#it also feels like asking my favorite professor to be my thesis supervisor was a mistake too | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kxowledge · 3 months

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Hi, I have a question on your PhD interviews. I've applied to 2 PhDs in Norway and should hear back this month, so I was wondering how the interviews were structured and how long they were? Also how many people were present for each? Thanks and congrats again on getting the position!!

ooh where did you apply? if you don't mind sharing, feel free to send me a private message - I know some people at a couple of other unis and perhaps I can give you more specific info. thank you so much my dear!! I’ll describe below how it was for me, but it might change uni from uni.

The whole process happens at the department level. The first interview was online with the PhD program coordinator (who does the recruiting for all of the department) and my potential supervisor. My proposal was very much tailored towards this one professor and her expertise, but if there is more than one person who would be interested in supervising you, you’d have both participating in the interviews. Fit with the current professors’ expertise is one of the things they explicitly state as extremely important. I found the interview very relaxed – after a brief introduction from them, I talked about myself (the usual storyline of why you’re applying to a PhD). The rest of the questions were about previous experiences doing research, specifically about my bachelor thesis and my ongoing master thesis (but no questions on previous work experience, even though I have been a RA twice and a TA once; though I had rec letters from the people I worked with in those occasions and they may have spoken to them beforehand). Then, the rest of the questions were related to my research proposal (why is this important, more on the research setting I suggested) and which methodologies I’m familiar with. I was expecting way harder questions - I didn’t even get asked why this university specifically and I wish I had shoehorned that in my first answer tbh. Overall, it felt very chill. However! Getting the interview is the most important step! They only interviewed 15 out of around 300 applicants.

It’s actually possible that they will extend an offer already, without a second interview. The latter is more of a step for those that they need to be more sure about for whatever reason, but usually because they want to see that you understand well your intended methodology. The second interview for me consisted of two parts. For the first part, you’re asked to present a paper that they sent two to three days beforehand. This is (likely) something you haven’t seen before but that is (1) relevant to your proposal and (2) in your intended methodology. These are the two points that they really want to see in the interview, based on the feedback they’ve given me and what I know of my friends’ interviews. You’re given 20 minutes to present i.e. walk through how research was conducted, what the findings are, etc. You’re allowed (and expected) to have a PPT. I put a lot of emphasis on those two points during the presentation and I had two extra slides covering how it was relevant to my proposal, which I pulled up when I got asked about it. After your presentation there are 40 minutes of questions, which are on the paper, the methodology, your research, anything really (I got asked about supervising master students’ thesis). It can, however, last longer than 40 minutes. There are going to be 3 to 4 people in the room: your potential supervisor(s), someone expert in the specific methodology, and someone from admin/HR. They care about making the process fair and having different people involved to avoid favoritism, so there will always be at least 3 people in the room (even if, like in my case, my potential supervisor and the expert in the methodology coincide). The questions are very in-depth, so how difficult the interview will feel depends on how comfortable you are with the paper and the methodology. After this, you’re not done yet! For part two, you have three hours to answer to three questions in written form. These are written by your potential supervisor so they really can be anything, but they will be usually related to the paper and your research. There was some overlap with the questions after the presentation for me.

After all of this ordeal, it is not yet done. If they like you, you’ll get “nominated” (i.e. the email I’ve gotten), but this is not yet an offer! There is yet another committee who will decide who will get in and how many positions to fund. Specifically, the candidates are ranked beforehand and you can either have a “secure” spot or more of a “backup” spot. All of this is not transparent I know this from a friend-of-a-friend, but basically it can still happen that even if you got nominated, you don’t get the position. In some cases, the supervisor might help you find other sources of funding (e.g. an “industry” PhD), but that depends on the supervisor’s connections.

I will also say this: as I am not Norwegian, I found several things about the interview process fairly rude. I know the department and the people I’ll be working with and they’re all brilliant & everyone involved in the process has been very friendly when we actually met, but: they were in my opinion rude when it came to “scheduling” the interviews (i.e. you get told: the interview is at this time, hope it suits you); they’ve gotten my name wrong twice (… not my supervisor thankfully); they told me I would hear by the end of the week or at most by Wed the week after and then didn’t write me for a whole other week (whyyyy); they have also ghosted me once again after the email about the nomination when I asked a question. I would be a bit put off by this if I didn’t know the atmosphere that’s there already.

#replies #hope this helps though i don't know how much of it will apply to you

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chaandknight · 5 years

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Professor, please | Roger Taylor | Part 1

Summary: Apparently fucking on campus is off limits, until it isn’t. 4k words

A/N: Healthy relationships are my jam, cheating is gross. Roger in glasses is super super hot, I had no choice but to write it. Also safe sex is good sex, wrap it before you tap it (Unless you’re going for a baby of course!!). Already planned a part 2, possibly 3 if it gets out of hand. The biggest thank you to my marvel pal, @frcddiesmercury for being my beta and inspiration for this fic. Tag list is here (add yourselves). Stay tuned for part 2!

Tags: Smut, blink and you’ll miss it fluff, tiniest bit of angst because I’m a whore for angst, +18 content.

“You realise you're actually meant to be observing my first year classes and not staring at me the whole time?” Roger said, tidying up his papers. You couldn’t help the laugh that escaped you, echoing in the empty lecture theatre. You picked up your bag and notebook, getting out of your seat and making your way down the lecture theatre to where he stood.

