What Is the Progress on My Masters Theses and PhD Applications?

Today I dug up my old works from years ago. And it looks like this: Of course, I want to emphasize that any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental.

On another note, I hit a bit of a bump in my PhD journey. This time, my application wasn’t accepted where I aimed. Or to be more precise, I’m not entirely sure.

But the silence on the line doesn’t seem promising—about 75% of me feels that way. However, every cloud has a silver lining. This experience made me realize how deeply I care about my goals.

According to Affleck and Tennen (1996), people commonly find genuine psychological benefit in setbacks, reframing them in ways that support resilience and future motivation. Next time, I’ll push myself even harder.

Why Do So Few People Look Beyond the Obvious Path?

Moreover, I’ve learned from some inspiring people that it’s possible to think outside the box and forge your own path.

It’s clear that many people around us are like sheep, simply following the expected route. They get a doctorate right after their studies, land any job, and rush into engagements as if their lives are about to end. According to Cialdini and Goldstein (2004), people frequently conform to socially expected paths and norms, often without deliberately questioning them.

If they do look beyond, it’s usually only toward the United States or the United Kingdom. They treat these places as the ultimate destinations, maybe because of what they’ve seen on TV. According to Maddux and Galinsky (2009), actually living abroad, anywhere, measurably boosts creative thinking.

Maybe it’s a good thing that I’m staying in this country for now. Perhaps I can help others think more critically.

How Is My Math Thesis Going?

Speaking of other matters, my progress on my master’s thesis in mathematics is picking up speed. If all goes well, I’ll be wrapping it up soon and sharing it here.

Especially for my dedicated fans, I’ll provide the luxe version. Offering details about the beverages that kept me company as I wrote the next paragraphs.

On a different note, has anyone seen studies about the health benefits of Coca-Cola? I haven’t personally, but I’d like to mention that beyond the negative effects like damaging teeth, there might be some positives. According to Malik and colleagues (2010), sugar-sweetened drinks clearly raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Over the years, I’ve noticed a link between the amount of Coca-Cola I drink and the frequency of minor colds and illnesses. It’s got me wondering if there might be some kind of antiseptic effect at play.