Gradblr - Tumblr Posts
hello!
after years away from this site, i have returned to tumblr with a fresh account. i'm excited to begin this blog and start connecting with people who share some common interests :) please feel free to message me, especially if you're interested in/ post about any of the tagged topics.
9.15.23
This week was a fucking grind. Today was lovely though! I had eggs featuring fresh basil from my garden for breakfast, found some time to walk around campus, and wrapped up a lot of work in time for the weekend.
9.20.2023
Autumn is for cozy study sessions :) Might have a late night ahead of me with chem and an engineering exam tomorrow, but the vibes are good and the apple cake was delicious.
[what i'm listening to tonight]
9.21.2023
Up too early. That being said I can't complain about watching the sunrise and cracking open the window to some of the first cool, fall air we've gotten here. I have the first exam for my environmental engineering class later today, a chem problem set due tonight, and then some SOPs I need to write for my advisor by tomorrow. As long as I can squeeze a nap in somewhere, I'll be happy.
first year of my phd and im thinking about potential directions for a post-doc. that's the devil talking
9.28.2023
I don't know that I will ever enjoy 5:00 am study sessions, but I do love the cozy, focused solitude. This morning I was preparing for a chemistry exam, which--thankfully, and to my surprise--went very well. The rest of the day was much less stressful, and I managed to handle a few lab tasks, start on some problem sets, and go for a run. I'm currently reading Steppenwolf (albeit at a glacial pace) and enjoying it quite a lot--Hesse is one of my favorite authors. I hope you all end the week on a high note and enjoy the weekend :)
10.10.2023
Lots of this lately. Been recovering from a bit of a sick spell, so I've been working when I can and sleeping when I have to. Grateful for Goose's company while I work and read :)
walking into the lab on mondays with the cortisol level of someone being hunted for sport
10.22.2023
Last week was truly hellish with the GRFP deadline and two exams on Thursday. Thankfully, I have been able to take this weekend at a much slower pace. It is finally cooling down somewhat, so I went for a walk and read by the pool for a while yesterday. Today I went to a cafe to work on a chem pset. The coffee and brie plate were so good, but chem still made me sad tbh. Excited to chill for the rest of this lovely Sunday.
11.5.2023
Time passes so differently on the weekends. I feel like Friday was just moments ago, but here I am gearing up for another week. On Friday some friends and I went to a monthly art festival held downtown, which was a lovely way to recharge and discover a new dimension of this city (one that I've been looking for, at that). I spent much of today in the lab, which isn't my favorite, but it was surprisingly peaceful. For dinner I made stuffed acorn squash and roasted the seeds :) This was my first time making them, but I now have a new autumn staple.
11.8.2023
Goose and I are on the same page tonight. But lucky for him, he doesn't have to take a chem exam tomorrow. I am trying to summon some motivation, but tbh I'm so ready for the semester to be over.
11.26.2023
For Thanksgiving, I went home to the Midwest to see my family. I'll admit I do miss the dry, sunny warmth of Arizona, even after a short time away, but opt-in seasons might be ideal. I spent as much time as I could drinking in the cool fall air, the rain and colors, and then the contrasting coziness of the fireplace. I'm a bit anxious to go back, but it's only three weeks until I come home again for Christmas and New Year's. Classes are pretty much done now, but that means ramping up lab work and functioning more independently in general. I refuse to wish away time, but I suspect I'll be relieved when I'm no longer a first year and hopefully feel more settled-in and capable.
1.25.2024
Hello friends :) The new semester is underway, and off to a good start so far. For classes, I'm taking Biotransformations, Soil and Groundwater Remediation, Carbon Storage, and the environmental engineering seminar. I've also been in the lab a lot more, and am almost ready to begin my first major experiments here. It's nice to feel like I am settling into my program and new city; both have been bringing me a lot of happiness lately. Wishing everyone a fulfilling 2024!
1.28.2024
This weekend was sooo beautiful. I was not thrilled about spending most of today studying, but fortunately I was able to recharge yesterday by hiking and chilling by the pool. The grind of the semester is definitely beginning, so I'm trying to make time for + savor rest and engaging with my passions.
2.8.2024
The past few weeks have been absolutely insane; although stressful due to long hours in the lab and balancing a million things, I can't recall a time I've learned more in such a short period. There is of course still SO much I don't know within my field, but it's satisfying to feel myself becoming more knowledgeable by the day.
Towards the end of last semester, I spent some time reflecting on how my first year was going and considering how to really develop as a researcher. The gap between a first and second year PhD student is huge, in my opinion--since I switched fields from undergrad, it's probably even more true in my case. I did learn a lot last semester, but I was still settling into a new environment and program. There is a lot to get adjusted to in this lab; it's huge, a bit chaotic, and used by multiple groups.
I am finally feeling more confident and independent, so I think this is the time to really grind in order to be where I want to be going into my second year. In addition to ramping up lab work, I've been trying to read way more. For each article I read, I also make a slide in an ongoing PowerPoint that summarizes key findings and any notes or questions I have. This isn't so much an organizational method (I use Zotero for that) as it is a way to follow interesting threads in current research and develop a habit of active reading.
If anyone has a reading practice that really works for them I'd love to hear about it :)
2.13.2024
It has been such a long week already and it's only Tuesday morning. I'm still finishing some prep work for my upcoming experiment (verifying analytical methods, scaling up my cultures) but it should be in full-swing soon. Unfortunately I've run into some delays outside of my control, as it has been difficult to obtain a few supplies I need. On one hand, that's just science. On the other, I am most likely attending a conference in June and this experiment will take three months minimum. There's plenty to do in the meantime though, between working with my new mentee (!!), finishing calibrations, and trying to keep up with classes.
2.26.2024
Well, it's a new week. "Spring break" is around the corner, although my whole lab group will still be working more or less as usual. I'm looking forward to a break from classes though, and my friend will be visiting for a few days! I did my best to recharge over the weekend by reading and spending time outside. Today was a pretty brutal way to get back in the swing of things though, I was in the lab until 8:30 trying to figure out why my microbial cultures suddenly stopped metabolizing a contaminant. I transferred inoculum to fresh media and added more vitamins... now we pray.
Reading: Evolution's Eye by Susan Oyama
it's soo much harder to rise and grind when you know the grind is going to arrive at your doorstep any minute like the grim reaper
intro post!
hello! welcome to cybercity-sunrise. I post lots of art, science and sustainability content, updates about my grad school experience, poetry, and social justice resources. i'm hoping to meet people with shared interests and would love to connect with other grad students.
about me: my name is avery; i'm 24 and currently based in the southwest USA. i am a first-year phd student in environmental engineering, with research focused on bioremediation. in undergrad, i studied plant biosciences and philosophy, both of which fueled my interest in building a world where everyone can enjoy a clean, healthy environment.
aside from school, i love being outside, reading (esp by huxley, butler, leguin, burroughs, and nietzsche), raving, drawing, gardening, and hanging out with my cat.
frequent tags:
#sunrise-says: any original posts with text
#grad-school-journey: original posts + some reblogs that just resonate with my experience
#art: all kinds of art!
#thoughts: quotes, literature, philosophy, interesting little snippets
#free-palestine: resources and updates regarding the ongoing genocide
#sustainability: news, resources, and ideas related to sustainability
#solarpunk: aesthetic and political solarpunk content
#nature: photography, art, and information regarding the natural world
Feel free to shoot me a message if you want to talk further about anything posted here or just want to say hi!
[background credit: luc schuiten avatar credit: mirjam siim]
Happy finals week to all who celebrate