“I know, but staring at you is much more fun” you teased, shoving your notebook into your bag. He laughed at that, picking up his lecture notes and keys.

“And is being dressed like that also fun?” he asked, brow raised. To be fair, this was different from your usual university attire. You had decided to wear a short skirt and tight blouse on purpose today. Judging by the way his eyes went up and down your body it was clearly the right choice. You just gave him a shrug, picking up the textbook he had forgotten on the table. He lead you out of the theatre, turning off the lights and locking the door. You took that time to admire him from up close.

The suit he wore to lectures was always well fitted and tailor made. It fit his body like a glove, highlighting the lean muscle underneath. His hair, always pushed back in an attempt to make it seem professional. In another life he could have been a rock star. No, in another universe he was a rock star. He'd be a singer you decided. Or maybe a drummer. You could never make your mind up.

“Don't you have a class now?” He asked, giving you a slightly annoyed look when you followed him to to his office.

“I do,” you started, waiting for his disapproving face before you could continue. “But, it's not mandatory. Besides I've changed some things in my thesis. I need you to look over it again. ”

He let out a huff, opening the door to his office, holding it open for you. Always the gentleman, you stepped through, smiling gratefully. His office was one you had familiarized yourself with, the long antique sofa sitting against the window, his heavy desk - always covered in papers, the bookshelves behind him, carrying more nick nacks than actual books. It was an almost homely atmosphere you felt. Maybe it was just because you spent so much time in here with him. You didn’t hesitate in making yourself at home, dumping your bag on a chair and shrugging off your jacket.

“You have a supervisor already. You know I could get my ass handed to me if someone finds out I'm showing favoritism?” you rolled your eyes. He was always on about that. Apparently if he read over your notes it was favouritism. You weren't even in any of his classes.

“What about asking me to observe your classes and give feedback? Doesn't that count as favouritism as well, professor?” You almost purred, mocking his voice.

“That's different,” he argued weakly, sitting on his chair. You shrugged, digging through your bag and pulling out the folder with all your notes. You walked around his table, standing right next to his chair and dropping the heavy folder on the desk. That caught him by surprise, you held back a smile. Leaning down so you were level with him. You liked getting all up in his personal space, seeing his blue eyes up close and watching him meet your gaze.

“It's not, and you know it. Besides, who else am I supposed to ask if not you?” he let out a sigh, opening the folder. You grinned in triumph, placing a hand on the back of his chair and leaning over his shoulder. It made it seem like you were reading over his shoulder, watching him make notes on your work. Really it was just to watch him. He put on his glasses to read and you bit your lip. Your mouth was moving before you could stop it,

“You look hot with glasses”. You should be ashamed for saying something like that, but honestly you weren't. He turned his head the slightest bit, looking over at you, tilting his head just so watching you from over his glasses.

“That’s cause’ you’re staring, love” he commented, placing your papers down on his desk and turning his body to fully face you. You couldn't help but smile at him, deciding to fuck it all and sit on his lap. He didn’t seem surprised in the slightest, he had long given up on telling you to stop this whole arrangement you had. His arms went around your waist, holding you in place.

“Is that a bad thing?” you whispered, wrapping your arms around his neck. He bit his lip, trying not to let his eyes stray down your neck and to your cleavage. The eye contact was electrifying, the two of you watching each other. Your skin prickled under his gaze, your mind reminding you of just how good he’d make you feel. Your heart rate quickened, your fingers itching to reach out and stroke his face but you resisted. A million words passed between you two in those three or four seconds.

You let your hands slide down his shoulders to his chest, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. You both knew it was dangerous to do this on campus, but it had been going on for so long neither of you cared anymore. There was a certain thrill in getting caught that made you both hot and heavy. He was watching you carefully, captivated by your facial expressions. You gently undid the first button of his shirt, placing a palm against the exposed skin. Your head tilted up to look at him. He reached out, taking your hair out of the confines of the hair clip you had put on this morning.

“We really shouldn’t be doing this here sweetheart” he murmured, almost as if trying to convince himself. You ignored him, leaning forward and brushing your lips against his. He let out the slightest gasp. Your eyes closed and you just wanted to feel him, with your hands and your lips. You weren’t sure who closed the gap between you two, but it honestly didn’t matter. His lips were against yours and every rational thought flew out the window. The kiss was desperate, the two of you wasting no time in trying to dominate the other. He nipped at your bottom lip causing you to tug at his hair. He was so forceful, almost brushing your lips. You could feel your back brush his table as he pushed you closer and closer to it. He pulled away, ever so slightly. Taking your bottom lip in his teeth before letting go again,

“Get on the table, love” he said, breathless. You simply nodded, getting off his lap. You reached back, pushing things from his table blindly. He grabbed your wrist,

“Watch it” he chided, reaching forward. He grabbed the photoframe you were just about to push to the floor and placed it on the shelves behind him. It was a wedding photo, one you knew quite well. It sat on his desk all the time. You laughed, sitting on the table and crossing your legs.

“Mrs Taylor wouldn’t mind you moving that, would she?” you asked, grinning at him. He let out a small laugh, walking towards you. He parted your legs, fitting himself perfectly between them. You wrapped your legs around him as he reached out, gripping your waist.

