Month: August 2016

So you thought this thesis was over? Nope. There is the last part, the defense. I only get an email to have this once I have passed for certain. When this happens then I get an appointment to defend my work.

So is this mini ordeal over? nope, the public defense has just begun.

How do I feel about this? Am I stressed? As of now? No. I just want to defend it and be over with it, the sooner the better. I want to focus on the other things in my life that have taken the side burner now. I want to be able to move forwards with my life, to the weddings, to the rest of my life.

I feel resolutely finished with it. I want to defend my work, because I think it’s good and bring it on, but then I want it to be done. I need to know this so I can feel completed, resolved.

I have dealt with some impatient people in my life, including myself. As for as my own impatience I’ve been trying to take a moment to breath and relax. However, for dealing with other’s impatience, it’s a whole different beast. So what do I do about it?

1. Accept that it’s not you. Someone’s impatience deals with themselves. That’s not to say walk the slowest possible or be distracted. There are things you can influence, your own behavior. So if you think you’re doing everything you can to reduce impatience, then move on and don’t take it personally.
2. Decide you can either be patient and deal with it, or leave. There aren’t any more options to this. If someone is consistently impatient, this is the decision it comes down to. Do they have other qualities that make up for this? Is it a chronic problem, like everyday or does it happen rarely? This is a factor, because it becomes a real problem when it is a consistent issue, not just a blue moon. Is it because of stress, hunger? What are the factors?

So now what? Some things are just part of life. These are one of them. We will get stressed, lose our patience, get angry and take it out on the one’s we love. But all we can really focus on is our own behavior and feelings

I have been feeling like the content on this blog has been suffering. I have been feeling uninspired and unmotivated. Stress has resulted in having to write some quick blog posts and I haven’t had time to reflect on anything. It’s been living day to day. But now that I am finished with my thesis, I hope to have better and more inspired blog posts. First and foremost, I need to get on top and ahead of these posts. I don’t like pushing out posts at the last minute I enjoy having time to think about them. So today I am going to push out a series of posts I have been thinking of to ensure better posts in the future! I hope….

• There needs to be mid semester check ins or assessments. It is not a sound tactic to learn for the test. Memory retention won’t be as good and it’s also a good time to figure out how a person grades. With practice you get better and it’s the same with most skills.
• This approach that students are just numbers is not helpful for the students. There is a lack of information that is accessible in a way that people can readily get it. There is also a lack of people that will help or mentors.
• Don’t employ teachers who don’t want to teach or who have no skill doing so. Employ professors who are good teachers and who have a passion to teach students (not just listen to themselves talk).
• Don’t make trips mandatory. They become hostage situations.
• Do not advertise a program as being completely in English when the administrative tasks are not in English.
• There needs to be better support systems for new students, forums for communicating.
• More information sessions for during the program and what to do after the program.
• An attempt at getting people together or connected should be made.
• Have classes that are exclusively for the major and not other students. who do not take the classes seriously.
• One examination should not be the only marker of success or how much someone has learned.

The system I was in before was not perfect, and this one is far from as well. But I think they should attempt to learn from each other and incorporate elements that have worked and be wary of those that have not.

I have handed it in! It was pretty anti climactic and I didn’t feel as relieved as I thought I would be. For me, the main stress comes after I’ve handed it in and await my grade. Also now a lot of other work begins, wedding stuff and book blog work. But today I get a break day! I hope you do something fun with your hand in the thesis day!

I also printed it Friday and haven’t looked at it since. Any types or what not wouldn’t change, so I’ve felt more or less done with it for the whole weekend. So maybe that’s a reason why. Also I slept pretty awfully last night and felt a bit ill in the morning because of that. So that’s it!

I love:

• Pfifferlinge mushrooms. They are yellow and just so yummy!
• Apfelschorle. A combination of mineral water, which tastes different than seltzer, and apple juice
• Holunder. I love holunder with all the drinks
• Austernpilze. My mushroom obsession has really come into full swing while I’ve been here
• Fresh produce from the grocery stores

All of these happen to be food. Food is life.

Things I don’t love:

• Lack of free water for drinking
• Small refrigerators
• Library system

My weekend was so scenic. We drove south from here to Kühtai, Austria, then to the Timmelsjoch, and ended in Merano, Italy. The next morning we drove on the side of a beautiful river, then up to a wonderful restaurant for lunch at Gachenblick, Pillerhöhe, Austria, then up the Hahntennjoch. It was fantastic for scenery

(Timmelsjoch)

(Rechensee)

(Hahntenjoch)

I also realized the stress of traveling with a large group and having to coordinate them. It was aggravating to be around people who were not motivated or on schedule. Additionally people had different mindsets and priorities. My priorities always involve sleep and food. Also when one organizes a trip, it can be hard for them to juggle their partner and the group/order. I also had a small coughing fit and that was uncomfortable.

Overall I really enjoyed the break from work and it helped refresh me for the coming week!

I think I’ve finally made up my mind about not pursuing a phd when I graduate. I had in my gut this knowledge, but some events leading up till now proved me right.

I don’t really have it in me to just read and critique other’s work for academia. I don’t relish the idea of going to school for those years now and I don’t really want to be a professor in the capacity it is now.

Maybe in the future when I am more established and at peace, then I will think again about it. But for now, I am content that it won’t be my path. I want to begin thinking about careers and focusing on that work. While I enjoy school and classes, it’s not enough to motivate that.

This decision doesn’t really make things better, since the future is still so uncertain and up in the air, but the deadline for when I needed to start thinking about it is approaching. Soon the thesis will be over and I can fully focus on wedding stuff and the future.

This week I have been focused on all my little thesis edits: making sure transitions are tight, summaries are provided, polishing my introductions and conclusions.I handed it to my last reader yesterday, by far the most critical, so I should have the edits I need! At this point, I don’t really care anymore. I just want it to be over. My goal is to have it printed next Thursday and then to hand it in Friday. Having that goal, instead of the 22nd, puts me in a better mindset.

Other than that, I’ve been reading other people’s work, which has been helpful for my own.

Tomorrow I embark on a two day driving road trip for the fiancee’s bday. So I’ll bring some books and look forward to some relaxation without my computer and thesis.

 

1. Comparing yourself to people and being envious
2. Keeping score in a relationship
3. Quickly placing blame
4. Critiquing one’s appearance

Things to Start Doing

1. Let other’s light in, it doesn’t diminish your own
2. Focus on the positives, the good moments
3. Move on from the bad and the negative
4. Say I forgive you more often
5. Love every part of you and fuel the fire of self-love