RL vs PhD: 5 reasons why academia is better than the ‘real world’
As a PhD student with a mortgage, perhaps you could say that I’m crossing the age divide. I also find myself in the interesting predicament of requiring extra-university employment to top-up my meager stipend and fund my living arrangements. For me, that comes in the form of a weekend retail job at…
The source of adulthood
When I was a child, adulthood was a far-off, unattainable state of being that I never in a million years thought I would achieve. Of course, far less than a million years passed by my tiny little brain before I was forced to call myself an adult: physically, if not…
Tourist Guilt: Give Ha Long Bay some alone time
In 2012, Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay became one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. A UNESCO world heritage site and a prime tourist destination, the bay boasts over 1600 tiny islands and limestone pillars within a 40,000+ hectare region of calm seawaters. A trip to Vietnam will undoubtedly lead…
Just Don’t Do it!
Whether you’re struggling to get off your backside and into the gym, or are just wanting to increase your productivity at work, Nike knows what to do. ‘Just do it!’ It’s so easy to spend your life thinking about what you want to do, rather than doing it. Why do…
PhD students paying a mortgage
People often ask me how we could afford to buy a house on two PhD scholarships. If they don’t ask, you can see them wanting to. Perhaps you’re a PhD student considering buying a house? Here is a short summary of how it works for me: 1. The deposit is the…
The Sun’s out to 2013
There’s no more denying it: 2013 has well and truly begun. From now on, any missed days at uni are no longer acceptable. I’ve returned from my Christmas break, taken another spontaneous mid-January holiday, and returned ungraciously to my desk. Perhaps now is the perfect time to get into the right mindset…
Derren Brown’s ‘Apocalypse’: a hypnotic reality
Have you ever wished you could live through an end-of-world apocalyptic catastrophe? Where fireballs rain down on the earth, and zombies infest every remaining square kilometre of the remaining barren world? In some strange and bizarre way, I can’t help but be a tiny bit jealous of the unknowing star…
Resizing images for your Facebook header
Here’s a simple explanation for how to resize images without losing image quality. We will use the example of resizing an image for use as a Facebook header image, and will use simple Microsoft Windows software to achieve this. A few things before you start. Choose the correct image for…
How to achieve New Years’ ‘Super’ Resolutions
It’s that time of year again. Santa has made a list and checked it twice, gifts have been made to order, and distributed. Now it’s time for the rest of us to make our own lists. What do we want to change about ourselves in the coming year that for some…
Christmas Baby Boomers
Maybe it’s the time of year of something, but everyone seems to be telling me that they’re pregnant (or their wives/partners are pregnant). “Merry Christmas!! Oh by the way, I’m going to have a baby!” Next in line, please! What happens in September to allow this 3-month ‘big reveal’ around…