23 Comments
Apr 9, 2023·edited Apr 9, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

I'd love a follow up post in about a year to see reflections on the first year as a tenure-track prof (congrats!) and to see if any of the thoughts on being a postdoc remain the same or different. I'm still pre-candidacy but posts like yours are helping me (hopefully!) have the confidence to know and demand/ask nicely for the things that will be beneficial for myself as the Dr. Scholar Mentor I want to be. Thank you so much!

Expand full comment
Apr 8, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Thank you for sharing your insights. And such a good point about taking time and space to reflect on what kind of academic one wants to be!

Expand full comment
Apr 8, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Thank you for sharing your experience! This is incredibly helpful.

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, it's really helped me think about the next year and stay motivated. I'll be applying to postdocs in the fall and really appreciated your insight.

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

I love the questions you pose and the honesty in which you reflect on the writer you want to be, who you want to converse with, and how you express yourself and for whom. We forget that we are also an audience to ourselves and forget to trust ourselves as meaningful audiences.

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and learning. When I left academia and started my own business (academic editing), I was surprised by my own resistance to hustle culture and the notion of working 24/7. Although building a new business takes time and lots of effort, I have taken it at my own (slow) pace, learning as I go how to be the businessperson I want to be, and how to have a life that feels authentic to me. So far, I love it. I love my clients, and I also love being able to choose pro bono projects/clients to work with -- it’s a far better life than I could have had as a professor. It’s important to listen to your emotions and experiences -- they’ll tell you where you need to go. Wishing you all the best in your journeys ❤️🙏🏼😁

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

So much wisdom and hard-won insight here. Thank you for sharing your journey. I can't wait to hear about where you go from here.

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Left with inspiration reading your thoughts. I am in my 3rd year, trying to move forward but it is sometimes very slow. Hard to know when I will finish, but still I try to focus on the chapter I am in and just work until it's approved. It's rough sometimes, hard to focus. But lots of people seem to have the same issue. Wish I did this PhD a decade ago!!!

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

This is such a thoughtful and generous post. So many of the fears and worries resonated with me! I am still trying to find my authorial voice thanks for reminding us again how important it is, especially in non-STEM disciplines.

Expand full comment
Apr 7, 2023Liked by Jenn McClearen, Briana Barner

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I wish I’d had your wisdom when I was starting grad school, but you make it seem like it’s never too late to change my approach with myself (and others).

Expand full comment