“No, I don’t think she would” he mused, looking down at you. He leaned down and pressed kisses to your jaw. You pushed down the small tingle of thrill that when up your spine as he spoke. He nipped your skin, drawing you from your thoughts and eliciting a moan from you. Your ran your hands up his chest, undoing the first two buttons on his shirt. His hands were quick to find their way underneath your skirt, tracing your folds through your underwear. You rocked your hips against his hand. He grinned, pulling you into another kiss. His fingers brushed against your core, applying pressure ever so slightly when you least expected it. You tightened your legs around his waist, trying to get him to hurry things along. His fingers pushed your underwear to the side, fingers tracing along your bare folds. You couldn’t help but groan, letting a shiver pass through your body. Your head rested on his shoulder as his fingers brushed against your clit before pulling away again. You were getting impatient now. You huffed, rocking your hips against his fingers.

He tutted, stepping away, taking his hand away with him. You let out a soft whine, reaching out for him.

“Rog -” you were cut off by knocking on his door. You were temporarily frozen from the prospect of getting caught like this. Roger, however always had faster reactions than you did. He had already pulled you off the desk, and was trying to coax you underneath his desk. You gave him a look, one that said; “seriously?”. He just shrugged, batting his hands to get you to move quicker. You huffed, crawling underneath his desk. This situation was less than ideal. You were already wet from his fingers alone, constantly teasing you. Whoever was behind his door had better be fast or else you’d have to finish yourself off underneath his desk.

“Professor Taylor! I’m so sorry I just had some questions about your lecture today? Is it okay if I come in?” you had to hold back a groan. It was Claire, a first year you had made friends with. She was sweet, but she talked too much and would often go on and on with her questions - especially during lectures. You resisted the urge to slam your head back against the table.

“Claire, of course.” you heard Rogers voice. You rolled your eyes at his professional tone. He wasted no time in slipping on his professor persona. Sometimes it was endearing, how he’d do anything to help his students. But sometimes a small, selfish part of you you wished he’d just tell them to figure it out themselves. You tried to be as silent as possible, shuffling about on the floor to get more comfortable. This would definitely take some time. You turned their conversation out, it would be too mind numbing to actually pay attention. You decided to instead count the floorboards. When you were done with that you tried to count how many books he actually had. After about 133 books your ears picked up your name.

“Aren't those her things professor?” Claire asked. You wanted to smash your head against the back of the table. In your rush the two of you had forgotten your bag and jacket which lay on one of his chairs.

“They are….” Rogers voice trailed off. You rolled your eyes. Despite being an esteemed professor he was so dumb sometimes.

“Did you want me to take them to her sir? I'm seeing her after my class” no she wasn't.

“Yes, yes of course. She's very forgetful” he said in a lame attempt to cover for you. God. Couldn't the man ever think on his feet? Put him in front of 500 first years and he would dazzle them. Now, in front of a first year in his own office, with you underneath his desk he couldn't come up with a simple for decent excuse for you. Claire would have a field day with this. She was a talker and you could just picture the wild rumours flying across campus. Then Claire thanked him and left, signalled by the door being shut and locked by Roger. You huffed, getting up from underneath the desk and dusting yourself off.

“Would it kill you to vacuum down there?” you grumbled, checking your skirt for any loose bits of fluff. He let out a small “hmm” as he stood near the door, his hand waving in the air. No doubt, making sure Claire was gone. “Why even bother? She’s smart enough to piece it together.” he turned around, watching you carefully.

“That’s the problem, love. She’s smart enough to piece some of it together.” he walked up to you, placing his hands on your waist. Your arms went out, wrapping around his neck. He tilted his head to kiss you slowly, pulling your hips against his own. “But not all of it” he whispered as pulled away. From this position the light shone through the windows, lighting up his face, the light just hitting his eyes and making them even more brighter if it were possible. You had your breath stolen from you, he was just so beautiful. You ran your hands down his chest, not able to hold yourself back any longer

“We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it” you said off handedly, pressing kisses to his jaw. Honestly speaking, you didn’t care that Claire knew part of the story. You didn’t care that she’d go around telling everyone and their uncle, all you cared about was the man standing in front of you. You unbuttoned his shirt slowly, taking your time with it. Your fingers brushing against every inch of his skin you exposed. He watching you, eyes taking in the way your fingers so carefully undid the buttons of his shirt. How you marvelled at his body. It made him realise just how far gone he was with you.

The two of you had been like this for so long, but it never felt any different. You were mad about him, and he was much the same about you. You had no doubt that in a different life you two would of found each other as well. You were a whole person, but there was something about Roger that just made you feel more. More alive, more happy, more loved. Roger had been with you during the hardest times of your life and you felt your heart swell, unable to believe that you were actually here with the man you loved more than anything. You smiled up at him, linking your hands behind his neck and pulling him down into a kiss. He was quick to respond, pushing back at you with the same amount of adoration. You couldn’t help but groan into his mouth. His hands were on your waist, running up and down your sides making you shiver. He’d push up your shirt ever so slightly, tracing your bare skin with his fingertips before pulling them away again.

The two of you stepped back, until you were standing in front of the sofa that sat below his window sill. He pulled away, shrugging off his coat and shirt. You bit your lip, shamelessly taking in his exposed chest. You were snapped out of your thoughts by his hand on your collar, trying (and failing) to undo the buttons. He’d fumble at this stage, too caught up in own want to actually function properly. You pushed his hands away, laughing quietly and undoing the buttons on your own blouse, taking it off and placing it on the arm of the chair. He scoffed,

“You think that’s better? It’s going to get ruined anyway” he mumbled, pressing kisses to your jaw and down to your neck. His hands were on your chest, palming you through your bra. You let out a silent thank you prayer to whatever possessed you this morning to put on a black lace bralette today. Clearly Roger appreciated it too. “This the one I bought you?” he asked, running his fingers along the delicate lace just below your breasts. You grinned, surprised that he actually remembered.

