2017 Reflection, 2018 Plans

2017 has been a year of changes

I (finally) finished my undergraduate degree.
In February 2011 I started a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts double degree, and in September 2017 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry. The reasons a 3 year degree took me 6.5 years to complete deserve their own post, but having concluded a degree was necessary, finishing left me untethered from the University of Sydney.

I moved from Sydney to Oxford.
Sydney is where I have lived almost my entire life.  I am now far from those family and friends, living in Oxford. I have decided to minimise and anonymise the people of my personal life in this blog, but they are significant. Particularly it was one relationship that drove this move, and I am very fortunate that 6 months on it has been a change that has made me very happy. I am also lucky to have made new friends along the way.

I stopped tutoring and teaching.
Since finishing high school,  tutoring (maths and science) and coaching (debating) have been my primary sources of income. I have enjoyed it deeply as playing the expert is validating. Unfortunately investing in students requires substantial energy, and I needed to spend that focus on other career paths.

I had my first job with a public company.
For the last four months of 2017 I worked for Alere Toxicology, during which time its acquisition by Abbott was completed. My job title was “Production Scientist”, and I worked preparing consumables for the DDS2, and microplates for ELISA, testing. This temporary position is coming to a close in early 2018, and I intend to reflect more fully on it then.

I started this blog.
Writing is useful for reflection as well as communication. These posts clarify my messy thoughts about where I am and where I am going. The blog was also mentioned in a job interview in the last few days of this year, so gradually it is proving a useful tool in helping others understand who I am.

2018 Plans

In short: learn,  improve my routine, write more.

 

Writing from London