It took me a long time to figure out what a critical reflexive was. When I began my doctoral studies in creative writing, I had (wrongly) interpreted the critical reflexive as an essay, therefore my original attempts after year one were very incorrect. I thought I was supposed to create some kind of academic analysis […]

Yesterday, I had a post take-off on Threads when I said that my PhD is on the liminal qualities of the Canadian highway. I had asked if anyone had taken videos of any highway drives, that I would love to see them. Then, 144 comment later, I found myself with a treasure trove of highway […]

There is a date booked in the calendar. My viva, also known as my PhD defence, is scheduled for January 19, 2026 which is an auspicious date for me because it’s also my grandma’s birthday. Prior to submitting my thesis, I had enrolled in the Viva Survivor course offered by the university which outlined what […]

A few weeks ago, I went to an event in Calgary at the Grand Theatre hosted by a group called Build Canada. I can’t remember how I came across the event details, but since leaving my full-time government role, and submitting my PhD thesis, I have a bit more flexibility in my schedule these days […]

In one single day, my brain would tell me that a) I couldn’t spare fifteen minutes to shower and b) I was further ahead than I thought. Then, hours later, my brain would convince me that they only way I could edit my novel was using a series of binders, and in fact I needed […]

Over the past few years, the University of Edinburgh has been spending like drunken pirates on new buildings, land acquisitions, and facilities like the Edinburgh Future’s Institute and the refurbishment of Teviot Row House. The EFI is a billion-pound investment, and Teviot is under-going construction to increase accessibility and become a nicer wedding venue. But […]

There is a question I get all the time. Every year, for the past four years, someone has asked me some version of this mystifying question. “But what will you do when you finish your PhD?” “So obviously you’re going to teach at the university when you finish?” “Tell me, have you got a plan […]

A few weeks ago marked the official “beginning of the end” of my PhD as I formally filed my NITS, better known as the Notice of Intention to Submit. If I were to describe the feeling of clicking on that “submit” button, it felt like pulling the pin from a (metaphorical) grenade, but then still […]

It’s a packed house on a drizzly Monday night at the Monkey Barrel– an infamous comedy cavern in Edinburgh–where Daniel Sloss, the semi-famous viral Scottish comic known for his rants on sexual assault, is trying out his new material. The comedy shop is an underground labyrinth of stifling hot rooms located just above the seedy […]

A few weeks ago, I lead a workshop for doctoral students across Scotland and whew – it’s so hard to do things when I’m feeling scared. Even though I’ve taught undergrads and master’s students before — and this was only a one day workshop — the evening before still had me feeling jittery. I had […]