Marlita: Me and 2022, me and 2023

Reflecting on 2022 and Setting Goals for the 2023

The year 2022 has ended and the year 2023 has finally arrived, made me realize how time flies and how quickly year passed by. It feels like only yesterday I arrived in Czech Republic and registered as a new PhD student, and now I am already in my 2nd year of study.

Like other years, 2022 was also full of challenges. It brought obstacles but also a way to face and solve them. It brought some sadness but also miracles to change them to be happiness. Although we faced many crises; the global pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, the inflation, and energy crisis but we are all survived and could still welcoming the 2023.

Think back to it, 2022 brought me a lot of chances to develop myself. By the encouragement and supports from many beautiful people around me, I was able to adapt myself to Czech culture and build some more confidence to improve myself to another level, professionally and personally. In professional way, I had a chance to join two events abroad. First, the SETAC international conference in Denmark (May 2022), in which I gained more knowledges and idea from many different aspects related to my study topic in micro and nano-plastics. Second, the internship program at University of Geneva, Switzerland (September-December 2022), in which I was awarded a position as an Excellence Scholarship Fellow that gave me an opportunity to learn new knowledges and techniques, especially on bioanalysis technique using asymmetric-flow field flow fractionation (AF4). I also completed my study plan as my target and published an article “Early stage biofilm formation on bio-based microplastics in a freshwater reservoir” as a co-author.

I am so thankful that I have supportive advisor and consultants, prof. Dr. Ing. Miroslav Cernik, CSc., Mgr. Nhung Anh Huynh Nguyen, Ph.D., and RNDr. Alena Ševců, Ph.D. who always guide me to be better day by day, and a very cooperating team at Applied Biology department of CXI.

As an individual, in 2022 I also started doing more hobbies and skill developing activities, such as badminton, hiking, travelling, cooking, and studying foreign languages. I was also able to overcome my fear of water by starting learning how to swim :)

 

What I expect from 2023? Rather than expecting the new year bringing me something, I prefer to welcome the new year by preparing myself for doing some things or change things that did not work in the prior year. Here I would like to share you my new year resolutions:

1. Keep being thankful and stay healthy

Life is full of challenges. I keep reminding myself to always be thankful for what I have and be happy for it. As a saying, a happy heart is the best medicine, when we are happy, we will also be healthy :) But still, we need to take care our health by having good diet and do exercise.

2. Challenge myself to try something new

We will never know what we are capable of, if we never challenge ourselves. Therefore, I always put it in my resolution list every year, to be brave to take on new challenges and try something new. By doing so, I can push myself to climb higher but still aware about the risks and recognize my own limit.

3. Set a good plan and get more of the important things done without delay

I learn from the prior year that I still missed many things, therefore this year I would like to change it by making a good plan, take action immediately and also set some priority therefore more important things can be done on time.

4. Be more discipline and practice a productive procrastination

It cannot be denied that sometimes I still suffer from procrastination by delaying some tasks. But I would like to change it by being more discipline and on the days when I lose motivation to work on my research or study, I would engage myself to some productive activities which still bring benefits to me.

5. Surround myself with positive people and build a good connection

Our surrounding will bring big impacts to us. Having positive people around will keep us stay positive, and exchange a better idea and conversation. I learnt from my internship abroad how important building a connection is. Therefore, this year, I would also like to do more collaboration that will create mutual beneficial especially in my research field. Any of you are interested to work with me on ecotoxicology or micro-/ nano-plastics and the interaction with microorganisms, please feel free to contact me :)

6. Learn new skills

Learning is a lifelong process. I would like to learn new soft skills, like communication, time management, new language and leadership that would develop myself not only as individual but also as a professional.

7. Set clear goals

Set clear goals will help us to move quicker toward our destination. There are some goals that I would like to achieve in my study, career and also personal life this year. Listing them one by one helps me also to figure out the way how to reach them.

Overall, it is important to keep a positive attitude. Whatever the life will throw to us, we should face it positively and creatively. When a way is failed, we can find and create many other ways to reach our goals. As long as we don’t give up, we will eventually reach our goals one day.

Whatever your new year resolutions and goals be, I wish you success and happiness in 2023.

Happy New Year!

Marlita