“You’ve bought me several Roger,” you teased, running your hands over his chest. You thumbed over his nipples just so, making him gasp quietly. He was always sensitive there. You let out a small laugh, about to thumb over them against before he gripped your wrists. He placed your hands on his shoulders, pressing his lips to yours once again. You happily obliged kissing back as he pulled you closer, pressing your bodies together. He was quick to grip your thighs, lifting you up. You wrapped your legs around him, clinging onto him. He laughed against your lips, bending down and laying you on the sofa. You kept your legs firmly wrapped against his waist, not willing to part with him. You kissed him so hard you were sure his lips were bruised by now.

His hands were underneath your skirt, tracing you through your panties. You pushed your hips up into his hand, wanting more. You were already wet enough from before, now he was just teasing. He pulled away, lips trailing down your jaw and to your neck. He nipped at your skin, making you breathe out his name. You felt his lips form into a smile. His fingers pushed your panties to the side, brushing against your slick folds. Your nails digging into the skin of his arms. He sucked at the skin of your neck as his fingers stroked your clit, making your hips jerk.

“Roger...please…” you gasped out. Your hands found their way to his belt, fumbling to with the buckle before undoing it. You needed him and you needed him now. His fingers stopped teasing, instead finding their way to your thighs. He spread your legs, running his hands over the smooth skin of your legs. You tugged at his pants, quickly undoing the zipper and shoving the material down along with his boxers. You were desperate, running your hands over his chest and down to his increasingly growing length.

Roger let out a soft moan as your hands made contact with him, gently stroking him. He buried his face into your neck, trying to stop himself from completely losing from just your hands. He gripped your wrist, stopping your hand.

“No, no..” he kissed you again, grinding his hips up against yours. You groaned against his lips, hips pushing against him to match his pace. Your skirt was a mess, some place between being undone and hiked up to your waist. You honestly did not care. He reached down between your bodies, lining himself up. He teased your slick folds with his tip, making you shiver when it brushed against your clit.

“Wanna cum when I’m inside you” he breathed, lips still against yours. You gasped his name as he pushed inside you, guided by your wetness and his own pre-cum. He let out a small groan, pushing into until he bottomed out. You both stilled, the only sound between you two being heavy breathing. Your eyes were closed, arms wrapped around him and just taking him in. It had been a while since the two of had sex, and you had almost forgotten what it felt like to have him inside of you. He was much the same, one arm resting against the back of the sofa to support himself. He wanted to move straight away, to fuck you into the sofa. Wanted to hear you call out his name over and over again. At the same time he wanted to take it slow, wanted to feel every inch of you as he teased you, wanted to hear your soft whimpers and feel you cling to him and beg him to let you cum. But right now he couldn't figure out anything, too busy enjoying the simple feeling of just being inside you.

You rolled your hips the slightest bit, wanting him to move. He took your cue, using the sofa as support he grinded against you. You both groaned out before realising where you were. He pulled his hips back, almost pulling out of you and pausing. You opened your mouth to whine his name, to tell him to hurry the fuck up. But his lips were over yours, kissing you roughly as he slammed back into making you cry out into his mouth. He gripped your hips tightly, pushing into you over and over. You were grateful for his mouth against yours, you would not be able to stay quiet for long with the way he was fucking you.

He fucked you with such need, pushing into you over and over again. If you weren’t clinging onto him for dear life you’re sure he would him pushed you straight through the sofa. You were sucking and nipping at his lips needed more of him.You wanted nothing more than to reach your climax. He was gripping your hips so tight there was no doubt in your mind that they would bruise the next morning. His thrusts angled just so, making you gasp against his lips. All you could to was hold onto him, dig your nails into his shoulders and hope that you wouldn’t float away. You could feel his pace faltering, his climax quickly approaching. You pulled away from his needy kisses, letting out a breathy moan. He busied himself with your neck, hand reaching between your bodies to stroke your clit. You cried out his name. The two of you not bothering with keeping quiet any longer.

He held you through your orgasm, kissing your neck. His hips never slowing. You could sworn you had died and been brought back to life by him, your climax making its way through your body. The only thing escaping your lips was in name, you were convinced that was the only word you knew in that moment. He called out your name as he came as well, squeezing your hips. You gasped at the feeling, having not felt him cum inside you for so long. His head was resting against your shoulder, the two of you panting. Trying to come back down from your highs. You traced random shapes on his back, just wanting to keep touching him in some way. He was the first to move, lifting his head up to kiss you again. The kiss was slow and lazy. The two of you were almost in a haze, just enjoying each others bodies. He grinned as he pulled away from you, sliding off your body and down onto the floor. He spread your legs and you tried shuffling away, too worn out for another round

“Roger…” you warned as he kissed your inner thigh.

“Just wanna see the mess I made baby girl” he drawled, running his hands over your thighs. You shivered when his fingers brushed against your core, still sensitive from before. Your hand went straight to his hair, tugging it hard. He pushed a finger into you easily, making you breath out his name.

