����ֱ��

Hello and welcome to Fall 2024!

I hope you are nicely settling into the fall semester.

I am composing this post immediately after I completed the “Acknowledgments” section of my thesis. That means Fall 2024 is the beginning of a new chapter for me. The PhD defence, post-graduation tasks, job search, and revamping sections of the thesis for publication. I plan my next few blog posts as a reflection series. Today, I’d like to highlight sports I have tried out while at Queen’s.

I am an amateur athlete with a special diet and exercise regime. and are my two favorite sports these days. A bottle of energy drink is a must for occasional sips.

I was very self-conscious when I used the ARC in my first year at Queen’s. Was I too conspicuous as the only 35+ year-old student in the Zumba session? The students on my right and left were so young! I almost fainted at the end of a spin class. I should have informed the trainer about my diabetes. Did I look funny as I was panting on the treadmill, cheeks red, eyes probably bulging? It was so uncomfortable to get caught by a fellow PhD student in that situation. It wasn’t half cute as the image I snipped from the Internet

That was it: I was not going to embarrass myself!

Then, a Queen’s alumna offered to teach me badminton, gifted me a racket, and invited me to join their team at . Thanks to Sylvie and the women who put up with my less than mediocre badminton playing skills for one season, I am a proud amateur player now.

I tried in 2022 for the first time. What a fascinating experience! My photos from those days show totally exhilarated.

Over the summer this year, I played pickleball. It was the perfect break between thesis writing shifts in the morning and afternoon. As the weather cools, I am planning to replace it with badminton and pick up squash. too. Want to join me in badminton, squash, and even in group fitness anyone? Get in touch via my Queen’s email. Here is .

Do I have any advice for my fresh international PhD student self? Grab that racket. Hit that birdie now. Swim once a week, too. You aspiring to swim as well? Here is .