Wheeew…I missed June and almost July. Well, technically I skipped June, and here we go. Two months bundled into one post. And yes, I need to do better instead of delaying posts until later in the middle of the next month. And for that I apologize 💛
The reason June didn’t get its own blog post is quite simple: I was grateful to make it through every single day of the month, but I didn’t feel like it was eventful enough to deserve a post of its own. So, somewhere in the middle of July, I decided that I would just merge the two months together instead of not posting about it at all. Which means this recap is not going to be particularly chronological. I’m just going to throw things in as they come to me, so I apologize in advance. But honestly, that feels quite appropriate because that is pretty much how these two months felt: a little bit of everything. So, let’s recap away.
The World Cup, Ghana, and a Little Bit of Nostalgia
June was when the World Cup had started, and of course, I followed it. I watched quite a few of the games and highlights, and as someone from Ghana, I was rooting for Ghana. Obviously. But watching the World Cup also made me unexpectedly nostalgic. Growing up, I used to watch football with my dad. Those were such ordinary childhood moments that you don’t necessarily appreciate when you’re living them. And now, being miles away from home, I realized that I don’t get to recreate those childhood memories with my dad or my family in the same way anymore and sadly maybe never will. So there was something emotional about watching the games this time around. Ghana’s first game wasn’t particularly memorable, but I remember the moment we scored that goal late in the game. I was so proud! The game itself wasn’t the best, but hey — a goal is a goal…duh💁🏿♀️. The Ghana vs England game was another one I followed closely, and while there were definitely some frustrating moments, I was still proud of the team. And of course, when Ghana isn’t playing, I support the other African countries. Well… almost all of them. I’ll leave that there. 😂
But yes, seeing African countries compete on such a big stage always makes me proud. There’s something about watching people from your continent represent home that just feels uniquely different especially when they perform unexpectedly phenomenal. Morocco, Egypt, Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire (the only African country I have visited by the way), Senegal…such great great unfomidable teams and I could be nothing but proud.My Mentorship Program Begins
One of the biggest things that happened during these two months was the start of my mentorship program. It officially began on June 22nd, and I was honestly nervous. A LOT of preparation went into it.
I had to build slides, prepare notes, structure the sessions, and figure out how to explain my research in a way that would actually be useful and understandable to undergraduate students.
The whole point of the program wasn’t just for me to talk about my research. The students were supposed to learn from my work, understand the research process, and eventually develop projects of their own. The program would culminate in a poster presentation, which meant they had to choose a project, work on it, run experiments, troubleshoot problems, analyze their results, and present their work. I was initially assigned three students.
Unfortunately, one of them had to drop out because of immigration-related issues that couldn’t be resolved in time. So I ended up working with two students.
And honestly? I had such a great time. They picked their projects, I guided them, they ran into experimental hiccups (because of course they did 😂), and we worked through them together. It was genuinely rewarding to watch their ideas turn into actual projects.
A Tiny Glimpse Into Academia
Interestingly, this mentorship experience also gave me something I hadn’t really thought about before. I often get asked:
“After your PhD, where do you see yourself? Academia or industry?”
And I’ve always known that being a professor involves so much more than simply teaching. There’s research, writing papers, writing grants, supervising students, preparing lectures, developing courses, serving on committees, and a million other responsibilities. But this mentorship program gave me a tiny glimpse into just one piece of that world: teaching and mentoring.
I got to prepare slides. I got to explain concepts. I got to guide students through research. I got to watch them struggle with something, figure it out, and eventually produce something they were proud of. It was only a tiny fraction of what an academic career looks like, but I am grateful for the exposure.
And now I’m even more curious about industry.
I’ve been in school for almost seven years (this is between my master’s and PhD on condition that I finish my PhD in five years). By the time I finish my PhD, I will have spent a very long time in academia. So, honestly, part of me wants to purge all things academia from my system for a little while. 😂
I would love to get an internship and experience industry firsthand. Not because I’ve completely ruled out academia, but because I want enough exposure to make a realistic comparison between the two.
I’ve now had a tiny glimpse into academia beyond being a student. Maybe an internship will give me a tiny glimpse into industry too. Then I can decide what makes sense for me. Fingers crossed.
The End of the Mentorship Program
The mentorship program officially wrapped up at the end of July. And what a beautiful way to end it. We had our poster presentations, took pictures, and celebrated the students’ work.
One of my students’ parents even came to see our poster with their family. That was such a full-circle moment for me.
To see the students standing beside something they had worked on, explaining it and sharing what they had learned — I was genuinely happy and proud. It reminded me that sometimes you don’t fully appreciate the impact of something until you see the finished product.
And I am really grateful that I got to experience this.
