I am really sorry that I have been silent for so long. But nothing much has happened or changed in my life. Except that my frustration is growing. I applied for several jobs in and around the university just so that I could be closer to the library and wouldn’t have to travel around the world anymore to get from my job to my studying. But obviously there is no such luck. I expected to be declined for the teaching job I have mentioned in my last blog and so I did. As I expected it, I wasn’t too disappointed. But I applied for several other jobs and was not even invited for an interview. Most of them did not require specific experience or only experience I had acquired, so I did not really understand the ’sorry there were several other applicants who matched our criteria better’ bit of the letters I got in return. I start to feel that it is my being a non-native speaking foreigner that influences my employability and if this should really be the case I’d find it incredibly sad.
On the other hand, my social life is not improving either. This is mostly due to my lack of time, the distance I live from Glasgow and studying part-time. I would love to get involved in esharp, but as I could work up to 5.30 each day of the week (and the rotas change every week) I would be likely to miss most of the meetings. I thought of getting involved in the SRC but then again the same problem would arise, I would most likely not make it to the meetings, which would be rather pointless as attendance is a requirement. But for me undfortunately work has to come first (well really studying has) as I am still self-funded, so I do not ask for a day off unless it is for a conference or something of equal importance. Then I had the chance to finally meet people at the postgraduate reception of the English Literature department, but a migraine confined me to my bed instead of the research club. The next day the e-mentors had a get together at the same venue but I had to work. This all adds up to growing frustrations. Especially as I start to suspect that I might not finish my PhD project in the time frame I have set for it. Achieving this aim would probably have made it worthwhile cutting out all other aspects of my life. But as it is frustrations are growing.
The only good thing that happened during the last couple of weeks is a Personal Development Planning workshop I attended, during which I realized that I have a fairly good idea of where I am and where I want to be in two years time and thereafter. This cheered me up a little, as well as the fact that due to paying for my studies myself, I seem a lot more motivated than most of my fellow students.
So it is not all bad. And I am looking very much forward to Christmas, and pre-Christmas baking. This will cheer me up some more, and as I don’t intend to give up that easily, you will have to bear with me for quite another while!
I hope everybody else is enjoying the new term and the beautifully remodelled Hetherington Research Club. I think they’ve done a really great job and I hope that I will spend more time there than I did last year.
October 29, 2008
So now the summer is officially over (not hat we had much of a summer here) and everybody is back and busy again. For me this doesn’t mean too much of a change as I have been here and busy all summer. But now the campus is frighteningly full of young faces again which makes me painfully aware of how old I am getting and also miss the quiet and peaceful campus.
Apart from that my first year was officially over the day before yesterday. So I took out the folder in which I had outlined the first three years of my studies, about a year ago. And to be honest, I am nowhere near where I wanted to be. Of course, I designed this outline when I was still studying full-time. So maybe I should not be too hard on me. On the other hand I am still trying to finish this PhD in as short a time as possible.
Also I was invited for a job interview for a very interesting tutoring programme. It was not really an interview but rather an assessment centre. So there were 6 of us trying to solve various tasks in small groups, presenting the result and each of us had to present something we had prepared for the purpose. I thought it was not going to badly, until the two persons who were interviewing (in lack of a better word) us mentioned that they had at least 4 more groups to deal with before they could make a decision. So they had 30 or more people to pick from. This was when I realized that I would not get a new job too soon, and one that would look great on my CV into the bargain. But well, I’ve got a job, so this is not the end of the world.
As to my present job: I was really mad at my manager last week as she cu my hours to 15. That just did not make me feel appreciated. As long as she was short-staffed we were working our butts off and doing 30+ hours to help her out, and then she hires so much new staff that we all only get minimum hours (16) and me even less than that. So I sent out some more applications but I have not heard anything, yet. And by now my hours have gone up to 19, which is not too bad.
I had this weekend of as well, which felt really great, as I didn’t have a full weekend of in ages! All in all I think I should focus more on my studies, but I am not doing too badly. I also had another paper accepted for a big international conference in January next year. So there you go, life’s still good. And I am looking forward to a very productive new year.
Oh and here a bit of funny news: I have started my Christmas (yes, it’s just around the corner!) knitting now and I have already completed a pair of socks and a hat.
To all of you: enjoy the new year! And to all who are new to Uni, make the most of your very first year here!!!
October 5, 2008
