WIR-010 | Levi Harris

`WIR-011`: [11-16-25-11-22-25]

Previous action items

Action Items

1. Complete drafts of all written materials for 12/1 batch of PhD deadlines; post proof of completion
2. COMP790.183: Complete HW I
3. COMP790.150: Complete HW II
4. Confirm we have no end-of-semester conflicts; post proof of completion

AI.1

GDrive Folder

AI.4

COMP790.173: spoke with instructor
COMP790.183: spoke with instructor
COMP790.150:

Work completed

Date	DOTW	Classes	Meetings	Work Completed
11-16-25	Sunday	None	None	[LOG] WIR [LOG] Housing [PhD] Drafts
11-17-25	Monday	2.5 HRS	0.7 HRS	[PhD] Drafts [ACA] Homework
11-18-25	Tuesday	2.5 HRS	1.0 HRS	[PhD] Drafts [LOG] CSSA newsletter [PhD] Misc emails [ACA] Homework
11-19-25	Wednesday	2.5 HRS	0.7 HRS	[PhD] Drafts [LOG] Misc emails [RSR] LinkedIn post
11-20-25	Thursday	2.5 HRS	0.7 HRS	[ACA] Homework [PhD] Create job talk [LOG] Update calendar
11-21-25	Friday	None	1.0 HRS	[PhD] Drafts [RSR] LinkedIn post [LOG] Calendar updates
11-22-25	Saturday	None	None	[TA ] Grade [ACA] Homework [LOG] Review resumes

Reflections

As adults we run an empire of one: a little kingdom of our own that demands constant attention and scrutiny. Some much of my life now is spent managing my network, keeping track of details of peoples lives, etc, and is in so many ways something far evolved from I imaged grad school would be life. But personally, I love it. And I want to get better. Reflecting upon this week I realize that we missed several opportunities to take extra initiative and correspond, correspond, correspond. As we enter the homestretch of PhD applications, its vital that we stay on top of things and maintain the connections we fostered earlier in the year. As a general rule, we should be accustomed to sending out far more correspondence than we currently produce on a daily basis.

One observation I have made during the past week is that when writing my SOPs, the first 800 words always seem to come to me far easier than the final 200 do. (That is, I really struggle to connect my experiences to the work of others, and to deeply understand researchers at a glance). It is so critical that we be able to connect in this way. To, when required, quickly understand the substance of another person and find the ties that bind you together. Because I believe it is possible, honestly, to forge a genuine connection between any two people provided that one person understands another person deeply, and moreover has the confidence required to make your first interaction a pleasant one.

Concretely, we have a lot of work to do. Our first batch applications is due on 12/1. The culmination of years of work awaits us less than 10 days into the future. If there was ever a time to feel on edge, this is it! For six years I ran track and field, and I believe anyone who has shared in that experience knows the feeling of hearing the bell lap ring. There is nothing quite like it. It marks the end of fear and another force takes over. It can feel as if you’ve left your body as some other will enters; a simple thought: “close”, and the rest is automatic. That is how I feel now. I know what I have to do and I have absolutely no doubt or fear that it will get done… until next week!

Looking forward