“Keep this inside you darling.” he pressed one last kiss to your thigh pulling his finger out of you and rearranging your panties. “Keep my mess between those pretty legs of yours” he breathed, getting up to grab his shirt. Leaving you to recover from his words.

“I’ll see you at home then, love?” he asked, buttoning up his shirt. He acted as if wasn’t fucking you into the sofa a couple of minutes ago. You took a breath, adjusting your skirt and sitting up. You weren’t up to standing just yet. “You think this time might be it?” his voice was soft, full of emotion. It had been months since the two of had been trying. You were close to giving up, convinced that a baby simply just wasn’t in your future. You shrugged, not bothering to give him an answer. It was too much to think about now.

“It’s your turn to cook dinner” you reminded, trying to defer the conversation. He huffed, picking up his coat from the floor.

“We can talk about it, you know.” he comforted, kneeling down in front of you. You shook your head, doing your best not to look at him. He gently took your hands in his, kissing the ring on your left hand. You let out a sigh, looking over at the man in front of you.

“No personal talk on campus, remember?” You waved his hands away, smoothing out your skirt. He scoffed,

“Yeah, so fucking doesn’t count?”

“I mean, we could always just stop” you replied nonchalantly, reaching for your shirt.

“That is definitely not what I meant.”

#roger taylor smut #roger taylor imagine #roger taylor x reader #roger Taylor #ben hardy smut #ben hardy imagine #ben hardy x reader #roger taylor x you #roger taylor fluff #roger taylor angst #ben hardy fluff #ben hardy angst #queen imagines #borhap imagines #writings #Bohemian rhapsody

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studyingwithkayson · 5 years

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Barnard supplement: Women I want to talk to

I’m not sure my supervisor will let me write this post (and tbh with good reason, lol), but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and thought I would share, maybe to inspire you as you write your supplements for college essays :)

Jenna Mourey/Marbles: OKAY LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF, for those of you who don’t know who Jenna Marbles is, what rock have you been living under she’s been making videos on YouTube since like 2008 and I’ve been watching her videos since about middle school. She’s on this list not only because I think she’s hilarious but because I deeply admire her positivity and her growth into a mature 33 year-old lady. She acknowledges and apologizes for the mistakes she’s made and (it seems to me) always strives to be a better person which is inspirational to me.

Marina Diamandis: Marina is another queen woman I feel like I’ve grown up with since I started listening to her music in middle school. My first exposure to her was her deeply cynical and catchy Electra Heart, and quite honestly, it’s amazing to see how far she’s come in her music. ALSO I just want to ask her about the song “To Be Human,” which might contain some of my favorite lyrics ever. In any case, I would want to ask her about her artistry and her views on the world.

Leslie Knope: A few months ago, I stumbled upon a YouTube video essay about Leslie Knope being a woman’s woman in government, and after watching it, I agree with it wholeheartedly (link). Just to repeat the thesis of the essay, it talks about how Leslie takes attributes typically associated with women and uses them to her advantage in order to make change, which I just find really fascinating. Plus, if I got to talk to her, I would ask how I could get involved in her future presidential campaign (Knope 2024?)

Ida Dalser: Do you know who this woman is? Because I did not, and apparently (according to my Italian cinema professor), neither do most Italians. She was the first wife of Benito Mussolini, who had a son with him and then became a target of his fascist state, which attempted to silence her by putting her in a number of asylums where she eventually died. I watched the movie Vincere (great movie, it’s on Hulu) which was definitely an interesting retelling of her story, but I want to hear about her story from the woman herself, especially since she didn’t get to tell her own story while she was alive.

Spencer Hastings: Perhaps if you’re applying to colleges now, you missed the Pretty Little Liars boat, but it was a show that I spent many, many years of my life watching and theorizing about. My favorite character was always and continues to be Spencer Hastings because I just relate to her so much, painfully so. She’s an overachiever, her own harshest critic, but also so strong after all of the things she’s gone through (but no spoilers).

Heather Booth: She was the founder of the Jane Collective, a group of women who helped secure women safe abortions while they were still illegal in the 1960s, especially low-income women and women of color who could not afford safe but very expensive illegal abortions available to wealthier women at the time. I would want to ask her about her experiences at a time where I imagine it would have been much more dangerous to be involved with abortion. I would also want to ask her about her views on women’s rights and abortions today.

Marlene Dietrich: Not only is she a gay ICON, but she just seems like she was quite an interesting, if controversial, woman. Though she was born in Germany, after beginning her film career outside of Germany, she repudiated the Nazi regime and expressed her political views loudly during a very politically contentious period in history.

Minerva Mirabal: The Mirabal sisters were four sisters who opposed Rafael Trujillo’s regime in the Dominican Republic in the 1950s and three of the four sisters were killed by his order in 1961, including Minerva. Minerva may have been the most passionate sister and the first one to oppose the regime after being denied a license to practice law after refusing Trujillo’s sexual advances. Even though she was assassinated, her legacy is so important and it should be not only in the Dominican Republic but for people everywhere.

Ana Navarro: At the risk of betraying how many compilation videos of the View I’ve seen, I would want to talk to Ana Navarro for an hour because she’s a badass. I completely disagree with some of her political stances, but I think she’s been an important Latina voice in politics and I want to talk to her about her life. Even if we disagree on politics, I really admire her for sticking to her convictions, especially in the face of racism and prejudice.

