Update on keltingmeith's life, and why I didn't help more with exams

[keltingmeith]

Not a sad post - no content or trigger warnings required. Unless you really hate goodbyes. Then, I guess CW: goodbyes.

I'm honestly really sorry I didn't help more on the lead-up to exams - after a while, it felt like I was the only one helping out on the chemistry boards. Not because others couldn't or didn't want to, of course, but because I was spending way too much time on here and jumping on every question the moment it appeared - talk about unfair volunteering opportunities. Similarly in maths, but thankfully there were lots trying to help still (special shout out to S_R_K - absolutely stellar person, lots of respect, great at giving help, and I don't see enough of their posts getting upvotes. Seriously, just go through their history and find one post that isn't absolute fire, I dare you.), so I think everyone still had plenty of help coming up to exams.

The reason I didn't help isn't because I didn't want to (but reminder: any help given on the forums is the help of volunteers. Don't be rude to us, don't expect us to help you, don't get mad if we don't help - we're doing it because we like to help), but because I was too busy.

Before now, I was doing a PhD - and these things are tough. I was spending 6-9 hours a day working in a lab, usually shining lasers at weird, new chemicals to watch them glow, but also a lot of time at a computer running programs to analyse data. It's a lot of work, but there were two really nice things about it that meant I could contribute to the forums - 1. I had evenings to me. I didn't have to study on the evenings, or the weekends, those were well and truly "me" time. Like working a normal job. (don't ask about the pay, though. Technically, it was below minimum wage. Yikes.) 2. When you're waiting for software to run, that shit takes a while. Very easy to just take a quick break to answer a maths question, then to re-open excel/other program and go, "ah, you're done". This meant I could do a lot of helping on AN. But recently, something changed. I noticed a lot of people loved insanipi's updates on what real science was like, and would love to contribute my own experiences if people are interested, but hers are just a bit more interesting to people I think because it's in relevant and new bioscience that you were potentially studying in high school, whereas my stuff comes from the less interesting and less accessible parts of recent and not-recent Nobel prizes.

Science research and academia in Australia is dying, it is not a field you can get into unless you're hyper-committed and willing to spend some time overseas doing, potentially forever. I have no ties to a specific place, but I was not hyper-committed. I cared more about teaching my classes than I did about doing my research. So I took a long, hard, look at myself, and realised - "if I'm not committed enough to doing science research, and I'm really enjoying teaching, why am I in a science degree and not a teaching degree?" So I finally decided to take the plunge, and applied for a teaching program.

I applied for the same program last year and didn't get in - but back then, I did it just to see what happened. Didn't get in, is what it is. But this year, I took it a bit more seriously - I decided that if I didn't get accepted this time, I would drop out of my PhD anyway and begin a Masters of Education. But this year, I was accepted into a placement-based teaching programme. I won't name it for fear of allowing people to easily link my personal profile to my internet profile, but those who know of it will likely be very aware of what one I'm talking about (also, please don't probe in public about it - if you're interested, DM me instead).

This program is sending me to teach at a school in another location to where I currently live, and I'll be teaching next year. No, I do not have a teaching qualification. I have half a PhD (which counts for the same as 0% of a PhD) and honours degree in science and mathematics. As a part of the program, I will be concurrently enrolled in a masters of teaching program. For the next two years, I will be teaching maths and science, while learning to be a teacher at the same time.

As an acknowledgement of how tough this actually is, the program actually begins the masters education at the end of the year before you teach. It's a 6 week intensive program, and by intensive, they mean intensive - 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, it is expected that I'm undertaking some form of education to prepare me for the next 2 years, and by the end of this year, I'll have already completed 25% of the masters degree.

And it's tough. It's toughness that I signed up for, and I'm coping, and I feel I'm doing quite well. But when I'm working 60 hours a week, there's not much time to do other things. All of a sudden, that 1 day a week is super important for me time, and so far - that's meant just sleeping constantly, love me some good sleep catch-up. And during those 60 hours, I don't have work that I can quickly disengage from to answer quick questions.

