Snowy days are here! Between two slides and snow ball (kind and consented) fights with colleagues, let’s see what’s in my mailbox… Well, this one is pretty topical, let’s go! Dear Sassy scientist, I think I lost all motivation for research but I need to work! What do I do? Please help me! My sweet cute pie, Let me ask you a quick question, when was the last time you took va ...[Read More]
The hidden effects of academic excellence: workaholism in Academia
Years have passed since I started my academic career, and I have come to realise that, in academia, excellence appears to come with a price tag. Stress and pressure have become commonplace for academics, often normalising certain behaviours such as workaholism. This essay explores how workaholism have become a common practice in these working environments. It was late, the library lights were blin ...[Read More]
Resisting self-guilt as a PhD student
Self-guilt is a common feeling among PhD students. It often leads us to devalue ourselves more harshly than is fair and to form unrealistic expectations. It is important to understand how it shows up in our daily work, what fuels it, and how we can resist it — because over time, it can quietly undermine both our well-being and our work. The ideas below are the results of group discussions that hav ...[Read More]
The Sassy Scientist – Academic Motion Sickness
The first year of a PhD can quickly shift from an exciting adventure (“Ok I got this“) to an exasperating rollercoaster (“What I am doing here? What if I just move to a husky farm in Canada?“). Marina, has reached that stage and, after having exhausted her patience scrolling through <insert your preferred social media platorm here> in search of threads on how to boost ...[Read More]