Readjusting to Academic Life

As the fourth week of the semester comes to a close for me, I'm taking solace in the fact that my transition back to academic life is getting easier. It's been a slow process in many ways -- juggling many commitments, learning to say "no" to wonderful opportunities, and being ok when you turn work in that isn't quite up to snuff. What has been particularly challenging this go round is getting a system down for reading and organizing articles. Managing large amounts of data and articles can be cumbersome if you don't have an effective and efficient organizing mechanism. This is where EndNote and Skim have come to my rescue. Skim is a program by Mac that lets you alter (e.g., highlight, make notes) PDFs, while EndNote is a program that stores all of your references and documents. It also has a nifty feature called "Cite While You Write," which inserts in-text references for you and automatically creates a reference page at the end. It's a lifesaver and a lifeblood of a Ph.D. student, I've found.

My transition back into academe has been one that has been tremendously eased by a supportive partner first and foremost. Erica has been nothing short of tremendous in being my greatest support. She's been very encouraging It also doesn't hurt that she is in the field of higher education for academic support!

The transition has also been easier given the supportive academic and professional community here. I'm fortunate to have great colleagues who have been incredibly welcoming and supportive.

The first major papers are over now, and I feel like I'm in the groove. Thanks for checking in here, and I'll write more soon!