He’s still not sure what to make of the kid. It’d be easy to write him off as an obsessed thrill-seeker, one of those nuts on the conspiracy boards he checks every so often…but what he did goes beyond the risk and effort for those types. From Aunt Vi’s recounting and Bruce’s investigation, it’s most likely that Timothy swapped her USB dongle for a fake one—a ducky—when he was visiting Drake Industries on the day she was meeting with the Drakes themselves. From that, he brute-forced connected to her laptop and was able to hold her device hostage unless she heard him out.

Aunt Vi’s never the type to let herself get pressed. She immediately shut it all down and turned her everything over to WayneTech’s IT department, which then got their internal affairs department involved. If only that was the end of that—she explained, with forced patience to Jason’s naive questioning, that she might also be in trouble with federal regulations because of the type of projects she has her hands in and what data might be compromised from the incident. And then because she’s private sector, IP laws and proprietary rights might be involved as well. So, the legal department was now involved as well as law enforcement.

“But you didn’t give the hacker anything?!” Jason was indignant on her behalf.

“Doesn’t matter. Compromised is compromised. I’d be facing federal prison if I didn’t report it and something got traced back to me.” She looked exhausted, despite being two weeks in on her forced paid leave while Lucius Fox put out fires on her behalf. “This is serious shit, Jason. Can’t just yell or punch it away.”

It took a few days for Bruce and Dick, off the books, to establish with high confidence—based on scant security footage, careful questioning, and timetable corroborations—that a kid literally walked into the meeting room of his parents’ company, plugged something in, and walked right out. The laptop has already been scrapped by IT so they couldn’t trace the connection to confirm. But there was enough circumstantial evidence, along with hints that Timothy knew their identities when they met, that this was some desperate attempt to get into contact with Gotham’s nocturnal denizens.

He sure has what he wanted, now. Bruce looked into everything—him, his parents, their dealings, contacts, family friends, family history, his nannies, hired help. Janet and Jack Drake, with Drake Industries in a bit of hot water, started arranging discreet shipping services for certain families with points of contact in Gotham. Likely, something about that situation spooked the kid into asking for help in all the wrong ways.

Thing is—Aunt Vi’s collateral. There are a few things she’ll admit to hating with a passion: unnecessary collateral (with that, wastefulness), ungratefulness, and cockroaches dead or alive. What she’ll never admit to hating: Dick’s hair (he’s working on it, it just needs a little time), being caught off-guard, and needing to ask for help. Here, she’s their collateral, caught off-guard in the worst way, she needs their help, and this could have all been avoided if they took a direct approach earlier. Aunt Vi doesn’t do upset well, so she gets angry. And she doesn’t like getting angry, so it makes her angrier.

She doesn’t have an outlet right now. All she has had to do for two weeks was to sit with her anger and think. She’s really good at thinking hard, and even better at acting decisively when she’s done.

Oh jeez…last Bruce heard from Aunt Ros, the kid’s still alive. Dick prays it stays that way.

===

They pull into the valet parking lot of the restaurant given by the address. Both him and Jason give it a once over, make eye contact, and come to the same conclusion: it’s too nice of a place for Aunt Vi to lose her shit in. Homicide is looking less likely with each passing minute. As for Timothy’s mental state—jury’s still out on that one.

It takes a bit of name-dropping to get the maître d' to lead them to the private dining parlor where Aunt Vi and her victim are seated. The main dining room isn’t too busy at the moment and none of the patrons look perturbed. That means no yelling or hysterics thus far. When they reach the parlor and the maître d' smartly dismisses himself to get more waitstaff, Dick can finally see the situation. Jason sucks in a breath through his teeth.

“Early dismissal today?” Aunt Vi dabs the corners of her mouth with the serviette before facing them. Yikes—she has that smile on. “You two must be hungry, then. Come sit; keep Little Timothy company.”

