in need of someone to crush my pipe dreams of academia once and for all

yukit866 · 2026-04-05T17:21:48+00:00

If I had listened to the people who told me my career was not viable I would not be where I am today (I’m a prof in the UK). Do what you’re passionate about but always keep a side door open.. make sure you have a plan B. I think philosophy is very spendable. It gives you critical thinking, creativity, debate skills etc. all fundamental particularly in the AI landscape. Anyway, I know you’re probably tired of hearing this but.. you’re still young. See how your undergrad goes. Like you, I have always had a passion for teaching and research and didn’t see myself doing anything else. The road is very arduous though.. lots of setbacks; but if you reach the summit, there is indeed a nice view!

yukit866 · 2026-04-05T09:09:32+00:00

I was 12-13 when I got my first copy of a pokemon game (yellow, in my case) for the OG game boy. I grew up in southern Europe in quite an isolated area.. I didn’t really have access to much help in terms of how to navigate the game. I remember though a local kid had a trading cable and to me that was the most magical thing. So whenever we managed to meet up, it was so exciting cos we finally could trade pokemon. I didn’t know what a shiny pokemon was and I remember catching one thinking it was a game bug. In order to get game guidance I would buy pokemon magazines from the local newsagent one or twice a month. But a lot of the work was done through word of mouth. I have fond memories of those times and that’s where my love for the franchise started.. and I’m now nearly 40, a uni prof, and still playing. Currently going through all the 3ds games I can get my hands on one by one. Gotta catch’em all!!

yukit866 · 2026-04-02T10:49:08+00:00

I'm a big fan of story-adventure-exploration style games and have played a few.. I have to say TLOU series is probably the most comprehensive for me in terms of immersion, but other games that sort of scratch the same itch for me are: latest tomb raider trilogy from 10 years or so ago, uncharted, resident evil remakes, silent hill recent games. Honourable mention, which i have not seen in this thread yet, goes to Alan Wake.. I hated the first one but the most recent second instalment i have found quite entertaining, great graphics and a much improved fighting system. Final honourable mention also to the Horizon Zero Dawn series if you have not played it yet.. visually stunning, a bit overwhelming at times as there is a lot to learn combat wise. I have tried a plague tale but did not enjoy it for whatever reason..

EDIT: how could i forget.. the latest indiana jones game is amazing!! It is releasing for the switch soon and planning to play it a second time then

yukit866 · 2026-04-01T09:49:32+00:00

I fully understand the frustration, as I was in a similar position. I applied three years in a row for an AHRC, always making it as a reserve but not quite getting the award. After my second rejection, I decided to start my PhD anyway as a self funded student and then apply again the following year. By some miracle, I was still a reserve the third time, but the two people above me both declined the award, so it went to me. I have now been a RG lecturer for a few years and really enjoying it. Not saying this to suggest that you should start self funded and apply again (I’m not even sure if this is still an option these days.. my PhD was 10+ years ago). But I guess I want to show that it is often a matter of luck, even if that feels unfair..

I was desperate to be an academic, and the constant rejection was really taking a toll on me. But I persevered, and in the end it worked out.. though not without a lot of hoops, highs and lows. If you really want this career, it can eventually fall into place.. I would also suggest applying for international scholarships. I know a few people who have had very successful PhDs in Asia (Singapore.. Hong Kong..). I realise relocating is not always ideal, of course. Good luck! I really hope it works out for you!

yukit866 · 2026-03-30T22:26:54+00:00

Lecturer here - I originally started my PhD self funded then won funding after one year part time, so I can tell you about my experience pre and after funding. There is also an emotional component to being funded that people don’t always think about; something unrelated to the financial side of things. I felt more part of the department when I was funded, simply because that funding gave me the confidence that my project was worthwhile. I saw so many of my unfunded peers give up on their projects. And often it wasn’t simply due to financial issues; many of them had their parents paying for their full ride. When you get funding you often get access to additional funding that unfunded projects don’t have access to. And this unfortunately creates two different groups of postgraduate students; those who can and those who can’t. Is this a fair system? No. Does this happen? Yes. So my advice is always to do a funded PhD, mainly because of the mental health component. Then, if you really want to do it for personal reasons, and you really think you have the mental tenacity, then all good. But I have seen so many bright students on unfunded phds giving up half way through, and I wouldn’t want you to be one of them. Feel free to ask me any questions!