A Writing Retreat in the Hamptons
July also took me back to the Hamptons for another writing retreat. This was my second writing retreat, and technically, I was supposed to spend most of my time writing. But of course… Research had other plans. I had a paper deadline coming up, and my experiments were not behaving the way I wanted them to. So instead of spending all my time writing, I ended up splitting my time between running experiments and working on the paper. Because apparently, experiments don’t care that you’re at a writing retreat.😂 Still, I made the most of my time there. Oh, I almost forgot. I went for an Italian jazz festival while at the Hamptons too. Truly an experience. And also woke up at 3:45 to go watch the sunrise at Montauk.
Cooper’s Beach — Three Days in a Row!
One of the best parts of being in the Hamptons was going to Cooper’s Beach. Apparently, it’s considered one of the best beaches in the United States, and I completely understand why.
I went three days in a row. THREE. And I absolutely loved it. For me, the beach isn’t necessarily about doing anything spectacular. I like sitting there. Reading a book. Dipping my feet in the water. Listening to the waves.
Feeling the breeze. Watching the while the place where ocean touches the sky forms – a true sight to behold, I live and exist for these moments. And truthfully, just being there.
There is something incredibly peaceful about sitting by the ocean and allowing yourself to be still for a while. I actually want to do more of that before summer ends. I want to spend hours at the beach with a book, listening to the sound of the water crashing and washing over the shore.
There is something about the ocean that feels refreshing and somewhat therapeutic in a way I can’t quite explain
And Then There Was Fishing
And exactly a week after spending 3-days in a row at Cooper’s beach, I went back again and this time it was….wait for it…..fishing! Initially, I had signed up because the activity was advertised as something involving shark watching. Apparently, though, it wasn’t shark season.
So that plan changed very quickly. 😂 Instead, it became more of an educational fishing experience. Not quite what I had expected, but still fun. And honestly, I’m glad I went.
Sometimes the spontaneous, slightly unexpected experiences end up being the ones you remember. And of course who drives almsot an hour at the Hamptons and misses a trip to Cooper’s beach, not me. After the fishing expedition, I made my way to Cooper’s beach for the fourth time in 10 days!
The Paper That Keeps Moving
Of course, I can’t write a recap without mentioning my paper. The plan was originally to submit to the privacy, security, and policy conference we had been considering, but the paper wasn’t ready.
So that submission was pushed back. Now, I’m hoping to submit to USENIX Security. The abstract deadline is August 18th, with the full paper due around August 25th. And based on the progress I’ve made so far, I am actually feeling confident about it. This would also be my first paper submission of the year, so I really want to get this one across the finish line. Once that is done, I have another paper coming up in October.
So the plan is basically:
Finish this one. Clear my desk. Breathe. Then start the next one which is due in October with implementation literally complete.
At least, that’s the plan. I hope this paper eventually and finally finds a home, I mean these two upcoming papers.
Solo Summer & Learning to Be My Own Company
This summer looked different from the last two. Usually I’d travel to Canada to see my brother or take a trip somewhere with friends. This year, I’m in the middle of my green card application process, which means no international travel — so everything has been domestic, close to home, and mostly solo.
At the start of the summer I made myself a list of things I wanted to do alone. Just me.
A solo dinner at a nice restaurant.
The movies by myself.
Visit the Old Westbury Gardens.
Run a race.
Go to the beach
Some of these I’ve checked off. Some are still in progress. But I’m genuinely glad I made the list, and I’m glad I’m working through it.
There’s something I’ve been sitting with this summer, this shift in how I relate to doing things alone. For a long time, there was a tendency to outsource my joy. I’d love to do this, but only if someone comes with me. And if nobody can come? Then it doesn’t happen. I’ve been consciously unlearning that. I’m learning to enjoy my own company. To sit with myself, go places by myself, and let the experience be full without needing someone else to complete it.
This isn’t sadness. This isn’t isolation. I’ve been living this way for years now, and it really is just adjustment — choosing yourself, showing up for yourself, not waiting on someone else to make your joy happen. And if a friend is around and wants to join? Even better. But if not, well, I’m still going – it gotta happen!
Making the Most of This Summer
I know summer isn’t over yet, but it is slowly coming to an end, And when I look back at June and July, I’m grateful.
Grateful for life. Grateful for the mentorship experience. Grateful for my students. Grateful for the opportunity to travel locally. Grateful for the beach. Grateful for the little solo adventures. Grateful for the ability to keep going even when things don’t go exactly according to plan.
And I still have a few things I want to do before summer officially ends.
But most importantly, I want more beach time. Give me a beach, a book, the sound of the waves, and a few hours of uninterrupted peace. That’s honestly all I want.
Looking Ahead to August
What I want most from August is simple: get this paper out by the 25th. That’s the priority, the goal, the thing everything else is organised around. After that, I’ll catch my breath and shift to the next one. And somewhere in there, I’m hoping for a few more hours at the beach — book in hand, feet in the water, just being.
June and July weren’t the loudest months. But they unexpectedly full in their own quirky and weird way, and I’m grateful for every single day I made it through them.
Thanks for sticking around. See you at the end of August. Love you. 🥂
