My phone got stolen earlier this year – the same phone loaded with about 90% of my notes, half-baked drafts, and the kind of travel pictures I swore to print one day but never had the chance to do so. Losing it stung, like someone hit delete on my sentimental memory bank. But life does its thing, we are not always in control (and maybe we don't need to always be). While sifting through the remnant digital mess from that old phone (backed-up a few, thankfully), trying to organize what little remains, it hit me: I haven’t written here for ages. But I have solid excuse for that, mainly, writing somewhere else, for something else. As a PhD student, my days are now split between the relentless lab-working and technical writing (and publishing). Peer review is no joke, getting your work put under a microscope, scrutinized like some tree, people throw rocks at, is humbling and a far cry from the freedom of blog-writing, where words just spews and spill out aimlessly, mindlessly. Scientific writing requires backing up every thought with fact. But I can't say I hate it. There is a certain pride in knowing I’m contributing something useful, no matter how little, to the world. If you’re curious, here’s my first lead-author write-up: link. Yes, intentional shameless plug right there.
Going back to why I’m actually back (but maybe not for long) – it’s to mark the end of an era, actually a personal greatest at that. I had the privilege to attend my masters’ graduation ceremony, a whole year ago in Tartu, and I guess I didn’t really need my lost phone notes to remember and say how grateful and downright ecstatic. It was definitely a full-circle moment, formally closing that chapter. Tartu will always be a magical place, along with all the wonderful people I met along those Estonian frozen streets, no matter how few they were.
Cheers to happy endings! Until next time, I guess?
