Lock-Down Part 2

“Just 10 more minutes…” becomes 30 minutes, one hour, two hours…by the time I wake up feeling completely guilty, it’s time to open the computer and get ready to spend the rest of the day looking at that screen containing various word documents, PDF files, and small squares of people. Working from home has its … [Read more…]

My Pandemic Experience and Kind Reminders

Greetings from Grenfell my fellow colleagues! Since I last wrote, it was the beginning of the fall semester and online learning came into full swing. Personally, I was excited to start studies online. I imagined all the free time I would have for writing, research, and just for myself because I wouldn’t have to commute! … [Read more…]

Approaching the final stretch

Life is full of mysteries and surprises. One day you are feeling down and the next you visualize all kinds of opportunities knocking at your door. When I listen to other students with great confidence and fluent speech, I can only wish to be like them, and struggle thinking that it will take me years … [Read more…]

Proactive, not reactive, inclusivity

Graduate studies and academia throughout Canada, and around the world, have been emphasizing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) work more lately. This is indisputable progress, even if the progress is not as quick or comprehensive as some of us might like. More frank discussions of the additional challenges faced by racialized, disabled, or other marginalized … [Read more…]

Fake it until you make it

“Wow, you’re really confident.” People tell me I act with confidence but that never feels true. I don’t feel confident, but somehow I look confident from the outside. Inside, I grapple with imposter syndrome and a lot of social anxiety. Once upon a time, I decided to take the meaning of a common phrase associated … [Read more…]

Times don’t change, your circumstances do!

When I first came to Canada, there was a lot of excitement and curiosity. There was so much I wanted to do, so much to discover, and so many expectations to fulfill. Little did I know that I’d be graduating in the middle of a worldwide pandemic! Heck, even today as I write this piece, … [Read more…]

R: The Ultimate Frenemy

(My puppy is helping me with my R code. He definitely makes the process less arduous). Frenemy: “A person who is or pretends to be a friend but who is also in some ways an enemy or rival.” (Merriam-Webster.com) When I was in high school, many of my friends were talented computer programmers. They went … [Read more…]

So… What are you doing after?

This is a common phrase in those romantic movies, when the handsome guy, super interested in the beautiful woman, wants to buy her dinner after work. “So… What are you doing after?” Well, I think we can agree that real life is way more complex, and I have been hearing this expression in a totally … [Read more…]

Happy Holidays!

The School of Graduate Studies wishes everyone a safe and Happy Holidays! The graduate students’ blog will resume in January 2021.

My Journey to St John’s

Hello all! Thanks for allowing me to share my experience with you. I will tell you my story, maybe you will feel somehow identified. I always wanted to pursue a graduate degree. As a kid I preferred to go looking for new evidence in nature instead of playing during school recess. I dreamed of joining … [Read more…]