So soft -and comfy- chenille sweater, styled two ways. Wearing a sz XL for an extra oversized fit. Amazon find. Itβs normally over $30 but has been on sale for as low as $20.
_____________________________________
Happy New Year!
I haven’t posted in a while because I was focused on getting over the next hurdle in my program. At the end of fall term ’22, I (thankfully and proudly) reached the dissertation prospectus stage.
More updates to come soon. Thanks for checking in on me!
Itβs Thursday. Week 2 of fall term at Univ. of Oregon is coming to an end. β
β
It has been a bit of a culture shock to be in person with thousands of humans after being on Zoom for a full year. But, itβs also exciting and Iβm extremely grateful to be learning and teaching. β
ββββββββββ
β
My leopard vneck tee is a great staple, year round. Link in bio (bio is in my profile, under my photo β someone told me not everyone knows where your bio is ).β
Who: Me! I went to San Diego alone for a very quick 48-hour business trip.
What: I was attending my first literary academic conference, PAMLA. The meeting location changes annually.
I spent one evening walking around taking these beautiful photos of the bay! All photos were taken with an iPhone 11, and edited by me using preset filters and Lightroom.
Excuse the one blurry selfie; these three are the only pics of me that I have from that weekend.
Where: On the bay in San Diego, California. I think I stayed at a Comfort Inn (hotels were extra pricey that weekend!); it wasn’t worth photos.
This white and black striped tee from Amazon comes in a bunch of colors and is $17. I am 5 “4 and wearing a size small.Β It is snug in the bust (I am currently 38 DD) and shoulders, so I probably should have sized up.
~
I hope you have enjoyed seeing my Amazon fashion basics back in rotation, because I have more to come. ?? Wonder why I’m always posting items from Amazon? I find that my Amazon clothing holds up very well, is affordable, convenient, versatile and stylish. From a business perspective, it also sells well* and people seem to enjoy it! *I receive a small commission if you use any of my links to make a purchase.
~
PhD Program Update
It is the end of Week 6 in the second term of my first year as a PhD student. Being a student and GE (Graduate Employee) takes up the majority of my time by far, so I want to keep you informed about how it’s going. I don’t ever want to give the impression that PhD life is not all-consuming!
~
Each term is ten weeks, so these days, I approach and organize my life into weekly increments.
Time is passing quickly, and as expected, the program is intense and rigorous. It is both mentally exhilarating and exhausting. Yet, I continue to feel beyond blessed to have the opportunity to embark on what I believe is my life calling (in a fully-funded program at a major university!). I am grateful to have a system of support that includes my family and community in the English department.
~
What I’ve enjoyed the most so far:
Without a doubt, the best part about being a PhD student is that my course of study is entirely up to me! At this point in my academic journey, I have completed all of the required courses (with the exception of the foreign language requirement). So, everything I take is my choice and geared towards my personal scholarly goals.
~
If you are a geek about anything, imagine being able to take two years of classes in what you are most passionate about. It’s nerd heaven!
~
My research interests include*:
(Primary) –> 20th Century (Post WWII) African-American Literature
(Secondary) –> Afrofuturism, Medical Humanities, Critical Race Theory, and Memoir/Autobiography.
*If you want to know more about any of these terms, do a quick google search.
~
What I’ve found most difficult:
Balancing my business as a social media influencer (and meeting brand deadlines) with my academic and employee workload at UO (and more deadlines) has been challenging. That’s putting it very mildly. I’ve made progress and improvements this term. My goal is to feel confident about my ability to successfully and efficiently manage both without tremendous stress. I am approaching it as an ongoing process of making changes and improvements to my organizational strategies, time-management and coping mechanisms.
~
I am deeply invested in both my business and scholarly pursuits. If I can help it, I don’t want to have to choose between one or the other. Not to mention trying to find time to do leisure activities and family time! That conversation is for another day.
~
French is the second most challenging aspect of my life as a PhD student at the University of Oregon, but I don’t have the energy or desire to talk more about that right now.Β For now, let’s just say I’m surviving it lol. C’est comme Γ§a!
~
I have many many things that need to get done today and tomorrow, so I am going to get to it. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day Weekend!
HLJ
xoxo
P.S. Questions about PhD life? Leave them in the comment section or send me a DM on Instagram.
So soft -and comfy- chenille sweater, styled two ways. Wearing a sz XL for an extra oversized fit. Amazon find. Itβs normally over $30 but has been on sale for as low as $20.
β 
My leopard vneck tee is a great staple, year round. Link in bio (bio is in my profile, under my photo β someone told me not everyone knows where your bio is 
).β 
