How buying groceries for the first time in a new country is similar to starting an academic writing project (like an article or a dissertation):
A couple days ago I, along with my wife and son, moved to Odense, Denmark to join the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) as a postdoctoral researcher.
We don't know any Danish and we have never been to Denmark before.
We don't know any Danish and we have never been to Denmark before.
Yesterday, my wife and I went to buy some groceries and when we came back, I kept wondering how buying groceries was similar to starting an academic writing project.
There is a tram stop near our apartment, so we thought we'd take the tram and go to the nearest grocery store.
We walked down to the stop and realized we couldn't take the tram.
We didn't have any tickets and we couldn't buy them at the stop either.
We walked down to the stop and realized we couldn't take the tram.
We didn't have any tickets and we couldn't buy them at the stop either.
We learned we could buy tickets online.
We took out our phones and realized we didn't have any internet because we hadn't bought a local SIM card.
This is like starting a writing project when you don't know how or where to find any available resources.
We took out our phones and realized we didn't have any internet because we hadn't bought a local SIM card.
This is like starting a writing project when you don't know how or where to find any available resources.
We decided to walk.
We didn't know how or where we'd find a store, but we started walking.
We didn't know how or where we'd find a store, but we started walking.
We didn't worry about finding the most *efficient* way of going to the store.
We knew if we walked in a direction β any direction β we'd find some sort of a store.
And we did.
We knew if we walked in a direction β any direction β we'd find some sort of a store.
And we did.
It took us twenty-five minutes before we found a Coop 365discount store.
"Seems like Aldi," I said to my wife.
Now walking to the store wasn't an efficient way of commuting but it was quite *effective.*
We reached the store.
"Seems like Aldi," I said to my wife.
Now walking to the store wasn't an efficient way of commuting but it was quite *effective.*
We reached the store.
When you're starting a writing project, you can't worry about finding the most efficient way of doing things (like looking up relevant literature or taking notes).
If you try to be efficient at this stage, you'll paint yourself in a corner. You won't accomplish much.
If you try to be efficient at this stage, you'll paint yourself in a corner. You won't accomplish much.
Your priority at this stage should be to find out a way that's *effective* β a way that gets you started.
It doesn't matter if things are super-slow at this stage.
What matters is that you start.
Start anywhere and keep moving.
It doesn't matter if things are super-slow at this stage.
What matters is that you start.
Start anywhere and keep moving.
Look up one (just one) article/book that's related to your project.
Start reading it. Start taking notes.
This article may prove to be partially, or even completely, irrelevant to your project.
That doesn't matter at all.
Start reading it. Start taking notes.
This article may prove to be partially, or even completely, irrelevant to your project.
That doesn't matter at all.
As my wife and I browsed through the aisles, we realized almost all products were labeled in Danish.
My wife carefully reads labels before buying things. But she couldn't do much since she didn't know any Danish.
My wife carefully reads labels before buying things. But she couldn't do much since she didn't know any Danish.
We asked the store assistant who like most people in Denmark spoke English fluently.
This was like discussing your project with a colleague.
This was like discussing your project with a colleague.
We relied on our experiences of going to American and Pakistani grocery stores.
Our knowledge of languages like Arabic and Urdu also proved helpful.
Sugar is sukker in Danish, which is quite similar to the way its pronounced in Arabic (Ψ³Ϊ©Ψ±) and Urdu (Ψ΄Ϊ©Ψ±).
Our knowledge of languages like Arabic and Urdu also proved helpful.
Sugar is sukker in Danish, which is quite similar to the way its pronounced in Arabic (Ψ³Ϊ©Ψ±) and Urdu (Ψ΄Ϊ©Ψ±).
But despite all our intercultural competence and proficiency in multiple languages, we were stumped when we were buying flour.
All flour bags were labeled in Danish and we couldn't figure out what was maida (refined white flour) and what was atta (wholesome wheat flour).
All flour bags were labeled in Danish and we couldn't figure out what was maida (refined white flour) and what was atta (wholesome wheat flour).
At this point, it didn't matter what we bought as long as we bought something.
We'd have to buy to figure it out.
This is like being unsure of which direction to proceed in when you start a writing project.
We'd have to buy to figure it out.
This is like being unsure of which direction to proceed in when you start a writing project.
Start moving in a direction β any direction. Change course if it doesn't work out.
And that's what we did.
We ended up buying refined white flour when we meant to buy wholesome wheat flour.
But that's okay.
We learned what what we didn't want.
And that's what we did.
We ended up buying refined white flour when we meant to buy wholesome wheat flour.
But that's okay.
We learned what what we didn't want.
As we filled our shopping cart, we kept an eye on how much it would end up weighing since we had to walk back home.
We didn't buy many things that we needed because we wouldn't be able to carry them.
This is like keeping an eye on the deadline.
We didn't buy many things that we needed because we wouldn't be able to carry them.
This is like keeping an eye on the deadline.
You can't include everything you *want* to in your project.
You won't be able to meet the deadline this way.
Give yourself a deadline first and work backwards from there.
Figure out how much you can carry before you start filling your shopping cart.
You won't be able to meet the deadline this way.
Give yourself a deadline first and work backwards from there.
Figure out how much you can carry before you start filling your shopping cart.
We were able to carry the two bags of groceries that we bought and walk back home.
On our way back, we stopped here to take a photo to guide us in the future.
The street in front goes to our apartment, and the street to the right (not in photo) to the store.
On our way back, we stopped here to take a photo to guide us in the future.
The street in front goes to our apartment, and the street to the right (not in photo) to the store.
This is like noting down what works for you in a given project so you can replicate it in your future projects.
If you're starting a writing project like a journal article or a dissertation, it doesn't matter how or where you start as long as you start.
Start writing.
Keep writing.
Start writing.
Keep writing.
One last thing: the best thing about this analogy is it explains the process of academic writing as something as mundane as buying groceries.
You never say, you'll do groceries when you feel inspired.
You don't need any inspiration to start writing either.
You never say, you'll do groceries when you feel inspired.
You don't need any inspiration to start writing either.
Found this thread helpful?
1. Scroll to the top and retweet the first tweet to share it with your friends who will be starting their projects in the new year.
2. Follow me @MushtaqBilalPhD for regular motivation and tips on academic writing.
1. Scroll to the top and retweet the first tweet to share it with your friends who will be starting their projects in the new year.
2. Follow me @MushtaqBilalPhD for regular motivation and tips on academic writing.
After we were done with the groceries, I walked 2km to the Central Station and bought a travel card.
There's a tram every 7.5 min, and the tram stop is 5 min from my apartment. Now I can go pretty much anywhere in the town.
There's a tram every 7.5 min, and the tram stop is 5 min from my apartment. Now I can go pretty much anywhere in the town.
AndrΓ© De Shields said it best, "Slowly is the fastest way to go where you want to be."
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