Gayle King: Speaking of television, I feel like I grew up watching Gayle King on CBS. It’s great to see women in journalism (especially women of color!) and I (personally) think Gayle King is really in a league of her own. Just one example is the now-infamous R. Kelly interview, where she was the paragon of professionalism. She earned her way to the top and I would love to talk to her about her career in journalism, everything from how she got into the field to how she manages to stay objective in covering her stories.

#barnard #barnard college #college essays #college applications #college apps #essays

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rafaelina-casillas · 6 years

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Flower Asks

@december-girl06 Thank you so much for asking me! *sending a bear hug*

Alisons: Sexuality? - Heterosexual.

Amaranth: Pronouns/Gender? - Sher/Her. Female

Amaryllis: Birthday? - 29th august

Anemone: Favorite flower? - Cala lily and white rose.

Angelonia: Favorite t.v. show? - BBC Sherlock, Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver, Hannibal

Arum-Lily: What’s the farthest you’d go for a stranger? - I don’t trust people so pointing the right direction 😁

Aster: What’s one of your favorite quotes?

Aubrieta: Favorite drink? - Coke, sparkling water.

Baby’s Breath: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? - Umm, I’ve probably kissed Mom so yes.

Balsam Fir: Have you ever been in love? - I had crushes but nothing more than that.

Baneberries: Favorite song? - The Point of No Return from The Phantom of The Opera

Basket of Gold: Describe your family. - Pretty ordinary with the occasional dosage of drama.

Beebalm: Do you have a best friend? Who is it? - That’s classified.

Begonia: Favorite color? - Black.

Bellflower: Favorite animal? - Wolves.

Bergenia: Are you a morning or night person? - Definetly a morning person.

Black-Eyed Susan: If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be? - A raven so I would what flying feels like.

Bloodroots: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? - (That’s embarrasing) Michael Schumacher or Batman or an astronaut.

Bluemink: What are your thoughts on children? - Little monsters, I don’t like them.

Blazing Stars: What are you afraid of? Is there a reason why? - I’m afraid of snakes. Just look at them! Do I need a reason?

Borage: Give a random fact about your childhood. - I made plans with best friend to run away from my parents. He was suppossed to get a job as a cooker. And, yes, we were 10 years old then.

Bugleherb: How would you spend your last day on Earth? - Reading, I guess.

Buttercup: Relationship Status? - Forever single.

Camelia: If you could visit anywhere, where would you want to go? - Hogwarts or the set of Hawaii Five-0

Candytufts: When do you feel most loved? - When people show me that they trust me.

Canna: Do you have any tattoos? - No, I don’t like tattoos.

Canterbury Bells: Do you have any piercings? - No, I don’t like piercing either.

California Poppy: Height? - 158 cm or 5′2

Cardinal Flower: Do you believe in ghosts? - That’s complicated. Let’s say I can’t simply ignore all the stories about people seeing ghosts.

Carnation: What are you currently wearing? - My home clothes: a track suit.

Catnip: Have you ever slept with a nightlight? - I can’t remember for sure but I don’t think I have.

Chives: Who was the last person you hugged? - Mom.

Chrysanthemum: Who’s the last person you kissed? - Mom.

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font? - All the academia made me like Times New Roman. I also like Gothic fonts.

Columbine: Are you tired? - Yes.

Common Boneset: What are you looking forward to? - The next semester.

Coneflower: Dream job? - University professor, editor and writer.

Crane’s-Bill: Introvert or extrovert? - MAJOR introvert.

Crocus: Have you ever been in love? - Nope.

Crown Imperial: What’s the farthest you would go for someone you care about? - Protecting them at all costs.

Cyclamen: Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? What was it? - I still have that animal! A small pink monkey, I love it too much.

Daffodil: What’s your zodiac sign? - Virgo.

Dahlia: Have you done anything worth remembering? - I don’t think I’ve done something that special.

Daisy: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment? - Getting a place in a PhD programme.

Daylily: What would you do if your parents didn’t like your partner(s)? - I’ll answer this when (if) I have a partner because I honestly don’t know how to answer this.

Dendrobium: Who is the last person that you said “I love you” to? - Don’t know.

False Goat’s Beard: What is something you are good at? - Trapping over my own feet 😁😄

Foxgloves: What’s something you’re bad at? - Singing, drawing.

Freesia: What are three good things that have happened in the past month? - Getting the news about my lecturing, seeing Venom and Bohemian Rhapsody, starting learning basic linguistics.

Garden Cosmos: How was your day today? - It’s 11 in the morning!

Gardenia: Are you happy with where you’re at in your life? - Not so much.

Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two? - Writing the first two chapters of my PhD thesis and feeling more confident in academia.

Glory-of-the-Snow: What are ten things that make you happy/you’re grateful to have in your life? - Mom Friends My supervisor Books Movies TV Shows The pigeons on my balcony Music ... I can’t think of more

Heliotropium: What helps you calm down when you feel stressed? - Reading.

Hellebore: How do you show affection? - I’m very clumsy at this. Taking extra care. Telling stupid jokes.

Hoary Stock: What are you proudest of? - Winning my supervisor’s trust.

Hollyhock: Describe your ideal day. - Meeting with friends, going to the cinema, reading.

Hyacinth: What do you like to do in your free time? - Reading or watching a movie/a TV show.

Hydrangea: How long have you known your best friend? How did you meet them? - I met her 15 years ago when she was transfered to my class in 5th grade.

Irises: Who can you talk to about (almost) everything? - Mom and my friends.

Laceleaf: How many friends do you have? - Few but I love them very much.