So, that's why I wasn't able to help with exams - because I'm back at uni, doing coursework, and it's intense. And from next year, my life will be teaching constantly, and when I'm not teaching, I'll be doing more learning. And when I'm not doing those, I'm probably not going to want to spend my spare time doing more teaching. Maybe I will be around, but more likely I'll want to veg out to Netflix and play the next level of Mario, because I'll probably only have the time for 1 level per week (and by that, I mean Mario Maker length levels, not Odyssey length levels).

Maybe I'll come back and start up a journal to discuss things, but I probably won't so that I can keep my private life, private. Who knows, time will tell. I love this community, and I love what it stands for, but definitely feel like there's not enough room for it to be as prevalent in my life next year.

So, best luck to all, hopefully I still find time to pop round and see you, and sorry again to those who maybe didn't get the answers they wanted or needed before an exam

[Bri MT]

Thank you so much for everything you have done for the forums, the community.

As you would know, you are doing an altruistic thing that is going to continue to help to help young science & maths students - recognising not to spread yourself too thin is a strength. I've seen many, many posts from you where empathy, knowledge, and experience shine through and I'm sure that that's something that will be highly impactful for your students. Hopefully occasionally you do have time and energy to pop back in at times (even if not to answer subject questions) but whether or not that happens we'll be cheering you on from the sidelines.

All the best & thank you also for introducing me to mass^3 - who knows what would be different had a new global challenges student not been told to get involved.

(Also, here's a link to S_R_K's posts for anyone who wanted to check them out)

[keltingmeith]

Thank you so much for everything you have done for the forums, the community.

As you would know, you are doing an altruistic thing that is going to continue to help to help young science & maths students - recognising not to spread yourself too thin is a strength. I've seen many, many posts from you where empathy, knowledge, and experience shine through and I'm sure that that's something that will be highly impactful for your students. Hopefully occasionally you do have time and energy to pop back in at times (even if not to answer subject questions) but whether or not that happens we'll be cheering you on from the sidelines.

All the best & thank you also for introducing me to mass^3 - who knows what would be different had a new global challenges student not been told to get involved.

(Also, here's a link to S_R_K's posts for anyone who wanted to check them out)

AN may have been altruistic, I don't know if I'd call the next steps I'm taking altruistic - I will be getting paid 0.8 times a normal teacher's salary, after all

And o boy, yeah, don't want to imagine a MASS^3 with a continued no-presence of GC kids. Those were some rough years

[Bri MT]

AN may have been altruistic, I don't know if I'd call the next steps I'm taking altruistic - I will be getting paid 0.8 times a normal teacher's salary, after all

And o boy, yeah, don't want to imagine a MASS^3 with a continued no-presence of GC kids. Those were some rough years

hmm from my understanding you'll be helping in areas that could use the support and going into a field with high burnout etc. and a shortage of appropriately trained people. You don't have to be earning less than min wage to be acting in a positive manner or have great motivations & there are definitely other paths someone with maths & analytical skills could take that would not be driving good.

[keltingmeith]

hmm from my understanding you'll be helping in areas that could use the support and going into a field with high burnout etc. and a shortage of appropriately trained people. You don't have to be earning less than min wage to be acting in a positive manner or have great motivations & there are definitely other paths someone with maths & analytical skills could take that would not be driving good.

Sure, and earning a full time living salary while doing it AND getting a subsidised and highly acclaimed masters degree AND having the Government pay for me to relocate to another state

I mean, probably not the place for the argument, but y'know. Just wouldn't call this altruistic because I am getting a lot out of this, as well.

[Bri MT]

Sure, and earning a full time living salary while doing it AND getting a subsidised and highly acclaimed masters degree AND having the Government pay for me to relocate to another state

I mean, probably not the place for the argument, but y'know. Just wouldn't call this altruistic because I am getting a lot out of this, as well.

That's fair. You certainly know more about what you're doing and your motivations behind it than I do.

I wanted to recognise that you're drawn to a career helping others but it's not my place to put a label on that if you don't want it or feel that it's right.

All the best for it regardless