Dick doesn’t know a single kid over the age of seven that would tolerate being called ‘Little’ the way Aunt Vi does. Contrary to that, Luke’s his age and bitches non-stop about Aunt Vi condescending him, yet he’s the first to ask “how high?” if she orders everyone to jump (he also takes everything she says as gospel, but that’s neither here nor there). In the same way, Timothy looks like a bug subjected to the sun under a magnifying glass, writhing and dying under her considering gaze. Not that he’s actually dying at the table—it’s just the terrified misery on his face, and the way he squirms without showing signs of wanting to bolt. It’s like he can’t bring himself to even think of fleeing.

Aunt Vi, on the other hand, is back to her regular polish and cool affect. Lipstick without a single smudge, hair pinned, business wear tailored to the millimeter. She looks untouchable and far from the wanness of just a few days ago. That smile, in particular, means nothing good for the recipient. It’s not a happy smile; in fact, it’s not a smile at all—the expression is the socially acceptable version of a predator baring their fangs before going for the throat.

Nonetheless, he and Jason immediately take their seats. It should seem like the two of them are flanking Timothy on Aunt Vi’s behalf, but it feels more like ‘her half of the table’ and ‘their half of the table.’ Dick catches her once-over of both him and Jason, the micro-expressions of judgment before flattening, and then she reaches over to baby Jason.

“You’ll like this,” she says like it’s a foregone conclusion, neatly cutting up a portion of the fish on her plate and placing it on Jason’s. “If not, there’s another dish that’ll sit well with you until dinner.”

“I’m not being starved,” Jason protests, but he immediately picks up his fork and eats what she puts on his plate.

“And you”—Dick freezes when she turns to him—”eat a fruit and get some sunlight. Did you find your true calling as a ninja turtle up in New York?” She says ‘New York’ with the typical Gothamite sneer that’s now noticeable after being back in town.

Her comment, however, makes his face immediately heat up out of his control. But he still tries to do what he came here for; if it wasn't for Bruce's literal cracked ribs, Dick wouldn't bother being 'delegated'. “Uh, Aunt Vi, B sent us to help you out?” The way his voice cracks at the end makes him want to wince.

Jason snickers and Dick kicks him from across the table.

“No need. It’s Little Timothy that needs your help, rather,” she says, turning her gaze onto the kid in question. He looks at them with the comically bug-eyed expression that combines the remnant of fear, incredulity, and quiet awe. “If you’ll tell them what you told me?” She gives him an expectant look.

Timothy rattles off on command. Thankfully, they’ve been looking into the Drakes recently, otherwise the deluge of information that spills out of him would be a mess to keep up with. Most of what he says has been covered by their investigation, some bits add more context, and it turns out the Drakes’ lives are in more danger than their outside perspective showed.

And damn, does this kid get around.

“Very good,” Aunt Vi stops him. “I’ll leave it in your capable hands,” she tells Dick—who feels himself automatically straightening his posture—and then looks down at her watch. “Lunch ran later than I wanted. Make sure Little Timothy gets home. He could do with more supervision.” She gets up from the table and pushes in her chair, grabbing her handbag from the console table by the parlor door. “Feel free to order more if you’re hungry, it’s on my tab. And Little Timothy”—the kid snaps up at the address—”remember to tell your parents.”

“Y-Yes, Ma’am!”

The three of them wait until the clacking of her heels disappear once far enough into the main dining space, and both Dick and Jason turn towards Timothy. He shrinks back at the sudden attention.

“I’m really sorry,” he blurts out, looking miserable and contrite. “Ms. Yang said I caused a lot of trouble that could have made things worse for me, and I really didn’t mean to—”

“—kid, it’s fine—”

“—I just needed help,” he ends his verbal vomit on that browbeaten note.

Dick and Jason give each other discreet looks.

“We know, we’re gonna help,” Jason says. “It’s taken a bit of time, but we have a plan, okay?” He then peruses the spread on their table. “We should get dessert.”

