Day 16 of 30-day blog challenge. After the silver year, there went 2019 which was also packed with its highs and lows. 2019 was all sorts of amazing and unexpected. As part of the 30-day blog challenge, I will be talking about the highs and lows of 2019.
The Highs and Lows of 2019
The Low
I started pursuing my master’s degree the year of 2017. Going after it is not as easy as you think. But, I believe, based on experience, it depends on the univeristy and course you enroll to and take. If you believe that you are just going to have a good time getting those easy A’s and thinking that you are just going to get some requirements done in order to pass a subject, then be prepared to stack that dream in the same pile as mine.
After juggling work and school during the first year, working through the courses; studying chapters of books; explaining concepts of advanced reinforced concrete on essays, failing an exam, passing it the second time; solving advanced math’s fourier series, Sturm-Liouville Theorem, Legendre Equations, etc; and most especially, endlessly working on my thesis, all I thought I was going to graduate in 2019. But, I did not.
But, it’s okay. Why? Because, I am not alone fighting the battle. Professors, colleagues, family, friends, cats and dogs (hahaha) are my great support network. They inspire me to redefine our definition of success, and provide encouragement every step of the way.
The High
So, I mentioned I am working on my thesis. I was expecting to graduate last December 2019, and prior to graduation, I tried my luck on applying for an international conference to present my research and wish for it to be published. So, while waiting for my final defense that year, I gathered all my requirements, polished my paper and submitted them for review. Lo and behold, a few weeks of review and my paper got accepted. Even though I didn’t make it to graduating that year due to the revisions after my final oral presentation, I was able to present my paper to the Interntional Conference of Materials Science and Engineering 2019 held in Kyoto, Japan.
Not only that, thanks to all who helped me, especially to God, I was awarded the Best Oral Presentation.
I believe in feeling all of the feelings. Let each emotion run down through your veins. Most of all, let it lead you to creativity and personal growth.
The most important among all things is to find the beauty and balance between the highs and lows. Never let hope leave you.
How about you? What’s your highs and lows of 2019?
This post is part of 30-day blog challenge below.
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Cha of Little Misadvencha is a Filipino Civil Engineer, researcher and a fur mom. She came from General Santos City and finds that everything in life teaches her a lesson. She is inspired to write about and out of her experiences, but later found out that it was her experiences that actually inspire her.
You are really doing well with the challenge. Keep it up!
That sounds like a wonderful experience and it looks like you had a great time there. Quite amazing that you get to present it in Kyoto
Thanks for sharing your personal experience, especially revealing your highs and lows. it’s a great challenge for us to reflect and keep it up!
It´s so cool that you got to present your paper in Kyoto! Good luck with graduation! My lows this year are definitely all the plans canceled because of the pandemic, but I guess the highs will come once things get better on a global scale!
going after your masters is a huge thing. good for you, that’s awesome.
I love how open and honest you were in this article. Sometimes our lows can teach us the best life lessons. Hope you have an amazing 2020!