10 Things I wish I knew before going to Grad School

Hi loves,

Well, the thesis defense has come and gone! I will recap the experience in another post coming soon! I did live stream it, although I never got around to announcing it on here, but if you follow me on social media, you should have seen the announcement! It was saved to my Facebook page, so you can replay and take a look! I refuse to watch it again...hahah!
These last couple of days post defense have been a lot of reflection and stressing out about the things I have to finish up before moving on to the next stage, which includes finishing some experiments with whatever time I have left at UCLA and moving two times.
I'm also showcasing an outfit I put together as a conference or social look - with a blouse and a skirt my aunt sent me from Cyprus! I decided to pair orange with a black, patterned top, but I would also just go with a solid black top!

I wanted to share some tips with you, 10 things I wish I knew before going to Grad School, as I feel like I have a lot of wisdom I can share, and help people with things I had to learn the hard way! I wrote a similar post on ways to take care of yourself in grad school, which you can also check out for some tips!

1. You are among the best of the best. 
Something I struggled with was not being the smartest in the room, and putting myself down for it. In order to even get to graduate school, you had to go thru an interview process, and were hand selected to join a few others in a cohort class for whatever department you are joining. You are among the best of the best. And it's ok to not be THE best. It's impossible. At times I felt stupid for not understanding topics as fast as my classmates, and just know that its ok. Everyone learns things differently and at different rates, with different methods. When I did study groups, others would catch the material fast and I would still not understand it. I studied better on my own.

Conference Fashion Inspo Line Up - Thesis is Near

Hello loves!
I am back again with a new post, this time I'm sharing some of my lusts and wants for conference fashion inspiration! I am done with writing my dissertation and now all that is left is formatting and compiling the chapters together, and I have an over 150 page document!! How's that for 6 years of PHD! I am almost a Dr!! My Dissertation defense is on June 8, but I am not too stressed out about it.
Instead I am trying to pick out what outfit to wear, as I want to look polished and sleek!
I am also presenting at a meeting towards the end of June - I am going to be presenting my latest publication work, for the first time, and I am really excited! It will be after I have my PhD but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to present my work and network!
Well, anyway, here are some of my picks for conference fashion, and I have been a huge fan of dress pants, pretty blouses, and pretty heels/booties. The links are shoppable, so you can easily find the products if you happen to fall in love with a certain product!

I hope to be bringing you more guides like this when I have more time during this summer!

Conference Fashion Inspiration:

What is your favorite blazer/blouse/dress pant combination?
Let me know in the comments below!

xo
Andrea





*Disclaimer, this page contains affiliate links - no change in cost to you if you choose to shop, but any proceeds made go to the maintenance of this blog! :) *

Fitness and Fashion - Conference Looks and Workout Leggings

Happy new week!

Today I'm bringing you a quick post about two things I'm currently obsessed with - Conference/Interview looks and fitness. 

Since I have been interviewing and networking for jobs Post-PhD, I've been really looking at pretty dresses that can be worn during the hotter spring/summer months as well as some really pretty floral prints. I found these three on SheIn - and they fit right in with my current grad student budget. They are long enough and stylish to be acceptable for conferences, networking, and perhaps a more casual interview, when paired with a blazer. 

I have also been so into fitness clothes lately as my life has revolved around working out in order to help deal with stress of dissertation writing, planning March for Science LA, blogging, experiments, and everything else that I have on my plate! As I mentioned in my previous post, I started doing doubles after finishing two months of an insanity program, and I have been seeing really great results!

As a grad student, the last year and a half of making my health (both physical and mental) has been such a great relief and helped me feel more like a normal human being. I have made working out like a required meeting with myself, because without my health, I can't do everything that I want to be doing! I'm also always motivated by new workout clothes, especially affordable and cute leggings. I've been digging mesh panels too, as they allow a peak of skin! Take a look, and they're at a great price.

