Fresh start tomorrow

It seems as though a lot of academic bloggers start new blogs after they get their PhDs. I’m not going to do that, since I’ve only been here for six months. But I do feel different, not like I’m a different person or anything, but I feel a bit more comfortable about being at Postdoc U, now that I’m officially Dr. Alice. There is also an ambivalence about it, though. I am not certain I’m ready for the responsibility that comes with being a Postdoc, and setting my own schedule. I’m afraid I will be lazy and waste this time. I don’t want to let myself do that. I suppose the lack of outside structure is not that different from writing my dissertation.

A friend suggested trying out a 9-5 schedule. I suspect that is a little too much for me. I’d love to go in early, but I doubt I can stay on campus until 5pm and be productive the whole time. At least, not in my office for so long. Maybe I can spend afternoons at cafes or in the library for a change of scene. Tomorrow I’ll be up early and begin working in my new office. Yay! I’ve decided to get myself some plants to cheer up my office. There are big windows, so I can find some that will sit on the window sill.

I’m trying to be a super-woman this week because I have a trip coming up on Friday, for ten days, I’ll be out of town and on vacation. I intend to enjoy it and not tote my work pressures along with me. I might read work related stuff while I am gone, I might even feel like working for an hour or so here and there, but there will be no pressure. I deserve a break. This means I have to get a couple of big things out of the way this week. Hopefully I can get a draft of an article to my mentor before I leave, and work on a job application schedule, and get application materials ready for one that is due soon after I get back.

The article draft is about half way there, so a solid four days work should get it far enough to at least show my mentor what I am working on, even if it isn’t feedback worthy yet. I think the theory is a bit weak right now and the lit review section needs beefing up. Let’s see how it goes this week.