My name is Mattéo, I am a PhD candidate and here is my summer journey. After taking my candidacy exam in spring, I was both relieved and worried. Relieved, because it's always when the stress of exams lifts that the blue days start to set in. Worried too, because for the first time, I was left without a clear structure. No classes to take, no courses to give. I had a few summer duties, but my future semesters looked like sea in the morning: wide, calm, but without a clear end. To read and to write, a necessary leitmotiv if I wanted to take the path of academic success.
This period was particularly hard to navigate as my research also took a drastic shift. I was done studying to please, done taking exams for grades. I finally wanted to assert who I was, and the kind of stories I wanted to give the world to read. Therefore, this paragraph couldn't be complete without mentioning Professor Toth. I'd like to express my gratitude to her as she was a supportive guide who really tried to understand my intellectual inquiries. We met on a couple of occasions, and exchanged ideas, names, and works, which will certainly find their way into my future dissertation.
I believe in a thesis made of lived experiences–not everything in a book can capture the complexity of our lives. The inspiration to become a little more myself every day. So for all this time we shared this summer, for all the exciting opportunities presented, and for showing me how to inspire future students myself, I'd like to thank you, Professor Toth.