Conference Looks
Black Scallop Off The Shoulder Ruffle Dress	Navy Flower Print Cutout Back Pleated Dress	Multicolor Floral Cutout Sleeveless Shift Dress

Business Casual - The Interview Dinner Skirt from MakeMeChic

Happy Spring!
Today marks the first day of spring, and here in CA its been pretty nice these last few weeks, although we are expecting some spring showers this week!
I managed to get an second interview for a job next week, and have started writing my dissertation, so it has been a pretty crazy time lately, so I apologize for my lack of posts! I have also set a dissertation date (early June!), so the clock is ticking! I have a couple of outfit posts for this week, but not sure when I will have time to update again after!

Anyway, Today I bring you a business casual outfit to wear to an interview dinner or conference, featuring this High Waist Pleated Skirt from Makemechic.com!
I was very impressed with this skirt, and found it very flattering! It is high waisted and I was worried it wouldn't fit, but it zipped up perfectly! It has an A-line fit, and I am just so happy with the look! It is also only $20, which is a great deal for a quality piece, perfect for a grad student budget! I paired it with a wine floral top I got from Rue 21 at the mall, and some wine colored accessories to complete the look! I loved the pleats of the skirt and found it can be paired very nicely with various tops and colors; very versatile since it is black! I am all about capsule looks, and since I am going to be flying across the country, I want to not have to pack much but also bring pieces that I can mix and match - If I was to wear this skirt for the actual interview I could wear a silk blouse, and some other heels! I would totally wear this skirt and top combo to a conference networking event, poster session, or an interview dinner!

Conference and Interview Looks on a Grad Student Budget - Shein

Hey loves!

Happy February!

It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks since my last post, but I have finally been able to get some more inspiration! I went thru a dark period of helplessness and sadness about current world situations, but I have finally found my way to deal with it, by being active about issues that are important to me... but it is draining my energy!

This weekend I was finally able to recharge and relax, and prepare for an interview for a job post-PhD!

Here is some inspiration for outfits to wear to a conference, interview, formal networking event, whatever, and you can be fashionable while at it! And in addition, they don't break the bank! Thanks SheIn for great deals! I picked dresses, tops, and a lot of blazers - blazers are very versatile, and can be reborn with multiple pieces, so you can get one staple piece and pair with multiple tops and bottoms! This is especially helpful if you are traveling for conferences, minimizes the amount of clothes and outfits to bring! A good blazer is always a good thing to have as a part of a capsule wardrobe! 

These dresses are simple and flattering - with some cool detail like bell sleeves, fun patterns, and special hems! I want all of them in my closet, and with the prices, I'm sure I could afford them!

I really like the detail of the tops, especially the scalloped white top - such a pretty top to pair with a nice pair of jeans or dress pants! Could see myself wearing that to lab or a special event!

Dresses
Bell Sleeve Pencil Dress	Porcelain Print Pencil Dress	Black Scalloped Hem Keyhole Dress

Pearl & Clasp - Beautiful Elegant Earrings

Hey everyone! 

Happy Monday!

I wanted to feature a classic accessory I styled in my fashion post last week - when I styled this MakeMeChic dress, I accessorized with some simple white and blue pieces that I featured, but I wanted to focus on these classic Dangling Freshwater Pearl earrings from Pearl & Clasp.

They have a huge selection of freshwater pearl stud earrings to choose from, but I felt that these dangling earrings were in my style as I don't wear many studs, and these ones were perfect. These little pearls are 5-6 mm and are "A" quality as far as pearls go! They are super pretty and just a classic addition to any outfit, for going out, for lab, or even workwear/conference wear! I even wore these during the holidays, was a really nice and classic look along with simple and dressy outfits!

