Hello, my name is Meriem and I have recently finished my PhD! I passed my viva with minor corrections which have been approved a few days ago – the PhD was (and still is) a rollercoaster of emotions. My research is on twenty-first Young Adult Gothic literature. I examine how notions of Otherness, shifting boundaries, and gender are represented and understood in YA Gothic, reflecting contemporary socio-cultural issues. I am sharing with you a typical teaching/research day. You can find me on Instagram (@epineclaire) and Twitter (@Meriem_Lamara)
06:30: I usually wake up around 6 o’clock, pray, and read at least a surah or two from the Quran. I find that starting my day early and slow puts me in a peaceful state that last for the whole day. I also read and reply to my emails, and check my social media before I leave for the office.
09:00: The University is only a fifteen minutes walk from my house. So, I don’t usually have to leave early unless I have a meeting.
09:30: On days when I am teaching, I start by going through the teaching material for that day. I make sure everything is clear and check the PowerPoint presentations. On days when I am not teaching, I work on my research as soon as I get to the office.
11:00 – I have my first meal while I listen to a podcast before my first seminar.
12:00 – My first seminar is 2 hours long, but I am actually looking forward to it; I have some fun activities planned.
15:00 – I am trying to incorporate more walking into my days. This time, I went to our local Waterstones in town and got myself a book. I also take this time to listen to more podcasts or audiobooks.
17:00 – I teach my last seminar of the day from 5 to 7 pm.
19:00 – If I am updating the reading list for the module, I check at the library to make sure the books are available.
19:30 – I am back at my desk! I usually stay until around 20:30 to check for any ‘urgent’ emails and plan for the following day… and I finally have some food (not the healthiest, I know, but it was all I wanted after a day of teaching).
23:00 – My favourite part of the day! I either watch a documentary on Netflix (I have been loving all the crime docuseries they’ve added), or read a couple chapters while I enjoy some soothing tea.
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