I have an amazing update to share...
Remember my last article about my super scary interview for a very prestigious scholarship, to undertake a PhD at the University of Cambridge? Well, I've been selected as one of the few lucky candidates to receive it! With an average acceptance rate of a stunningly low 0.3%, this is an achievement I'm very proud of. I guess having that private dance party right before the interview was the right move to make ;)
Writing a new bio
The new cohort of this scholarship will soon be announced publicly. So they sent us a request to submit our bio, explaining our connection to our research topic. This was an interesting task because, as I sat down to write this short piece, I realized that if I put this new bio next to my old/current one, you could easily think that they belong to two different persons altogether. And I absolutely LOVE that (not the bio writing part, because I've always struggled to explain who I am and what I do in a cohesive and concise way). What I love is that, one moment my bio can look like X, and the next, my bio can transform into Y. Tomorrow, I might draft version Z. Because I have the freedom to do so.
You're never stuck. You've not been sentenced for life to a particular set of interests, professions, or hobbies. You can change. Whenever, wherever, and into whomever you are wanting to become. A bio is just a bio, and it's going to be reductive either way. But you can use that to your advantage, by being selective. This is why I have like 8 different versions at any point in time: one for coaching contexts, one for journalistic purposes, one for academic contexts, one for artistic settings, etc... I present myself differently depending on the skills and background I want to highlight to fit a particular context. And I do this very consciously, so it helps me to impact how I'm perceived by others.
So let me repeat this: you're never stuck. You're not sentenced for life to any particular version of your bio.
Feel like you're in need of a rewrite? Do it.
* I don't mean this metaphorically. I mean actually sit down and write a new version of a bio that corresponds to (a particular part of) who you currently are. Look back at past bio's: can you see shifts, transformations, changing angles or focus? And who are you becoming? What does the bio look like of the person you'll be in 6 months from now? *
Let's play a game
Now the next question becomes: what will my PhD research be about? I will give you a few hints to see if you can figure this one out. If you like a good puzzle, then I invite you to play along.
Your clues:
1. I'm switching to a completely new field. I have no previous degrees in this area.
2. Even my closest family and friends didn't see this one coming.
3. Think far off the beaten track.
4. My topic testifies to just how much of a multipotentialite I am.
5. The topic is already mentioned twice on the Smart Rebel website.
6. The University of Cambridge is one of very few places in the world that offers a degree in this topic.
Email me your guess
Submit your guess by replying to this email. I'm very curious to see if you can get (close to) the correct answer...
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