#BossLady Chic with Romwe - Conference Outfit

Happy Friday!!
It's almost the weekend and what a week it has been!!
With the results from the recent elections, I'm still trying to process the results and what that means for us as a nation and for science.
I am on a twitter party right now for Science Communication, every week called #sciparty, and we are discussing just how important it is for us scientists be able to communicate our science and research effectively to the common person. It is so important we have the skills to be able to explain our findings to everyone, so everyone can understand that without research, we can't make advances to cure diseases and cancer! If you have any questions about research and the importance of funding research, please contact me, I'd love to chat!

Which leads me to this weekend, I am attending an on campus symposium tomorrow, all day, and I am presenting my research at a poster session! I jump at every opportunity to present my work, whether its on campus symposium, national or international conferences! The dress code is business casual, and I am going to wear this Black Floral Print Sleeveless Bodycon Dress from Romwe.com. It is the right length, midi length hitting right at the knee and slightly below, so its not too short, and also covers up on the top!  It is Bodycon style though, which for some might think it will be too tight, but that is why I ordered it a size up in Medium, and I think it fits perfectly. It is not uncomfortable while still showing a silhouette and still being classy! And this floral print is amazing! I am in love with it! I can't wait to present my research in this outfit! It is also a good #bosslady outfit for oral presentations! AH I'm in love!

Going Out/Conference Formal/Social outing Look - Recycling Pieces to make the most of your Wardrobe

Happy Monday!

Today I'm bringing you a new outfit post featuring recycled pieces that you might have seen on the blog before (Ie. in this holiday outfit post HERE). Since I've spent a lot of traveling lately, my bank account is crying right now... so I decided to recycle pieces to create a whole different look!
In this outfit, I wore the bright red lace top I featured  before, with a black bandage mini skirt from Topshop from a few years ago! The outfit was simple and I wore my favorite Nine West heels that I have worn at conferences and are comfy enough to wear for a few hours. This is an outfit you can wear to a conference social (I wouldn't wear this to give a talk, but for getting drinks after the conference is over, I think it's fine!).
The accessories make the outfit shine, and I am rewearing one of my favorite bracelets, the Tassel Bracelet from the Yayoi Collection from Boyajian Trend Gallery, and a rhinestone bracelet from H&M I believe (given to me by my friend Samira!).
I used my little black pocketbook that doubles as a wallet from Express. and I curled my hair using my flat iron. If you are paying attention to my social media, I did cut my hair recently, so this was taken before I cut my hair (and I'm missing my long hair! T_T), but I will have some tutorials soon about styling short hair for the lab!
The best thing about this outfit? I didn't spend a dime, and I created a somewhat different look/look for a different occasion.

Interview Outfit - The Real World seems pretty sweet!

I am in shock that it is almost the end of May! This year is literally flying by, and I can't believe it is almost the end of my 5th year and graduation is in 3 weeks!
I recently had my first interview for a job/post doc after grad school and it was a surreal experience. I have gotten thru three rounds of interviews for the position, and now it is just a waiting game to see if I get an offer! *fingers crossed*
It was awesome to realize I actually am good enough and qualified for the real world. When you are so swamped in your work in graduate school you tend to forget that a real world exists outside! This year has been so difficult and stressful for me, work wise and I think knowing that an end is near has really helped me not stress out so much about the little things! It's all about how you manage stress, and really putting things in perspective. This has really helped me deal with things soooo much better!
Anyway, here is an outfit I had been meaning to post for two weeks now and I am FINALLY getting around to it. This quarter has been so busy and I have barely found time to do anything for myself, and since I finished my workout program at the beginning of the month I kinda fell off track with meals and workouts these last two weeks. BUT! No more, I am getting back on track starting today, with my meals and workouts. I realized I need to make time for myself and I feel strongest and best when I get my workout in!
This is the outfit I wore to my first interview for a big girl job as a research post doc, and I wore this floral blouse my aunt sent me for my birthday (or christmas? for some holiday as a gift, lol), and these dress pants I recently bought from Express, their editor pant, that was a costly $79.99. I bought these at the beginning of April as a last resort because I really needed dress pants that fit for the San Diego conference I went to, and all of my old dress pants wouldnt button..... and so I had to buy a size 8 from Express, and they finally closed. I'm not too concerned with the sizes because every brand is different, so I'm not stressing about having to go up from a 4 to an 8.... Ok - so I wore these same pants at the beginning of April, and when I put them on 2 weeks ago after finishing my work out program and for my in person interview. THEY WERE LOOSE. Too loose! I could easily fit a finger or two at the waist and they weren't hugging my thighs anymore! WOW I was so excited (but sad at the same time, since they were a costly pair) that I am seeing some non-scale victory results, as I weighed myself and the number literally didn't budge. 