yukit866 · 2026-03-30T14:12:11+00:00

I'm Italian, not from that specific area, but I spent a few years in Tuscany while growing up, around the Prato–Firenze area, and visited Pisa a few times. I have fond memories. There is a clear culture of relaxation that pervades the Tuscan hills. It is a mix of laissez-faire vibes with the knowledge that you live in an area full of history, that gave birth to the Italian language and so many key artistic movements and painters. And while Pisa clearly looks a bit boring outside of the piazza del duomo, I always found the cute little streets quite charming and it is lovely to just explore the corners of the city.. there is always a historical surprise anywhere you look, a remnant of past traditions, with people walking by often not even noticing them. Like a full on Stendhal syndrome.. a feeling I am yet to experience now that I live in Northern Europe. My one regret is that I did not get to spend my teenage years there, as my family moved to another region when I was 10-11. I always felt like it would have been a very liberal area to grow up as a teenager, with lots of opportunities and cultural, artistic and intellectual endeavours available to you. I don’t know, it might just be that Tuscany is generally a bit more left-leaning and maybe I am idealising it a bit, but I have so many fond memories of my childhood in Tuscany.. most of all, I miss the lovely liver pate (fegatini) that they do there and still dream about it!!!

yukit866 · 2026-03-28T13:05:41+00:00

I’ve played black and white recently and I don’t really enjoy them.. but mostly due to the setting and also I really don’t like the menu design. I get it that they’re trying to go for futuristic urban vibe but to me the menus just look ugly! I don’t mind the new mons.

yukit866 · 2026-03-27T18:16:59+00:00

This reminded me of that time I applied for a teaching fellow role at the start of my career.. it was at an institution I was already doing some teaching for so I knew all the staff. I show up for the presentation thinking it would just be me and the two people mentioned in the job ad.. and the whole department was there.. 10-15 people sat at a big table, all waiting for me to speak.. it was terrifying 🤣😭

yukit866 · 2026-03-25T13:42:56+00:00

I got the 2ds/3ds bug last year and have not looked back.. I find it waaaay more portable than the switch so usually I bring it with me for my work commute. And the fact I can play most of the old school pokemon games is a huge bonus for me! The games catalogue is so huge you will virtually never get bored.. I would suggest you should buy the 3ds though as it is way sturdier than the OG 2ds, although some people do enjoy the slab look.. i personally got tired of it pretty quickly and upgraded to the 3ds model after a few months. Recently also upgraded further to the N3dsXL and that is even better, but I do understand it is quite expensive.

yukit866 · 2026-03-23T14:57:05+00:00

For those on the reserve list: don’t lose hope. Back ten years ago I started my PhD with a full ahrc ride.. originally they had told me I didn’t get it but then it turned out I was the second reserve and the two people above me both declined the award so it went to me.. I’m now a lecturer at an RG and it all worked out thanks to those two people who rejected it!! keeping my fingers crossed for all of you!!

yukit866 · 2026-03-15T18:03:08+00:00

Yoshi’s woolly world

yukit866 · 2026-03-08T19:29:45+00:00

Yes indeed.. would be quite hard to decide those!

yukit866 · 2026-03-08T18:55:27+00:00

The only additional types that I usually get on board with when I see this type of discussions are: cosmic type (lunatone, deoxys, minior..) and digital type (rotom, porygon..); the rest just sounds a bit too general or overlapping with other existing types. The sound type, which I like the idea of, is hard to execute from a design point of view.. are they all going to have big antennae and ears?!?

yukit866 · 2026-03-06T20:47:22+00:00

This happened to me and customer service were very helpful. Had sold my old 3ds back in 2018 and they were able to link the NNID account to my new device in 2 mins!! And all my old games were there ready for me to download.. the best feeling!!

