All posts filed under: Graduate School

Yes, you can teach this girl new tricks.

Published by Layla

NB: This pic was taken a year ago. I haven’t been to the UP Diliman campus since the Enhanced Community Quarantine was announced in March. So yeah, I miss my university. While I’m enrolled right now, attending classes on Zoom is a different ballgame. I know this feature picture is totally irrelevant to the current blog topic, but this university has given me a new lease on life, and it has given my confidence back. I do acknowledge that that newly regained confidence is only a small piece of the puzzle, having managed to survive graduate school–and to do well in the first semester–and it is all due to hard work. But I would like to say it’s because I  was also willing to try something new. And this is what this blog post is about. I have friends who asked me how was I able to survive my first semester of graduate school, it was all down to five things: a goal to work towards, discipline, determination, working smart, and yes, a willingness to …

The Life-Changing Magic of Having Everything You Need On Your Desk

Published by Layla

I usually prepare my room for a life change every year (well, almost every year). Going back to school, or just plain needing a change, my room’s layout gets revamped. And while I acknowledge that it is very labour intensive and er, dusty, the results are totally worth the muscle pain and allergic rhinitis. Tidying up also involves my desk, and I make sure I have everything I need within reach, so it’ll save me time trying to fumble with drawers and looking for things. Let me take you for a mini-desk tour, where I’ll show you all what’s on my desk. I’ve had this desk since I was in high school. My father bought it from a Japanese surplus store, and it was such a wonderful surprise since he bought us our very own study tables whilst my sister, brother and I was away at camp! However, I’m considering getting a new one as I need something larger that can also make room for a printer. For now, though, I can make do. The corkboard I bought, …

Preparing for a new semester.

Published by Layla

Well, hello there! And hello, August! We’re having a pretty late start where the first semester is concerned, but with the world being pretty much upside down at the moment, it’s understandable. I’ve gotten word that enrollment will start mid-August. And that’s just mighty fine with me. I’m pretty excited yet apprehensive. I don’t know how online learning is going to pan out. I guess we shall wait and see. Because I couldn’t go out of the house to do school supplies shopping because of a second semi-lockdown, I’ve resorted to ordering them online. And it’s really strange, being used to going to the mall to do it personally, as I am particular about what I want. There are a million things I want to say about how things are going on here in the Philippines and what’s being done to combat the pandemic. But I’d rather keep my mouth shut because I don’t want a subpoena. Let’s put it succinctly: Things are crazy over here, and crazy is an understatement. For now, here’s a …

The Revision Diaries 1: The original and its comments

Published by Layla

Hola amigos and amigas! Over a month ago, I submitted my research proposal. The proposal was about the introduction of more flexible working arrangements in the Philippine government sector. As someone working in the government sector, I have realised that the flexi-time being offered in most government offices doesn’t cut it anymore. Traffic, most especially in Manila has become increasingly horrendous, making millions of workers arrive late to their respective workplaces. I have received my professor’s comments, and to my relief, they were mostly asking for clarifications. For a month, I’ve had nightmares about receiving scathing comments in each part of the proposal. My fears have proved unfounded, but I still have a lot of work cut out for me! While looking for added research material, I realised that I could write about my adventures and misadventures about writing my research proposal. I’ve had a lot of bloopers while drafting the original, and I am pretty sure that the hilarity won’t be ending anytime soon. 🙂 Hence, this new category: The Revision Diaries. I really can’t …

A year on: Graduate school, impostor syndrome, and all that jazz.

Published by Layla

This time last year, I was on the phone at work, asking for the entrance exam results for graduate school admissions. At first, I thought I heard it wrong, I had to ask the admissions staff to repeat the exam result to me, and I was told, “See you at the orientation.” That felt unreal. It still felt like it. Now, here I am, in my second semester of graduate school, trying to comply with requirements despite a pandemic, sitting in front of my desk bleary-eyed, trying to think of an objective for a certain topic for a research proposal.

I’m depressed, employed, and I go to grad school: How I (try to) make it work

Published by Layla

NB: This blog post waited for a long time to be written. I wanted to see how well I would do in my first semester of graduate school. Admittedly, I expected to fail. But through hard work and loads of perseverance, and with loads of familial support, I did better than I expected. This entry is inspired by a Girlboss article I read over two years ago; it has helped me become a productive employee and student.  I have decided to put my own spin with regard to the aforementioned article, and at the same time, I would still like to integrate it to the things I have learned from it. I also suggest that the reader take the time to read the original article first before reading this one. More than three years ago, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. It was, in some odd way, a relief that I had that closure; for a long time since I was a teenager (and probably as far as my childhood), I knew that there was …

A few of my favourite apps to help me study

Published by Layla

Here I am, making an effort to be a little more active in this blog. 🙂 I’m back after preparing and slogging through midterms, and speaking of midterms–a lot of revising and swotting went on for the past two weeks. My birthday came and went without much notice, except a trip to this paper convention I’ve planned to go to since it was announced around March or April. Anyway, I’ve veered away from the subject matter! These apps have helped my study experience easier. From Dropbox to good ol’ Microsoft Word, I’m going to share it! 🙂

Life update number 2: A month into grad school, and a few important takeaways

Published by Layla

  Hi! Here I am, writing this post whilst sick. No worries, I’m feeling slightly better, but not yet in perfect working condition. So, I have taken the time to write this little update. And tonight, whilst writing this entry, I realised that it’s been a month since I started graduate school. To use a cliche–time really does fly. And with that realisation, there are other things I have learned, too.

A little life update + current favourites

Published by Layla

Hola! Hope you are all doing well. Here I am, a few weeks into graduate school. And to be honest, I felt a bit lost. But here’s the tea–graduate school is a different ballgame from law school. For years, I’ve gotten used to having insults hurled by professors whenever they do not like my answer, or whenever I gave a wrong one. While the professor seemed dissatisfied, he didn’t say anything more and asked the same question to a classmate.

Lost in UP: An adventure story

Published by Layla

I have always come to the University of the Philippines to get my additional readings photocopied/springbound, because the print/bind shops there do it so well. There are only two places I know like the back of my hand: the Shopping Centre and the college I [now] belong to. The Shopping Centre burnt down last year, so that’s one less place I remember. Anyway, I digress. It was a grey July day that I went to the university’s campus on a mission. My to-do list: Drop a letter at the Institute of Environmental Science (an errand for my boss)-done -Submit physical and dental exam forms and x-ray film at the Health Services-done Submit medical certificate to SOLAIR-done