Co-chairing a Symposium - Conference Fashion

Hello loves!
I am back with a Conference outfit post!
Sorry for lack of outfit posts, I've been SO scatter brained and swamped since the beginning of the month - I went to a conference in San Diego that I talked about previously, and I co-chaired a Grad Student and Postdoc led session, where I was able to invite two key speakers and selected from the abstracts for student presentations. This is the outfit I wore, it was perfect amount of formal and dressy while still a little casual for drinks for the reception afterward!
I've been a teaching assistant since the beginning of the month and it has been a little (A LOT) stressful, since it has cut up my free time that I can work in the lab. My Tuesday/Thursdays are teaching days, and I have a lot of other commitments such as organizations and other groups I am involved in, so most days I don't find a chance to even sit at my computer! I've been so stressed that I barely find time to sleep nowadays. I'm dreaming of a vacation where I can completely unplug from the world and just relax!
This shirt I received from my aunt as a gift, from Cyprus, the pants are dress pants from New York and Company, simple black heels from Nine West that I've had in my closet, and my large tote back is from Zara.

Conferencing it up - Poster Presentation Outfit

Hey loves!

Hello from San Diego! 

It is officially conference time at the ASBMB meeting, and yesterday I presented my poster and talked some science! I have been attending various talks and workshops all weekend, and it has been a really great experience thus far! I have been on the go since Friday, and my plans were to blog each day, but after a long day at the conference center listening to talks, I get back to the hotel and collapse on my bed! I have been chronicling my day to day outfits on my instagram (go follow me there, @phd_fashionista, to keep up to date), but I thought I would actually write a post about my outfit for the poster presentation today! 

I wore this pretty patterned top/blouse that I got from Express, and I paired it with black dress pants I also bought from Express, called the Editor, I really like the flattering cut of the pants! I tried on a pair of their ankle dress pants and with my body/legs, they actually made me look even shorter! So a bootcut pant is definitely my friend! 

I paired the outfit with the same comfy Nine West heels that I have worn in other outfits (and to be honest they have been worn into the ground, time for a new pair soon!), and some simple accessories. My necklace was a birthday gift from a great friend, Dina from Leafandcrown.com, she hand laser cut the necklace as a part of her new zodiac collection! How cool is that?! my friends are so talented! And I also used my black tote bag from Zara, I love how chic it looks and it is big enough to fit a lot of my things! 

I'm a huge fan of wall art, so when I saw this wall I had to take a photo in front of it!

Conference Style Guide: What kind of Handbag to bring to a Conference

Hi loves!
Since I have been to so many conferences this past year (and still on planning on going to a few more before I graduate), I have become experienced with what kinds of bags work or don't work for carrying your things at conferences without sacrificing style!
I am coorganizing a symposium at the ASBMB 2016 Meeting in San Diego in April, and hopefully attending another conference or two by the summer - so there are a lot of opportunities to network but so many opportunities to be stylish as well!

What do you usually carry with you at a conference?

Summer of the Dress: The Blue Dress

Hello loves!

I am calling this summer the "Summer of the Dress," as you have noticed my last couple of posts have all been dresses (and they will keep coming!).

I fell completely IN LOVE with this Blue Dress I got from eShakti! I ordered it at the same time I ordered the Chambray dress from last week, and it is one of my favorite dresses! It looked rather cute on the website, and I didn't expect it to be this flattering! It is the perfect "poofiness," that makes my waist look small and my legs look long! 

