So I feel as though now is a good time in the year/my life to give an update on how things are going. There’s been a lot of good and a lot of meh over the last few months, and I think it’s worth writing it all down. Here I’ll talk a bit about my Master’s Degree, my fieldwork in Cambodia, my mental state, my next year, and PhD plans.
Where I am in my Master’s Degree: MSc in Archaeological Information Systems, England
It’s currently term 3, the final term for my degree in England. Classes are finished and we are fully in dissertation mode. I finished all of my coursework with a first (Above a 70 average/ equivalent to an A in the US), with scores of 68, 69, 75, and 78. The general consensus of international students in this program is that the grading system seems to be unproductive and could be greatly improved. This is mostly due to the fact that the grade you receive for a module is entirely based on a single 3500-word essay, and all other coursework conducted throughout the term is not worth anything. There’s a lot more I can say about this if anyone is interested.
I will be writing my dissertation on an archaeological region in Cambodia called Sambor Prei Kuk. This research will involve a lidar analysis of the hydraulic network of the region. There has not been much remote sensing analysis conducted in this area yet, so there is a lot of potential for this research to expand. I’m personally not too worried about the word count for this dissertation (~20,000words/ ~80 pages), however, the climate for writing it has been generally stressful especially in its early stages.
Fieldwork in Cambodia
In late March/Early April I spent 3 weeks in Cambodia to co-direct a field survey of Sambor Prei Kuk. The first two weeks consisted of pretty tiring and hot days. We would wake up around 7am daily for breakfast and then head into the field around 8am. Around noon-2pm we would end the field day due to heat. Most days involved driving to the remote site locations via truck on bumpy roads, walking through forested areas being swarmed by red ants that bite, and being covered in sweat and grime. They also involved locating previously unrecorded temple sites, interacting with the local people and their culture, and creating some great networking relationships.
During this period I received word that I had been chosen to complete a 10-month long research Fulbright in Cambodia starting in September 2019. This was incredible news and helped to establish what I would be doing for the following year. This news, however, also brought with it realizations that I would not be able to go home for another year, would have to end a relationship with my current partner, and would have to start over again in terms of friendships and finding comfort in a country where I don’t speak the language.
PhD Programs
While writing my dissertation over the next couple months, I will also be contacting PhD advisors and applying to programs. I’ve decided that I will be returning to the US for my PhD. This will be another 7+ years of school after a year of research in Cambodia. I’ve already accepted the fact that I am willingly selling my soul to academia for the rest of my life. Fingers are crossed for my top 3 schools, which have so far been successful in establishing positive communication about the programs. If I don’t get into my top, I will likely take a year off to regroup and re-apply for the following year.
Mental State
Mentally, I feel like I consistently have a pretty heavy blanket of stress on me at all times.
In my personal life, it’s been difficult not seeing my family for so long in addition to not really knowing when I’ll be able to see them in the future. Dating has also been difficult because I know that I will never be in one place longer than a year at a time, so establishing healthy relationships has been a struggle. My friends here in England are incredible and I’m grateful for them every day, and their presence has eased a lot of the mental strain that is inherent with academia.
In my academic life, I feel like there is never an opportunity to take a break and breathe, and it doesn’t look like there will be a break any time soon. I recognize that I’m very privileged and lucky to be in this position, and I know that looking back on it years from now will be a positive experience.
I’ve recently been told that the more success you acquire, the more sacrifices you have to make. I’ve definitely been feeling the effect of this in the last few weeks.
Conclusion
On paper, my life is pretty great and opportunities for success are plentiful at the moment. I have the opportunity to study in England, do research in Cambodia, and get to continue research in a field that I love. Mentally, however, I’m quite tired.
Caring for people with Psychosis and Schizophrenia - Futurelearn Course
Cannabis & Psychosis
The greatest group of cannabis consumers are described as being between 16 - 24 years of age. The people who seem to carry the greatest risk of developing psychosis are the people who use a high potency type of cannabis daily. However, it would be wrong to assume that all cannabis users develop psychosis, and there is some evidence suggesting that there are some genetic variants linked to the dopamine system that increase an individual’s susceptibility to the psychogenic effect of cannabis. The THC present in the cannabis is the ingredient that has been identified as responsible for the psychotic symptoms, both acutely and long term, but CBD is able to reduce the THC effect on psychosis.
Usually we think of people having a fairly even profile of skills, however this is different for autistic people. Most people on the spectrum have something known as a spikey profile, and this means we can’t look at an autistic person’s general skill level to predict what their other skills are like.
Although, spikey profiles aren’t usually recognized by people such as support workers. For example, autistic people with verbal communication are incorrectly assumed to be capable in areas which they struggle in, and those with less verbal skills are often incorrectly assumed to be lacking in skills and potential.
In some cases, the spike can be extreme, and some may have an exceptional ability, or a ‘savant’ skill.
Hey guys! I don’t know if anybody is actually seeing my posts, which is really frustrating :/ however, if you haven’t seen, I have uploaded a new study with me, and I would really appreciate it if you could check it out!!
I’m again stuck in lockdown, this time in a foreign country. I try to stay productive, even though right now my whole world is my dorm (and a couple of flatmates left). My classes are over, because I already took my finals, so I try to fill my days with language studying (french, mostly) and occasional adult things (like cooking, doing laundry etc).