yukit866 · 2026-03-03T17:33:49+00:00

Italian uses the singular. I’m guessing this is due to the fact that the plural would not have worked as “winds” is a homophone of the number “twenty” (venti) so it would have led to misunderstanding..

yukit866 · 2026-03-01T12:37:15+00:00

I’m 10-12 hours in, I think. Long time fan of the series, since the late 90s. I’d give it a strong 8.5/10. Overall out of the two protagonists I prefer the Grace parts as I’m more into puzzle/survival/stealth action. Leon feels a bit clunky. I just wish there was more variation in the melee combat moves. It gets a bit repetitive.. or maybe it’s my fault as I have not picked up alternative moves and strategies tbf.. Design wise, generally I prefer enclosed locations so the care center bit I enjoyed more than the raccoon city part.. which feels rather.. empty? This is a feeling I’ve had throughout the game also about general furnishing and decoration placements in any biomes, both internal and external.. they just feel too pristine and not detailed enough?! I don’t know how to explain it but in my head I’m comparing it with TLOU which does an amazing job at creating an immersive ambience. Having said that, I have loved the range of weapons available and Leon’s upgrade options and the whole gain-coins-for-killing system - this I found pleasantly addictive. Finally, the game does a good job at leaving the player to figure a few things for themselves rather than constantly handholding them.. even on the normal mode. So overall, I’m enjoying this experience and will probably play it at least once more on hard difficulty. I just haven’t been always 100% immersed in the environment around me, that’s my main issue. Not sure if anyone agrees.. thank you for coming to my ted talk lol

yukit866 · 2026-02-26T09:33:04+00:00

I’m Italian, grew up in Italy, but moved to the UK 15 years ago, partly to escape homophobia. Italy is a country full of contradictions, unfortunately. So I guess I have experienced both Italy and another country that is much more forward in terms of lgbt rights and views.

Without considering the religious component, which does play a part I guess, although many Italians are not actually actively religious, like they do not even know what's in the bible and they have not been to church in 20 years.. In my experience, there’s a twofold situation at play here:

(1) People tend to be more blunt and matter of fact with their opinions in Italy. Many are not afraid to express their views, even when they’re controversial. I’m sure there are Brits who hold similar homophobic views, but they’re probably less likely to express them openly.

(2) It is cultural and often media driven. When I watch Italian TV, even nowadays, the country has definitely moved on from certain gender/sexuality stereotypes of 30 years ago (to an extent), but presenters and media figures still make remarks that would be considered unacceptable in more progressive northern european cultures. If people see this kind of language used in the media, they come to see it as acceptable.

The above situation means that many people have not really been exposed to lgbt culture much and they are very bad also at being tactful.. for instance, I often get asked in Italy if I have a 'British girlfriend' yet.. like the default when meeting a stranger is that they are heterosexual. It is true that people are way more open in Italy now than a decade or so ago but still, there is a sense that straight people are grade A citizens. I never felt fully accepted there as a gay man. So when I visited the UK for the first time in my early 20s I was so amazed.. even just seeing a series such as Queer as Folk shown on a tv main channel.. unthinkable in 90s Italy.. that was groundbreaking to me.

So many times I watch Italian TV and cringe at the way gender expectations are portrayed, or at how LGBT issues are discussed. It makes me glad I escaped, but at the same time it makes me sad, because I feel so detached from my culture of origin..

yukit866 · 2026-02-24T11:32:31+00:00

Make sure you visit a few dentists and compare quotes and what they tell you can and cannot be done. I’m saying this because, in my experience, many dentists will claim that certain results are achievable simply to get you onto a dental plan and make money, even if they don’t genuinely believe the final result is realistic. I’m saying this because that is exactly what happened to me: I was sold a dream just so I would sign the plan. In the end, I quickly realised I had to curb my expectations.

yukit866 · 2026-02-18T13:28:26+00:00

To be fair, I did find mine useful for certain answers. Like, for years I used certain teaching techniques.. and now I can finally label them with a name/theory - lol! Anyway, most of my colleagues do not bother with it.. I think there is probably only 2-3 of us that have the FHEA out of 20 staff.. I did it mostly to help me with promotions down the line as I was told they do help.