Again, I am reusing pieces I packed with me, in my attempts to "pack light," so I am wearing the same Nine West heels I wore to the conference, and the same gold statement necklace and bangles!  This time I am using my Aldo Purse that I bought a few years ago. I was in love with how the whole outfit came together, perfect for lunch or dinner or even going out for some drinks! It is the perfect summery dress!

Conference Fashion Transition to going out - Chambray dress and accessories part 2

Hello loves!
This is part 2 of the conference fashion post from Tuesday - but now I bring you an easy way to transition this same outfit into an easy going out/drinks/dinner/nightlife post by just changing some accessories!
Trying to pack light, I packed a lot of different accessories, and planned some outfits that I could transition easily by switching accessories, so I could get the most out of my expeditions out into the city without having to go back to the hotel to change! The statement necklace easily fits in my purse and I can carry my blazer! This is my look for the conference happy hour before heading out for dinner and drinks!
By just a simple removal of the blazer and switching the statement necklace, I feel like it looks like a different outfit! The same chambray dress from eShakti and heels from Nine West, and the same fringe purse! I am thinking of wearing my hair up though, since I wear my hair down a lot, and it is hot!

The original business outfit:

Barcelona Conference Fashion - Chambray dress, fringe and a Blazer

Hello from Barcelona loves!

Today I bring you an outfit I am wearing to the conference here in Barcelona! It's been a long day of traveling from LA, and after settling in the hotel room, I decided to check out the convention center, check in to the conference, and sit in for some talks before heading out and seeing some sights and getting dinner!

Since it will be 90 degrees F (~32 degrees C) all week here, I decided to mostly wear dresses to the conference! In order to make the dresses look more professional, I am pairing them with a blazer and some heels! 

I have to present at the poster competition tomorrow, so I will be wearing something similar! I am excited to present my research internationally and get great ideas about my research and other research going on in the community! 

I have been eyeing the chambray trend for a while now, and I finally bought a chambray dress from eShakti. I previously posted about new trends at eShakti and this is one of the dresses I fell in love with!  It is long enough to be sophisticated while providing a flattering look with a sweetheart neckline! I added the plain black blazer  (Steve Harvey Collection) on top to wear inside the convention center, since it is too hot outside to be wearing long sleeves, but sitting in talks all day inside will become a little chilly with the AC! I also wore this fringed black purse I got from Ross - Brand "Perfect Image" (store similar to TJ Maxx), I can't remember the brand, but it was $12 and I have been eyeing this kind of purse for months now (as if you couldn't tell from my posts!). I tried to pack lightly so I brought a few pieces I could match with different outfits, so you will be seeing similar pieces adapted to different things! I have a tendency to over pack, but I was determined to pack smart this time! (I had to pack for both a 4-day conference and vacation!)

Winter/Spring 2015 Outfit Recap and Reflections

Hello lovlies!
Happy Friday and first of the month!
Today I bring you a recap of my favorite outfits since the beginning of 2015, since this past Winter and Spring here in LA (if you believe that LA has seasons, which it does not, so you won't see a great variation), now that it is May and the temperatures are rising (today it was 93 degrees! eek! Good thing I am inside in air condition all day, although it would be nice to enjoy the weather at the beach!)
Ever since I invested in a nicer camera and lens, I have been able to bring you much better quality outfit of the day posts, and I am so in love with the process of blogging, photography, and posting about it. It has become something I look forward to doing, even at the end of an extremely tiring day in the lab. And the blogger community is amazing - I have met so many amazing people in the last few months ever since I started branching out and going to networking events, and I am happy to say that some have become my close friends. It is a great feeling!

April 2015: Twist and Turn Open Back Top by Dina Arrieta

     

See more on Original posts:  1st look and 2nd Look

20 Conference Essentials: A packing list!

Hello everyone!