Lantanas: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? - That people liked my writing.

Larkspur: What do you think of yourself? - *censoring self hate* Not much actually. I know I could do better.

Lavender: What’s your favorite thing about yourself? - My kindness and intelligence (if such a thing exists).

Leather Flower: What’s your least favorite thing about yourself? - My looks.

Lilac: What’s something you liked to do as a child? - Colouring books!

Lily: Who was your best friend when you were a kid? - A boy with whom I’m still friends though we are not that close.

Lily of the Incas: What is something you still feel guilty for? - That I never got the courage to talk to my biggest crush at high school.

Lily of the Nile: What is something you feel guilty for that you shouldn’t feel guilty about? - Being rude to toxic friends.

Lupine: What does your name mean? Why is that your name? - It comes from the word for flower in Bulgarian. I was named after one of my grandmothers.

Marigold: Where did you grow up? Tell us about it. - I grow up in the same city I’m still living - Sofia.

Morning Glory: What was your bedroom like growing up? - Full with stuffed toys.

Mugworts: What was it like for you as a teenager? Did you enjoy your teenage years? - Not at all. I don’t like my teenage self, I cared too much about people’s opinion.

Norwegian Angelica: Tell us about your mom. - She’s the greatest person inhabiting this world, my best friend. I love her sooo much!

Onions: Tell about your dad. - A normal person.

Orchid: Tell about your grandparents. - I only know one of my grandmothers, unfortunately. But she was great when I was a kid, now she’s too old to have normal relationship with her.

Pansy: What was your most memorable birthday? What made it be so memorable? - Going to the cinema with all my school friends on my 15th birthday. Before the group feel apart.

Peony: What was your first job? - I was an intern at the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

Petunia: If you’re in a relationship, how did you meet your partner(s)? If you’re not in a relationship, how did you meet your crush/how do you hope to meet your future partner(s), if you want any? - I want to meet him suddenly, just starting to talk about different things.

Pincushion: How do you deal with pain? - I try to distract my mind.

Pink: Where is home? - Where the heart is.

Plantain Lilies: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would stop/change? - World War II

Prairie Gentian: Who is someone you look up to? Describe them. - Scientists like Alan Turing, Albert Einstein. Shakesperare, too.

Primrose: Describe your ideal life. - Having a stable partner whom I love and who loves me and who doesn’t want children. Being a professor with major works in her field who travels the world to read lectures.

Rhodendron: What is something you used to believe in as a child? - The kindness of people.

Ricinus: Who’s the most important in your life? - Mom.

Rose: What’s your favorite sound? - The atmosphere of a library. Quietude with the occassional hushed talks.

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory? - Every time when I’m with my best friend.

Sage: What’s your least favorite memory? - Visiting the Museum of Natural History and and all the snakes surrounding me.

Snapdragon: At this moment, what do you want? - To finish my PhD successfully

St. John’s Wort: Is it easy or difficult for you to express how you feel about things? - Rather difficult.

Sunflower: What is something you don’t want to imagine life without? - My favourite people.

Sweet Pea: How much sleep did you get last night? - 7 or 8 hours.

Tickseed: What’s your main reason to get up every morning? - Achieving my goals.

Touch-Me-Not: How do you feel about your current job? - I don’t have a job.

Transvaal Daisy: What’s your favorite item of clothing? - T-shirts.

Tropical White Morning Glory: Describe your aesthetic. - Books, autumn, quietude, stationary, dim light.

Tulip: What would be the best present to get you? - A rare book.

Vervain: What’s stressing you out most right now? - The upcoming conference at which I had to make a presentation about a report I’ve written.

Wisteria: How many books have you read in the past few months? What were they called? - Too many, I can’t count them. But there are two kinds: 1) Literature that I enjoy and read for pleasure (I’ve read mostly Joanne Harris books during this time); 2) Literature for my thesis which includes many books on psychoanlysis, feminist thought and linguistics.

Wolf’s Bane: Where do you want to be in life this time next year? - Having a job and a confident lecturer.

Yarrow: Do you know what vore is? - No, I don’t.

Zinnia: Give a random fact about yourself. - I hate to be the center of attention.

#me #persona #answered

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bambinadallospazio · 6 years

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Hi! I have a dilemma. I am entering my 4th (last!) year of undergrad (US student). Recently I have been becoming more aware of issues of illiteracy in this world. I have also encountered people who don't read a lot and don't love literature. And I’ve realized that one can live a wonderfully fulfilling life without literature. So now I’m at a point where I believe in the importance in reading, but for some reason I’ve lost my unabashed, unbridled obsessive love for literature (1/3)

and I don’t know exactly where it went. I think it has something to do with realizing it isn’t unquestionably the most important thing in the world. On the other hand, I think reading can give people a freedom to think and wonder that is beautiful. After reading your about me with your enthusiasm for literature I was wondering if you had any insight because I’d really like to get my love and enthusiasm for literature back, especially going into my last year of ug where I know I’ll get (2/3) frustrated with my major (history & literature) at some point for sure. Maybe you know how to get this love back? Thanks for listening

First of all, thank you so much for your question! I’m really honored that you’ve chosen to come to me for such an issue.