“I’m down,” Dick says with a shrug. “And then let’s get you home, Timothy?”

“…Tim,” he mumbles.

“Tim—pick whatever dessert you want, and I’ll take you home, alright?” Dick coaxes the kid. “Don’t want your parents to worry.”

Jason perks up. “Right…wait, what did Aunt Vi want with your parents?” He gives Dick a quick look. “Thought she just told us to ‘handle it.’”

The distress that was slowly ebbing away with Aunt Vi’s departure suddenly wells up again on Tim’s face. He looks completely beside himself.

“She, uh, some—something about an internship? At WanyeTech.” Tim doesn’t look like he knows enough details to explain. “Which is really cool, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know what—” he clams up again. It’s apparent he has no idea what to make of anything and looks to be giving himself a huge headache with trying to detangle his thoughts. “Aren’t I in a huge boatload of trouble? I already messed up with the laptop, what if I mess up on this internship?” His hands grab at his hair. “I don’t think I’m allowed to say no if I’m being offered an internship like that?”

“Sixth graders don’t get offered internships,” Dick says slowly. “And why do you even know about them?”

“My parents talk about them a lot,” Tim explains, tone still miserable and panicked. “And I know—so maybe I’m still in trouble and Ms. Yang is going to set me up to get in trouble because she already knows—”

Jason’s expression says it all: ‘Forget I asked.’

Dick agrees. Whatever Aunt Vi did to lecture poor Tim Drake—she now lives as a rent-free boogeyman in his mind. Come what may, that’s not his business anymore. As long as Tim’ll make it life and limb intact, that’s all Dick is able to handle.

===

end summary:

tldr vivienne points out exactly the shitload of trouble tim's hacking could have gotten him into, especially because he got caught. she's also dissecting his whole plan and ripping it (and his fragile preteen ego) to shreds the entire time.

bc tim actually is a smart freak and vivienne's been around enough of these smart freaks to know you can't ignore them, the 'internship' is more like summer camp + keeping tim out of trouble + her fixating on his thought processes and going "no. wrong. do better."

the hacking investigation does go away, was hairy for a bit

he ends up following her around like a little duck, coupled with the ducky and his last name, ros nicknames him 'duckie', he doesn't end up caping in this 'verse. runs comms and ops, tho

dick to luke fox: lol aunt vi's replaced you

dick, later: i did not mean to make a 17yo start beefing with an 11yo

[pendragonstar]

After like a year of saying I would work on a PhD proposal, getting serious about it 8 months ago, and asking my uncle to review it 4 months ago, I have my first (non-parental) review with a mentor in the morning!!!

Yeah maybe I won't get in or maybe I'll get in and not getting funding, but maybe I do get in and get funding at either of my top 2 schools

[alexistudies]

hello! I’m going around asking PhD students if they have any tips for calming nerves during presentations. I have to present a paper I wrote to a conference and I’ve never done anything like this, so I’m quite nervous. Any piece of advice would be greatly appreciated! thanks, hope you have a good day :)

hi! first, congratulations! that's so exciting, i'm so proud.

Don't drink caffeine on the day of/before your presentation. Although I loveee coffee, I don't drink any on presentation days because it makes me more anxious than usual (and i'm already anxious as hell as it is so...)

Say aloud to yourself "I am presenting on this because I know what I am talking about". Other affirmations are good too like "I am an articulate and confident speaker" or "My voice matters and the audience values my insights".

If you're worried about people asking you questions and that's what is making you nervous, remind yourself that you're not supposed to have it all figured out. Like, if someone asks you a question, and you're like .. wtf are they asking me, you can say "That's a great question, I'll have to get back to you on the specifics of that but at this time, I think [insert answer here]". Admitting that you don't know isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength!

If you can, call a loved one or best friend before your presentation to vent or bring you back to reality and get out of your own head.

Hopefully these tips help! Have fun with your presentation!!