Today I bring to you a Conference Essentials packing list!

After attending and blogging for the recent conference in Boston, I decided to come up with a packing list to help you prepare for a conference or meeting, for whatever topic it may be, scientific, educational, blogging, etc.! 

I decided to check my bag, so I could fit all of this in a big bag, but you can always scale down for a carry on bag!

ExpBio Day 5 - The Final Presentation

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the lateness of this post, but I was exhausted with all the running around at the end of the conference! I bring you the last post in my series of Conference Fashion posts for the Experimental Biology Meeting I went to in Boston this week! The last day of the conference was Wednesday, and I was presenting my data in a poster session (see last photo of the post!). I was sad to be done in Boston, as I fell in love with the city and the city life. I was also sad the conference was over, as I had learned so much going to all of the talks and interacting with all of these great, intelligent people! 

A lot of people came to my poster, and I was excited because most of the people I saw give talks came to talk to me and hear about my research. I got a lot of great ideas and had some amazing conversations about new research in the field! I am inspired to go back and do more experiments!

I wasn't going to photograph my last outfit, as I had a really hard time deciding what to wear (I changed about 4 times, all too early in the AM before I had to pack my things and check out before setting up my poster at the convention center! can you say STRESS??!). BUT, I am really happy with how my outfit turned out, very professional and sleek! 

I decided I wanted to wear this greenish-turquoise statement necklace from Forever21, so I tried to put together pieces that would be simple and work well with the color and piece! (Statement necklace dictating the outfit for the win!)

Exp Bio Day 4 - #ExpBioFashion

Hi everyone!

Today's post comes to you with some awesome fashion from people who have been attending the conference! I met a lot of great, interesting people at various networking events, and while I felt a little shy to pop out my camera and ask to take photos of people's fabulous outfits, the topic of being a fashion blogger for the conference came up - and I got a lot of positive feed back! 

Being the only one at the conference from my lab and not knowing anyone else attending, I had throw myself out there and just meet others, start conversations, and have a good time. I met a lot of great students presenting their research, not only graduate students but also some undergraduates, in addition to professors and recruiters.

Each night of the conference there was some kind of networking event hosted by various committees, and I made sure to make an effort to attend as many as I could. Not only were there free drinks, but  some good food and company. Worst thing that can happen is I get bored and I can leave. I ended up staying the whole time to each event I went to and had a great time with the people I had met!

I was able to take photos from a couple of fashionable people I had the pleasure of meeting, and they were more than willing to let me take their photo! 

ExpBio 2015: Day 3 - Reppin the Blue and Gold

Happy Monday!
Today is Day 3 of the Experimental Biology 2015 conference here in Boston, MA, and it is getting good!
I woke up early today to head to a Post Translational Modifications Session on Arginine Modifications, and it was great! I learned a lot about the research that is going on in my field, and I got to meet another professor who I have collaborated with/tested some enzyme activity. The session was 2.5 hours long, but it seemed to fly by. Each talk was about 20ish minutes I believe, and there are some really interesting things going on in the arginine modification world! One of the most interesting things I learned is about Arginine Phosphorylation in bacteria! If you are knowledgable about the eukaryotic proteasome degradation system, you know that proteins get marked for degradation by ubiquitination, which then signals shuttling/entrance into the proteasome and then the protein will get degraded.
Apparently, some bacteria, specifically Bacillus subtilis have an arginine kinase, that originally was identified as a tyrosine kinase. First off, I didn't know that arginine could get phosphorylated. Second, this phosphorylation is thought to work as a degradation marker for the proteasome in these bacteria! I did not know about this. The fact that arginine, which is positively charged, can become a bulky entity with now a large negative charge, I guess it just never crossed my mind!
After this session, I attended a bioinformatics session on how to find proteins with unknown function through online database searches and groupings. I learned how to use new online tools that I will check out to learn more about my enzyme and its orthologs!