Some questions are difficult to answer or even think through.  One of those questions is what has been my worst and best day in academia?

Where do I even start? Don’t get me wrong, I have not had so many challenges that I can’t count them, nor am I ungrateful. But, how do I choose the very worst, or the very best day out of many years as a student and many experiences both good and bad? Let us start with what was probably the worst day…

During my Masters, I can safely admit that I was a workaholic and maybe I will develop into one again. However, I am glad I had a break between that period and my PhD. I worked more than 15 or 16 hours a day and got a maximum of three hours of sleep. Some days were better than others, and between the hectic hours, I went to the gym for at least one hour. I worked from 8am to almost 3 am on good days 8. One of the quotes I often hear used is ‘It takes 21 days to make a habit’ – Unknown, so this working pattern became a habit even though it was excruciating.

I have narrated that I overworked myself. To be honest, I do not know why I did this, but maybe because of peer pressure from my other lab members. Anyway, one night around 3am I packed my backpack ready to go to my room in the residential areas.  In my unconscious state, I went on with my routine like I normally would, shut down my laptop, packed up my mouse, and put away everything else. As I closed the computer, I heard an unfamiliar sound, but I ignored it, I was very tired and just wanted to sleep.

The next morning, I felt as rested as I usually was and came back to campus with all my energy. As I opened my laptop, the first thing I noticed was that the cable of my headset was between my screen and laptop keyboard. Hmmm. I ignored that, and I switched on my laptop. Only to find, to the shock of my life, the compressed headsets had cracked my screen, I do not know where the pressure came from but it did. Mind you, I was broke, fixing a screen would have cost around R1500, I had deadlines, I had stress. I cried, I thought of solutions and I had anxiety. It was one of those stressful situations that I couldn’t even use work to escape from because the ink had spread all over the screen. Fortunately, in a week I fixed it, even though it was one of the longest weeks of my life.

It can only be a coincidence that one of my best days happened just a few months after the incident. As I said I had deadlines, one of those was the submission of my first review paper to a journal, which my supervisor had asked me to a few weeks before my laptop incident. After fixing my computer I did manage to submit it. Then one day, one random morning after all the submissions and editing I received an email that my paper has been accepted for publication. This was my first paper and because I sometimes can be emotional, I cried.

I had previously heard stories of how a paper can be rejected multiple times and get re-submitted, but mine was only rejected by one journal and then accepted. This was one of my highlights as a researcher and it gave me hope to strive for excellence and write more. But most importantly I learned to not let each day define me, either bad or good. The same computer which through my carelessness decided to crack is the same one that helped me write a paper that later even gained attention and won an international award. There is light at the end of the computer…

Mosaics have mesmerized people across the world with their vibrant colors and distinct style. This beautifully constructed colored craft, which dates back at least 4000 years, offers an eye-catching approach to art and adornment. Mosaics are artworks made up of tesserae (small pieces of glass, stone, or other nature-based materials). Designs can be simple or complex, and they can feature geometric patterns, animals, people, or simply be abstract. The tesserae will be formed by the artist, who will usually cut them into squares or use specific equipment to shape them. The tiles or fragments are then organized into patterns, portraits, and other decorative designs using an adhesive and grout. No fragment is considered invaluable; each one finds a way to contribute to the work of art.

My work-in-progress design (created via make-a-mosaic)

To have a successful and fulfilling career as an academic, I strive to perform, achieve, and/or succeed in scholastic activities that comprise what we think of as academic excellence. There are numerous days when staying focused and goal-oriented is quite easy. I have to admit though that there are some days when staying motivated proves harder. Personally, I like to think of these as “moments” rather than “days”. Looking back on these moments in my life, I can see how they have all contributed to the current artwork I have. Each moment, a mosaic piece of the design.

Let’s start with the base and basic  tesserae:

I’ve always known that I am interested in academics.  When I think back to my school days, I remember enjoying difficult tasks and research assignments.  Tertiary education opened up a whole new world to me, and opportunities to present in classrooms or subsequently, to host guest lecturers, quickly became distinguishing tesserae in my mosaic. Later on, I got the opportunity to interact with students and provide ad-hoc lectures, which was a dream come true. I absolutely love research, and the thrill of making a breakthrough or learning something new may keep me enthralled for a long time! And then, there are conferences; each one offers a unique viewpoint, so what’s not to like?

Then there are some tesserae that don’t quite fit; over time, a nipper or clipper is used to shape the tesserae for the artwork. I found the bureaucracy and general rules of the various systems and research institutions to be the most challenging.  Each has its own set of interrelationships, which can be complicated. Another challenge has been maintaining my academic and research voice. We are all aware of the research process, and it is a continuous process of editing and refining between selection committees, scientific committees, and publications who provide input and feedback. I recall having a lot of controversy on my PhD selection committee, and barely being able to sign my name after receiving feedback from publications.

But these were fleeting moments, fragments of a larger work of art. These little fragments appear negligible on their own. Someone may walk by and dump these small shards of material out of a tray of tesserae, not appreciating their potential. The artist, on the other hand, knows exactly where these small parts belong. These mosaic pieces, which may appear trivial to others, are what distinguish a masterpiece from a work of art. Working in different systems and finding my feet has also aided me in developing a community and inclusive culture that values, respects, and engages with individual differences, diversity of viewpoints, and diversity of cultures. Finding my voice has aided in the development of critical thinking, professionalism, and leadership abilities. And if somebody tells me I don’t have the ability to do something, well just watch  me, you’ll be amazed at the results! Each mosaic piece contributed to the creation of my own work of art – my goal of academic excellence.

I’ve also learned about the importance of adhesives and grout, which will be used to ensure the tesserae adhere to the base material and fill in the gaps for added strength and longevity. For me, this has been an excellent mentorship. I’ve been fortunate enough to find a mentor who has helped me by guiding me, advising me, opening my mind, encouraging me when things don’t go my way, and reminding me to keep on track with my goals. My artwork has gained strength courtesy of a terrific mentor, encouraging colleagues, and being in right place in my career.

My craft is not yet finished, it is a work in progress. 

But I adore how each step of my academic journey can be included into the overall design, and I can’t wait to see the final product. Have you ever reflected on the events that shaped your academic career? Perhaps you’d want to use this fantastic online tool to illustrate these moments? Who knows, maybe you’ll start your own mosaic project 😊.

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