Samantha Crapnell

Hi!

 

Hi. I think i might be here by accident. Last week was the induction week of my Year 2 DProf (Professional Doctorate) at University of Chester. Now, after a weekend's camping, my head is brimming with questions such as, 'Where on earth do I begin?' The next part of my internal conversation that lasted all of 5 seconds went like this: 'I know, I'll start a blog.' 'Wait, what?!' and so on until, 'Well you might as well now - I've found a site to do it on.' (Maybe something that's helpful to know about me should you happen across this page is that I can be quite impulsive.) And so here I am!

I know I am responding to an internal call to action after finding out what this year's university expectations are. Action takes me away from the anxiety caused by overwhelm and not knowing. A way to become practical, to step back for a moment and answer some different questions that are more targeted, focused, reachable. 

HOPES AND FEARS

Now I am here, 'What am I hoping for?' Well, I'm hoping to kick-start a better writing habit. Writing publicly scares me a little. That's a lie - it scares me a lot. But then many great things I've done have started by being at least a little bit scared.

Yep, even as I write that, I can feel my heart beating faster. Breathe, Sam!

The 'better writing habit' is about freer and faster. I'm accused of perfectionism on a regular basis and, yes, I know I have strong tendencies. Writing is one of those areas. After all, what if somebody actually reads it??? I don't suppose I'm unique in thinking that this could be mortifying though. Does that help? No, not really...

Ugh, next question.

'What am I going to write about?' At this moment in time, I guess I'll be writing about my research process. Not the actual research, but the adventure. I suppose, it will morph into its own thing over time and that I will find my style and my content. Along the way, I imagine I will get lost, ramble off in the wrong direction and take detours as my magpie brain gets distracted by something shiny. 'I am going to embrace it', I think emphatically. After all, apparently,  detours are normal in research. Good job, because just in noting down these few lines, I have more than fleetingly thought about my favourite ice cream (even though its 8AM), a meeting I have with A in a few minutes, and the Oasis tune that my other half is playing in another room.

Right, that will do.