Rest and recharging are a vital part of postgraduate researcher life. Read on to hear how our writers plan to unwind this summer.
When the long summer break between university terms arrives, there is a lull (of sorts) in the weekly onslaught of timetables, meetings and (for some of us) teaching. It is tempting to see this as an intense opportunity to focus on our research, but almost anyone you ask will plead with you to also take it as an opportunity for rest. All this year’s blog writers were invited to contribute to this piece; it’s fascinating to note that many who responded are doing PhDs which involve creative practice. Perhaps it’s their strong sense of the value of staying culturally connected – perhaps it’s their keen awareness of the dangers of burnout. Either way, we hope these ideas invite you towards rest and recharge this summer.
What are you looking forward to reading for pleasure this summer?
Celine (Education): I am looking forward to finishing a book recommended during one of the PGR training sessions, āOn writingā by Stephen King. I bought a paper copy to give to my husband, so I need to finish it before his birthday!
Philippa (Poetry): I may well go back to some Terry Pratchett because of his skill in oblique reflections, but there’s Bog Fashion which I know is related but I want to spend some time poring through that.
Rebecca (Sociology): The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram. Itās been recommended to me on several occasions over the last year, and Iāve finally bought a copy.
Ruth (Children’s fiction): I like to catch up on poetry while camping, when there’s time to properly immerse in a collection. Top of the tbr pile this summer is Raymond Antrobus’ Signs, Music and more of Hollie McNish’s extravagant Lobster.
Tomi (Screenwriting): I hope to finally make some time to read Chimamandaās āDream Countā this summer.
Matilda (English): I am looking forward to readingĀ Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory. As a historian, learning about normal women and their achievements and contributions putting them back to centre stage.
What do you like to cook to unwind from a heavy day of writing?
Celine: cupcakes, curries, paratta and smoothies.
Philippa: I’ll make a Bouillabaisse in the slow cooker at lunchtime so it’s ready for supper – fragrant, simple, and really tasty without much fat. Maybe a little ice cream for dessert…
Rebecca: My husband does most of the cookingā¦ whilst heās doing that, Iām adept at making myself a Negroni cocktail!
Ruth: I found myself writing kale into my novel recently, which made me crave the stuff! I love making a version of Italian ‘ribollita’ (boiled again) soup with vegetables, parmesan and lots of kale.
Tomi: Iāve recently fallen in love with making Chicken Gyros and some homemade tzatziki sauce. This is a go-to special at home these days when I want to prepare a good meal after spending time working.
Whatās on your summer playlist?
Celine: Van Morrison, Coldplay, Sia, The Cure, Scarlatti (sonatas), Goldberg variations (played by Vikingur Olafsson), John Field Nocturnes (played by Sara Ott)
Philippa: Butterworth, Tallis, 1980’s soft rock… And my favourite, Finzi.
Rebecca: Jamiroquaiās back catalogue because Iām going to see them live in November!
Ruth: We build a family playlist before summer road-trips. It allows me to inflict old favourites on the kids like Bones by the Killers or U2’s The Ground Beneath Her Feet as well as catch up on what they’re listening to these days.
Tomi: I play the same music all year round. Currently listening to the Sons of Sunday EP.
If you could travel anywhere this summer, where would you go?
Celine: Home.
Matilda: Hmm, the new ‘You’re Dead to Me’ podcast is out so I will be listening to all of them. They are so engaging and funny. Outside, of history I am quite in the mood to listening to Fleetwood Mac
Philippa: If I could go anywhere, I’d go coastal… Portsoy which is a tiny settlement not too far from Elgin which faces the North Pole, and the light is rinsed clean with the sea; and Falmouth, where I spent all my childhood holidays with my grandparents.
Rebecca: Where Iām about to go ā France, Belgium, The Netherlands and then Germany. But, notwithstanding the trip I have spent too long planning, I would happily go to Grebe Beach, near where I live in Cornwall ā itās just beautiful.
Ruth: I’ve long dreamed of spending an entire summer somewhere far from daily life. I’d want coast paths, big skies, shaded reading hideaways and limitless books. New Zealand’s South Island, maybe, or somewhere new – the Scilly Isles?
Tomi: A summer in Greece would be nice. Not gonna happen this year so Iāll be content with a trip to Bath or Scotland for a few days.
Matilda: I would 100 per cent travel to New Zealand! It’s my top holiday location. I would love to visit Matamata (Hobbiton shooting), Weta Workshop, experience the Maori culture, the Southern Alps to go hiking and go to Dunedin as well to see the little Blue Penguin, also known as Korora.
Why does it matter to take a break?
Celine: To make space for fresh ideasā¦
Philippa: To feel my whole body engaging with the landscape – I’m being fed, reset, realigned with the turning year, fields, warm tidal pools, friends, the scent of cut hay in a still summer dusk. Plus I reconnect with friends, visit new places. Then I am topped up, full of clear sight: all that remains is to write it down.
Rebecca: Because thatās when something surprising might happenā¦
Ruth: We live at a pace that has serious consequences for our health, in all its dimensions. Taking a break is a way of making a stand for your whole self – and it pays dividends.
Tomi: Really canāt overstate the importance of a break for the mind, especially after a long year of studying. I see taking a break as a good time to decompress, take stock, and feel energised about a new phase of life. It doesn’t have to be a big holiday…pockets of little things might do the trick. But please try and enjoy your summer break.
Matilda: I am still working on this! It’s a marathon not a sprint as my supervisors say. I would say, it is important to look after your body and mind. In the long run you don’t want to collapse. You want to enjoy your research journey and it’s about understanding how to balance everything.
Celine writes along the cutting edge of language teaching and translation
Philippa recounts the art of being a not-imposter
Rebecca on the art of multiple hats: work, research and parenthood
Tomi talks screenwriting and public relations
Matilda lifts the curtain on whalebone corsets
Ruth Moore is a third-year PhD Creative Writing student from Oxford. Her research examines the ways in which contemporary childrenās authors are using time-playful fiction, particularly in relation to telling stories out of archival silence. The creative element of her PhD project is a āmiddle gradeā childrenās novel which moves between 1944 and the present in Falmouth, Cornwall. Her MA in Creative Writing was at Oxford Brookes University; she also holds an MA in Applied Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has worked in theatre and in project management in higher education and the voluntary sector prior to commencing her PhD.