Rain, sunshine & a cup of warm tea always helps.

My semester has concluded, yet there remains so many things that, without the illusion of expectation and structure motivating me to put in the work, would probably go untouched (unread books, pdfs wasting away in the Downloads folder, hobbies neglected in favour of daydreaming…). Whether you feel the same, need a push to get through the last month of your own semester, or just feel up to the challenge, I invite you to tag along.

The idea is simple:

Compile your June goals into one post, then mark each item as desired upon completion. This is mine.

Tag all your posts #june days of productivity, that way we can find each other. Daily, weekly, and sporadic updates are all acceptable.

Starting 1st June, do one thing every day to bring you closer to achieving your goals, however minor it might be. Rest is productive! So is connecting with nature, one's friends, family and pets.

Enjoy the journey! You can't fail as long as you are having fun.

On 30th June, we can congratulate ourselves for our dedication.

Additionally, I encourage everyone who participates to reflect on their month as it progresses. Pay attention to your habits and choices, what works and what might not, whether you are pushing yourself farther than you ought to or can stand to push yourself more, and so forth.

We each need to find our own inspiration, Kiki. Sometimes it's not easy.

in honor of the official end of the grad school admissions cycle, here's what i've been up to for the past year

may-june 2025 - browsed lab websites, program info, and read papers. got a better sense of what kind of research i wanted to do and what schools to apply to.

july-august 2025 - worked on my list of programs (with input from mentors/professors) and started drafting my statement of purpose. spent a lot of time in coffeeshops.

september 2025 - asked for letters of recommendation.

october 2025 - got professor feedback on my SOP and supplemental essays, finalized my list of programs.

november 2025 - finished my SOP and submitted my applications by the december 1 deadline. barely slept for the last week of november.

december 2025 - obsessively monitored the r/gradadmissions spreadsheet & waited for interview invites.

january-march 2026 - interviews and more interviews (mostly on zoom). talked about my research and goals for grad school more times than i can count. got my first offer!

february-march 2026 - got more offers and attended recruitment visits. missed a bunch of class, spent too much time in the airport, and enjoyed a lot of free food.