a moment of calm
After working 12 hour days in the library for most of the last 3 weeks I have finished a CHAPTER! Hurrah. (This probably doesn't mean much except to other PhD students, but I'm pleased). It's on Jonson's use of Horatian and Juvenalian satire, coming in at around 15,000 words. Haven't had feed-back on it yet (that's this afternoon) but even if he thinks it's dreadful he can't be too irritated because this is pretty early to have written a chapter. I have also cunningly been reading my supervisor's major book, so when I say something really truly stupid I can follow it up quickly with 'By the way, I really liked your chapter on Homer' (which I did, perfectly true). I'm sure even successful academics aren't entirely immune to a spot of flattery!
I've been working this hard partly in flight from the personal-life melt-down before Christmas, but this technique has been suprisingly effective and I actually feel fine. In fact, beginning to think that perhaps I'm a bit callous and cold-hearted.
First Sanskrit class of the new term was yesterday - always cheering - and I'm supervising properly for the first time this term, which I'm also looking forward to. Especially as it's all texts I know really well, so I can concentrate on the teaching rather than worrying about the content. But if any Cambridge undergraduates reading this have any tips on the best/worst things for a supervisor to do, I'd be interested to hear.
I've been working this hard partly in flight from the personal-life melt-down before Christmas, but this technique has been suprisingly effective and I actually feel fine. In fact, beginning to think that perhaps I'm a bit callous and cold-hearted.
First Sanskrit class of the new term was yesterday - always cheering - and I'm supervising properly for the first time this term, which I'm also looking forward to. Especially as it's all texts I know really well, so I can concentrate on the teaching rather than worrying about the content. But if any Cambridge undergraduates reading this have any tips on the best/worst things for a supervisor to do, I'd be interested to hear.