Merlin Star's Website

Ever since I got accepted into a PhD program, I’ve been doing a mini challenge.

Every time I read a paper that is really well done, impresses me, or just made my day, I’ve made myself email the authors to thank them on the writing.

I get really nervous about complimenting folks, so this is one way I am helping to reduce my anxiety both about emails and about compliments. To my surprise, academics like being complimented on their works and for others to see their works. Don’t ask why I made that assumption, clearly I was wrong.

Anyways, it has been helping me email other folks, if only to send some genuine positivity their way to a random stranger who will likely never encounter them again.