[skwpr]

Here are 10 simple suggestions to recover from mental exhaustion.

1. Get a full night of sleep. Ever notice how things feel better after a good night’s sleep?! Nothing seems to recharge our brains, intellect, and emotions better than a full night’s sleep. A regular bedtime and wake up time can help to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. Everyone has an optimum amount of sleep. Try to get yours each night.

2. Build routines. Routines eliminate a lot of decision-making and stress. Pay your bills every Saturday afternoon. Have a morning routine from the moment your feet hit the floor until you’re out the front door. The more decisions you can eliminate, the more mental energy you’ll have for the things that really matter.

3. Mono-task: Study after study is showing that multi-tasking is simply inefficient. It takes time and energy to switch from one task to another. When you mono-task, you complete one thing and then move on to the next!

4. Give yourself regular breaks. Taking regular breaks results in getting more done. Even short breaks provide a mental and physical boost. A 15-minute break every 90 to 120 minutes seems to be best for most people. Experiment with different schedules.

5. Get some exercise. Exercise clears the mind. The exertion coupled with an activity that doesn’t require a lot of thought seems to have a magical effect on our mental reserves. Plus moving your body makes you feel better about yourself.

6. Eat wisely. Digesting food requires a lot of energy. Avoid hard-to-digest foods and heavily processed foods. In addition, foods that wreak havoc with your blood sugar should also be avoided. Food choices can significantly affect how you feel.

7. Let go of the things that don’t matter. If you have a limited amount of mental energy, it only makes sense to save it for the things that matter. Most things in life aren’t worth a lot of fuss. Save your attention for the big stuff.

8. Make a schedule before going to bed. When you start your day, it’s much easier and more productive if you already know what you should be doing. Before going to sleep, make a list of things to do the following day. When you wake up, you already know the plan for the day.

9. Delegate. Save yourself for the critical issues. Assign tasks to others. Let your son take out the trash and give your employees additional responsibilities.

10. Monitor your self-talk. It’s easy to wear ourselves out with negative thoughts. Keep your internal dialog positive and upbeat. This matters far more than most people realize. Conserve and build your mental energy in every way possible. You’ll feel and perform better in all facets of your life. Pick a few ideas and incorporate them into your life. Albert Einstein took it seriously, and many thought he had a productive life.

[justgivemethephd]

26.09.2024

Hello everyone! Oh my god, I am so excited. After a while of waiting for my project's ethics to be finalised I'm actually going to have access to the samples I need!!!! This is absolutely huge and I'm so relieved things are finally moving forward. To celebrate I made a lasagna for me and my boyfriend, and we enjoyed it with wine and good conversation when he came home from work.

I am looking after my parents' cat this week while they're on holiday, and here he is providing cuddles and ample moral support while I try to get through my FACS gating and data analysis. I haven't done it in a while so I was a little rusty, but I made it in the end! I have also accidentally stumbled upon a website that seems to be a free resource to learn Python, which I've been meaning to do for ages! I am quite busy with experiments this week but I plan on digging my teeth into this properly next week. It's always so exciting to learn a new skill! I'm looking forward to the challenge.

I also attended a small conference yesterday. At first I didn't want to go but to my surprise my friend was there and a lot of the speakers either had really interesting research to show or were just really inspirational people. While nothing was directly relevant to my own project, it's always good to get insights from others regarding how to design presentation and new ways of thinking about data.

Finally, I signed up to a bunch of workshops taking place over the next few months, both to refine current skills and learn completely new ones, and, while I am completely drained today, I am very hopeful about the next few months.

Keep your head up guys! Be patient with yourself and keep learning, it is the key to growth.

~~~~~

🎧 - Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 2: No.10, Scene. Moderato - Tchaikovsky

🎮 - Monster Hunter Rise

📖 - The Priory Of The Orange Tree (on GOD I have 100 pages left and it's such a good book I NEED SOME FREE TIME TO GET TO THE END!!)