Happy holidays too all. And Happy 4th birthday Laners! :D
A lot has happened over these past few months.
I moved to a new town, which is close to the coast. And even better, it is within walking distance to the stores and doctors office. That has been nice.
I started a different PhD project, which has been 100x better. I have been able to dissect again, which always makes my day, and am receiving positive feedback from my supervisor and co-workers. I got told I am an excellent dissector. :D That was good...didn't hurt either that in the same sentence I was told I was one of the best new PhD students there. (Sorry to brag, but after last year...these comments are amazing!) :) Work wise, I do struggle with the math, which is no surprise, but I think I make up for it in my dissecting skills. I have started writing my thesis...up to 100 pages so far. I have a presentation in January which I have submitted the proposal and power point for already.
I struggled with the animals. I have dissected plenty of animals throughout my undergraduate degree and didn't think living ones would be an issue. But the fact that they move made it weird...scary?! I do better with dead things. I know, I know, I am weird... but someone has to do it! :) But I overcame and actually prefer that area of my PhD compared to the math. But then again, anything is better than math.
I have met some amazing people in the lab. They invite me to lunch, movies, and are always willing to help. When I had to go to A&E for 2 days, they stepped in. They checked on my cells, they checked on me, and are just all around good people. We had our Christmas dinner the other night, which even though the food was not that good, the company was. I got to know some of the other students better, which was nice. I got a deck of cards in my Christmas cracker, so while we waited on the main course, 4 of us struggled to remember the rules to Go Fish, even though I do not think we played it quite right, but we got there in the end and it was fun.
University accommodation, like always has been a living nightmare. This school thought it would be a good idea to put 2 undergraduates, a PhD student, and a Post doc student, in a flat above undergraduate guys who like to drink and party till 5 am. Because you know, that makes sense! One girl couldn't handle the noise and drives 2 hours to go home every night, poor thing. Another only stays 2-3 days, another is lucky she can block it out, and I...I am moving out. I have found a room to rent in some ladies house. Hopefully temporarily. But the room alone is double the size of what I have here, and it looks like it will be in a quiet neighborhood.
I wish I had a more exciting update of things I have done or seen... but I don't. The PhD has officially consumed my life to the point where I am lucky to leave the lab before 7pm most nights and I consider myself lucky if I don't have to go in during the weekend. But, I enjoy it. It is stressful at times, especially the math part, but with the help of the other students I think I can say I am doing really well. I have only officially been at this new project since the end of September and already have 7 experiments done (4 which are having to be repeated), submitted my January presentation papers, and written 20,000+ words for my thesis draft. I never would have pictured myself in this subject area, but it is truly fascinating. (I wish I had paid more attention to my undergraduate lectures on this topic). :)
Other than that there isn't much to say.
With all that has happened this year, the good and the bad, I am so glad 2016 is almost over., and I know I am not the only one. :)
I hope 2017 is better for everyone.
Happy holidays to all. Happy new year! And safe travels to all those traveling to see family and friends.
Love and miss you all.
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