#morganestudies

[a-study-in-letters]

𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝟙/𝟛𝟘 𝕠𝕗 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕥𝕪

Is it me? Is it really me? Yes it is. I can’t believe it myself. But thanks to Headspace soundscapes, scented candles and very rainy weather it suddenly seems possible to work. Also slight change of perspective: I took my desk into the bedroom (after spending a whole semester with the same view, thanks to covid). Almost two weeks left until uni starts. Reading Le Monde until then, learning some French vocabulary and getting used to Notion while snacking on Christmas biscuits. It’s getting better, slowly but steadily.

[legitstudies]

Hey, everyone! How are you all doing?

Today I decided to hop in on the 100 Days of Productivity challenge, as a way to counter this feeling of being overwhelmed and perfectionist-induced state of procrastination. I've fallen behind on my deadlines and I've skipped out on the work I've set for myself.

Enough is enough.

As we begin this new week and say goodbye to the past, I am now deciding to take matters into my own hands--my missed deadlines, my unopened readings, my horrendous essays, and my past failures. No more escaping, no more running away. Yes, the task at hand is daunting and the journey forward is arduous; but I've chosen this path years ago knowing I can make it until the end and this vision I will ensure to materialize.

Tough love and declarations aside, I'm planning on posting my progress every now and then, using Flip (an app) as my witness for my work. I encourage everyone to hop in on the train! Join me in this journey and let us prove to ourselves that yes, we can be productive and capable of doing what matters.

My overarching goal of the journey is to stay on top of my academics, which will become my top priority. To break that down further, I want to be able to read the assigned readings ahead of time, to pass my papers at least 2 hours before the deadline, and to do something productive for 4 hours everyday.

See you all soon!

[a-study-in-letters]

23/03/21 - Flashback to when spring first showed its face this year. Reading in the park after finals (feat. my pup) and discovering a new favourite author right before diving into essays and a million of daily e-mails.

[a-study-in-letters]

22/03/21 - Going back to posting regularly and no matter the circumstances. Still feeling caught in this crisis, but reading saves lives at the moment. Working on two big essays involving gender studies, gray early mornings, swapping coffee for tea and waiting for spring to come.

[a-study-in-letters]

𝟽/𝟹𝟶 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢

Notes notes notes. I couldn’t live without my notebooks; I tried typing up thoughts and lecture notes, but it’s just not the same (and I quickly forget almost everything). I treated myself to some new Moleskines this semester, just because the whole world feels slightly out of hand these days, and now they accompany me on a daily basis. Currently working on ancient metallurgy and literary theory while it’s raining.

[a-study-in-letters]

05/07/21 ; -4 days This is kind of an emergency comeback so there's no time for pretty pictures. Decided to take the oral examen on Friday despite feeling I'm not good enough after my professor told me I should just go for it. Days until the end of exam season: 8. Days until the end of the semester: 11. Cleaned my desk and made some herbal tea while enjoying the rainy weather. Now listening to game soundtracks (Witcher III, anyone?), promising myself to post every day in order to track my progress and stay calm . Today I will:

start revising French

draw up an overview for basically everything

exercise speaking with a (scared) fellow student

use forest A LOT

drink my 2,5 liters of water

do some soft yoga after my first vaccination on thursday

[a-study-in-letters]

×/𝟹𝟶 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢

Okay, so I lost count – again. But I’ve been productive every single day, I promise! (I don’t know what would happen if I’d let anything slide, really. The workload would pile up, eventually fall down and bury me for sure.) But I can count myself so lucky to have a home like that; I spent my Sunday on our terrace, enjoying the sun, working through some theories on literary fiction (Currie vs. Searle, anyone?) and I also tidied my desk. Can’t say I’m ready for the new week, but what choice do I got?

[a-study-in-letters]

𝟷/𝟹𝟶 𝙳𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢

Had my very first online lecture today and I must say I’m rather impressed! My prof handled things so well that I actually feel motivated for the first time in weeks. I got up at 6, had some black coffee and wrote some morning pages before I realised that his lecture on literary theory was already available. After cleaning my desk and starting fresh notebooks for my two subjects – literature and pre- and protohistoric archeology – I can finally get back to work. What a time to be alive!;

[a-study-in-letters]

Dear future self,

for the very first time in 28 years, you went out today and trusted yourself. You even listened to your mother. The outcome? The most amazing oral exam with the most amazing result. You can be proud of yourself. Next time? Just do it. Trust yourself right from the beginning. Tu fais ce que tu peux; ça suffit.

[a-study-in-letters]

01/100 – 06/03/20

The grades are in, the semester is almost over, and here we are, working on the final paper. I can’t wait to get back to the library.

[a-study-in-letters]

Got up early today – 5:20 a.m. – without even intending to. Took my pup for a short walk and looked up at the sky with burning eyes; it was turning all yellow and pink, lining the grey clouds. It smelled like rain and summer all at once. Suddenly, I felt very alive. I smiled. I remembered that I am a part of it all. I went back home, made some coffee – black – and captured some thoughts of the last few days and weeks in my diary. I didn't even know I needed any of this, but I obviously did. You have to look closely at the world in order to participate in it.

[a-study-in-letters]

𝟷/𝟹𝟶 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢

Is it me? Really me? Indeed it is. For the thrilling finish of this awful semester I welcome a new friend to the family – a daily calendar from Leuchtturm, although I’m such a Moleskine girl. May we all try something new in 2021. Also returning to the DOP challenge in order to survive the chaos that is digital finals amidst a global pandemic. Help and motivation always welcome. 17 days to go. Listening to: Funeral – Phoebe Bridgers

[a-study-in-letters]

02/100 – 11/03/20

Okay, so let’s simply forget that I vanished for a few days. I’ve been productive nonetheless; there’s a soft drizzle outside my window, the sky is gray, still spring’s just around the corner. I’m working away on my final paper and I’d be lying if I said that it’s not at least a little fun (Grimms’ fairytales and Gender Studies, what more could you possibly ask for?).

Also I’m waiting for my new Lush products to arrive (finally) and tomorrow there’s going to be a huge book haul. Life’s good ☁️

[a-study-in-letters]

𝟹/𝟹𝟶 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢

So the semester kicked in and already showed its full force – I started with Latin, theories on literary fiction and a lot of work via Microsoft Teams. The weeks up until July won’t be easy and I most definitely need more coffee.

[a-study-in-letters]

220819; Waking up early to hazy sunshine pouring in through the old windows; forgetting about work and university and all the things I need to do, at least for a while. Drinking cold black coffee and browsing through the pages of my book about the history of mankind. Breathing in. Being thankful for a new day and its countless possibilities. 

[a-study-in-letters]

Could someone please tell me that it’s okay to take breaks?