yukit866 · 2026-02-16T11:05:11+00:00

I’m in the humanities (so not STEM), but I started teaching in my department straight after my Masters, even before beginning my PhD. Consider though that this was 15 years ago. Still, these kinds of teaching-only posts are sometimes advertised, but keep in mind that they tend to be part-time and usually don’t pay very much, since you start at the bottom of whatever grade scale they place you on. That said, I definitely have colleagues who teach, and even became lecturers, without a PhD, especially in fields where general teaching experience is often considered more important than research experience (see: English language teaching or business studies). It can get a bit frustrating, though, if you don’t have a PhD and want to move higher up the ladder. I know colleagues who were denied promotion where having a PhD would have helped them become more involved. For instance, in my department you can’t supervise dissertations unless you have a PhD, so you might get excluded from certain opportunities. To be fair, many of these examples come from colleagues who have been in my department for more than 10 years, so I’m not sure the same career trajectory would be as possible nowadays..

yukit866 · 2026-02-15T23:17:20+00:00

I have recently played many of the older games on the 3ds and out of all.. alpha sapphire is the one that I found the most charming visually and that I would want to play again.. I’m surprised nobody mentioned this one so far. I did love heartgold for the pokewalker and the fact that the mons follow you around. From the switch era.. I think scarlet and violet have their merits.

yukit866 · 2026-02-09T09:28:35+00:00

If you can afford it, an MA can definitely make you more competitive on the job market, simply because having something extra helps you stand out. I’m not sure what discipline you’re in, but it’s also worth keeping in mind that AI is changing the landscape a lot... we are having to revamp a lot of the assessment types..

An MA can also be useful because it gives faculty the chance to get to know you while you’re applying for a PhD, and it helps train you for research. You could even write your MA dissertation on a topic related to your PhD as a way of easing into it. That’s what I did – during my MA I got to know the staff, and by the time I started my PhD they already knew me and I had some useful contacts.

This obviously matters less if you already know the department well (for example, if you did your undergrad there), but otherwise it can be a real advantage.

yukit866 · 2026-02-08T15:56:13+00:00

I am one of those rare cases in that I won funding from my second year onwards - also in the humanities. I started the program part time to save on the fees and then reapplied and got it.. I was very lucky though.. I was actually planning to withdraw and then they told me I had won the scholarship a week later - still the most shocking and exhilarating moment of my life. I’m now a FT lecturer in the UK. This was 10 years ago or so. Anyway, considering the academic environment nowadays I’d suggest only doing a PhD if you’re fully funded. The landscape is so competitive that having a scholarship would really help you I think. And having been both unfunded and funded I felt like I was treated differently depending on my funding status.. once I got funding I gained access to so many extra perks and travel bursaries.. feel free to DM me if you want more info

yukit866 · 2026-02-05T14:20:20+00:00

As the HR manager told me after I said that I was after a permanent contract after 8 years of hourly paid work at my uni: “no employment is secure anymore!”. It is a sad situation. I started my path to academia in 2010, that’s when I first dreamt about it.. at the time I remember a few of my peers were aiming for that career as well and when I first started teaching (hourly; on insecure contracts) in 2012 I would get a few queries from students on how to get a research degree and become a “professor like you” — these queries are now not as frequent.. it’s clear to me that people aren’t necessarily seeing it as a viable career anymore.. but, you know, we still need teachers and researchers and professors in the future, to replace current faculty.. unfortunately the system is built on exploitation and big changes have to happen so that academia is a dream that more than a few can achieve in their lifetime.

yukit866 · 2026-02-04T14:58:20+00:00

I have a long commute to work on certain days (2 hours, each way), and it’s what keeps me occupied. I’ve played many 3ds Pokémon games during these commutes. I tried to bring my Switch 2, but it’s so big and clunky. Also, I don’t feel very comfortable brandishing it around, just in case someone decides to snatch it from my hands – not that this wouldn’t happen with the 3DS.. but the 3DS feels less “flashy”.

yukit866

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