Posted on by Lonwabo Makapela

What I love about Winter

Well, the first semester is done and dusted. Though much of it is a blur, the temperatures are now beginning to drop, colours fading, trees becoming bare, the air crisp, and nature is hitting a pause on growth; I thought to do the same, and upon a bit of reflecting, I realise that I have had a disproportionate amount of Winter over the last 12 months. Having left for the U.S. in August and returning to South Africa in May means that I left just as Winter ended, lived in the U.S. all through the Winter, only to return to South Africa as Winter started again. Something about that seems poetic, so shall I compare thee to Winter?

First, many of my blog posts on the PhD/research journey have been quite sombre. And though I acknowledge the winter blues and all its stressful and anxiety-enhancing oddities, I have decided to dig a little deeper today and explore the magnificence of the little light we see in Winter. So, what exactly is it that I love about Winter? Let’s get to it.

Travelling

Once winter break hits, most of us travel home, and if not, we travel somewhere with family and friends. Similarly, one of the best perks of being a researcher is the opportunity to travel. If not to collect your data, you are attending conferences, and workshops, taking up visiting research positions all around the globe. What’s even better is that research trips are often funded in a way that allows travel costs to be taken care of. Travelling brings many benefits, such as exploring different cultures, alleviating stress and anxiety, drawing inspiration, and creating unforgettable memories.

Eating steamy stews

Conceptualising your research ideas resembles the making of an excellent steamy stew in the sense that when making a heavy bottom stew, you add your many ingredients to the hot oil, the cuts of meat are tough and need a significant length of time to break down – it takes time to develop great flavour; therefore, the heat must be slow and gradual, never fully reaching boiling point, and occasionally removing the soup from the heat. This process may be long-drawn-out, but nothing warms us up like a steamy stew on a wintery evening; it fills your heart with warmth and is soothing to the chill of Winter. So, give yourself time to do your thing, but be sure to get cosy and enjoy the result!

Layering all your favourite clothes into one outfit

It’s hardly possible to predict Winter forecasts at times. It could be rainy on one day, freezing the next and warmer than average temperatures the next. This sometimes makes dressing for the weather difficult. However, reminiscent of choosing suitable theories to support your research, selecting the appropriate inner layers for your outfit is essential. The delicate and fun nature of layering means you must be sure to layer the clothes both fashionably and functionally. You can experiment and play with garments in your closet and allow your creativity to shine through. So, give yourself the leeway to experiment with various colours, patterns, and textures for infinite possibilities.

Days off!

With research, life can often become a go go go, as we get wrapped up in the stresses. But this can take a toll on your brain, body, and spirit. Without a doubt, we are all wrestling with this realisation and having to decide whether it would be wise to take a break. This reminds me of the extreme weather conditions this time of the year, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where driving conditions are less than ideal due to heavy snowfall, which leads to a closure of the mountain Pass. These extreme weather conditions forcefully assign a day off to many. Therefore, feel free to take a break on those rainy, snowy days and whenever needed. Sometimes, cosying up to a hot beverage, snacks, and Netflix is just what you need.

Planning your spring

There naturally comes a time, usually towards the beginning of July when I start daydreaming about spring and the new semester. Granted, as a PhD student I don’t have an explicit winter break, but due to habit and emptiness of campus around this time, I feel prompted to take some time off and start planning for the new semester – looking forward to the newness and bloom of spring gives my spirit a boost. Having something to look forward to, can make the world’s difference, so start making those warm-weather plans now!

Ultimately, the winter season brings forth colder months and shorter days. And although the best part of nature is going to sleep due to frost in the air and the low temperatures, the colours of the dying leaves are magnificent.

‘If winter has the courage to turn into spring, who says I can’t bloom just the same’ Sian Wilmot.

Posted on by ijeomaopara

A Mirror or a Conduit?

When asking myself the advice I would give to my younger self, a question pops up: 

Are we mirroring our circumstances or conduits to taking charge of who we are?

Being a young person in 2023 has some unique challenges and opportunities. If we get down to the nitty-gritty of it, being young regardless of what day and age you’re in has come with its own troubles. For one, since the dawn of humanity, old people tend to get a bit huffy about the activities of young people. Greek philosopher Aristotle summed up his sentiments on the youth as the following:

“Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning — all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything — they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else.”

This quote might as well be from this year! At the behest of most people, even though we were all young ourselves at one point if we forget how much we still had to learn about the world, we tend to place the burden of conforming on younger people. When in fact, it is not young people’s responsibility to deal with the current state of things, but to have their solutions orientated towards the future, the problems that we cannot foresee at this moment. From movies, science and beyond there is always a fascination with the concept of time-traveling; what would it be like to share what we already know from the future? What would try to warn our younger selves about? What would we equip them with? I saw a hilarious tweet on my timeline once that said they’d offer a glass of Fanta Orange to a caveman just because they can. For me, I have realised that despite the role of mentors, teachers, parents, guardians, and advisers (although they have tremendous influence), experience is the one thing that teaches you lessons you can never forget. When I think about my own research and the areas of interest I have in my freelance writing, it always tends to gravitate towards things I know my younger self would have wanted to know. So here are two things I do that help me effectively learn from experiences not only as a person but as a postgraduate student.

Two Tips for Reflection

  1. Journaling.

You can either use prompt questions like the ones below or use freewriting (writing without worrying about grammar or structuring your words) to just get your thoughts on paper. Even though it’s more writing on top of your academic writing, freewriting and journaling allow for a creative way of staying on top of your studies while developing a healthy coping mechanism at the same time.

  1. Follow up consistently.

When you’re in university for the first time, or feel intimidated by the institution, knowing the structures that are there to help you makes a massive difference. If you get a lower mark than expected on an assignment, it does not hurt to follow up with your lecturer and see where you could improve. Not feeling ashamed from previous mistakes and accepting continuous feedback as part of the journey allows you to improve as a student over time. Additionally, asking questions in your tutorials and lectures may feel embarrassing, but you always be better off for having asked than remaining silent. When students can communicate where they are struggling and what they need help with, it counts in your favour and allows you to stand out.

In some ways, the youth already know they are conduits for radically rethinking existing global crises that have reached their breaking point. But the pressure to solve everything at once does not fall solely on one set of shoulders. By incorporating at least one or both practices of reflection mentioned above, we do not have to feel overwhelmed with trying to exceed unrealistic expectations. Rather, we can do our best to be conduits to change by simply just trying to be better than the day before.