As for your dilemma: believe me, I understand. I come from a family where nobody else really reads that much except for me. Not in the sense that reading is looked down on or discouraged: in fact, my parents have always been proud of the fact that I enjoy reading, but for the longest time I didn’t have anyone I could share this passion with and so it took a long time in developing. One could say that as much as I’ve always loved reading, I didn’t really come of age as a reader until I started university: I didn’t enjoy studying literature in high school, I never read my assigned readings in time (at times only to find out much later that it was a book I could have actually really enjoyed!), and I didn’t like the classics—I didn’t understand them. I wasn’t trained as a reader; I simply liked to read, but I had no actual guidance in finding more books that I could have enjoyed. I had actually read comparatively very little by the time I started university. (Even my studying literature was more of an accident than anything else. My BA was in Modern Languages—because I really wanted to study languages—and it offered two pathways: one was more geared towards tourism, with some exams in economics, and the other was in literature. I chose literature because I didn’t want to study economics.)

Uni was a game-changer for me. Which is really all you could hope for when you start it out, isn’t it? Maybe I just had never found anyone who taught me literature properly, or maybe high school was just too demanding, requiring me to focus on too many different subjects at the same time. I already noticed a change with my very first literature class, on French literature: I still remember the first book we were assigned—Madame de La Fayette’s La Princesse de Clèves—because I was so surprised that I’d actually liked a classic! (This coming from the person who’d already tried to read Pride and Prejudice at least 4 times and failed miserably to get to the end each time.) It was a real surprise and something that made me feel like I’d chosen the right path after all.

The real life-changing moment, however, came my second year, with my first U.S. literature class. This is one of those twist-of-fate moments that I love talking about, because it was not a given that I should have taken that class: I chose it as one of my electives, and I do not exaggerate when I say that it changed my life. Everything that I’ve done after that—consider that I’m now at the end of my MA—has stemmed from there.

Of course, as is usually the case with these stories, it all happened because of an amazing professor and her very specific approach to U.S. literature. She taught me about the power of literature. Up until that moment, I knew I loved reading; I didn’t know about the power that literature could have. The power to change the world.

My professor taught a very specific syllabus that focused mostly on contemporary-ish (from the ‘60s onwards) U.S. ‘ethnic’ literature, with a focus on women’s voices. Her class taught me about what it means to see yourself represented in literature; how this can encourage and embolden a community; how this can change dominant perceptions of that community within the larger culture. I’m talking about African American literature, Latin@ and Chican@ literature, Asian American literature, Native American literature, all of which flourished massively following the civil rights movement.This class taught me what it means—and how crucial it is—to have a voice. It taught me what the literary canon is, and how important it is to challenge those reading lists they assign you in high school and push them to include more women’s voices, more voices from people with disabilities, different sexual orientations, different origins. Simply, how much it means to include as many different experiences and existences as possible into what we consider worthy of being taught. And how much what we see as part of the larger culture affects the way people see themselves and the way they see and treat others. If you read about the experience of someone who is different than you, hopefully you’ll be more empathetic towards a person with those characteristics when you meet them in real life (and there are studies that have proved this). Her classes motivated me to branch out in my readings, to try to include as much of the world as possible. (Naturally, I took many more classes with her, and she was my supervisor for my BA and now for my MA thesis. She was basically the reason I stayed on at my university for my MA.)

I was very lucky in my university career. But even though my professor was the main factor in enhancing my love for literature, she was not the only one. In fact, Tumblr helped a lot, too! Incidentally, I got on Tumblr at around the same time as I took her first class. (You see, this all worked out so perfectly. @the-library-and-step-on-it, @ablogwithaview, @dukeofbookingham.) People who blog about books and who share what they’re reading just naturally help you broaden your interests and learn about more books that you could like. I’ve become less and less active on Tumblr over the years, but the reason I’ve stayed on is really Booklr and those blogs in particular.

Now, to return to your question: I know very well that reading isn’t that important to many people, and that they get on perfectly fine without it. I know and love many of those people in my personal life. But I believe that their lives could be enhanced by reading, and that many of them don’t read simply because they never learned how. Which doesn’t mean that they’re illiterate, just that they have no idea how to go about finding books that they could enjoy and branching out from there. Or, as is the case with my parents, they could read more if their jobs were not as taxing and their daily preoccupations as exhausting. (I’m proud to say my mom has become more of a reader in recent years as I’ve been the one gifting her books or checking them out of the library for her.)

This is not to say that these people don’t have a right not to read. Everyone is free to do as they wish, of course. It’s just that often we believe we’ve had a say in determining our interests and habits, when really they are more the result of what we’ve been lucky—or unlucky—enough to have been exposed to, or have had the means to afford, as well as the time to devote to.

Reading may not be the most important thing in the world, but I believe it is of vital importance. Reading feeds our imaginations, and our imaginations shape what happens in the world around us. This is something that Gloria Anzaldúa, a Chicana feminist, writer, and poet, has said so much better than I ever could in her seminal book Borderlands/La Frontera: “Nothing happens in the ‘real’ world unless it first happens in the images in our heads.” This is something I’ve come back to again and again, and I fiercely stand by it.

As for issues of actual illiteracy, remember that a lot of what us Westerners view as ‘illiterate’ cultures actually have really rich storytelling traditions, going back for centuries! So everything that I’ve said doesn’t apply just to the written word, but to the exercise of one’s imagination, whether oral or written.

I hope this very long-winded answer can prove of some help to you, and I thank you for giving me the chance to publicly share all this!

#studyblr #gradblr #studying #literature #academia #university #replies #about me #rambling #Franny gets personal

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