Havilah Nnadozie and Sofia Lazar reflect on their Writing Week experience at Assegaai Trails in February 2024.
Sofia Lazar, an AWaRMN scholar pursuing her MSc in water resources science at the Institute for Water Research (IWR), recently participated in a writing retreat organized by the Center of Postgraduate Studies (CPGS) at Rhodes University. The retreat took place from February 12th to February 15th, 2024. Reflecting on her experience, Sofia found the writing retreat to be an invaluable opportunity for several reasons. Firstly, it provided a space to clear one's mind and set clear goals for academic works. Secondly, the retreat allowed participants to focus on existing thesis or manuscript objectives. Lastly, it facilitated networking and communication with scholars from various university departments. During the retreat, Sofia benefited greatly from the guidance of Prof Sioux McKenna, who shared insights on various aspects related to publishing academic work. Prof McKenna's workshops covered essential topics including article structuring, selecting the appropriate journal for publication, building strong arguments, and understanding the article submission procedure. These workshops proved instrumental in enhancing students understanding of the publication process and equipping them with valuable skills for academic writing.
The student highlights that the importance extends beyond merely publishing an article; it also involves contributing to existing knowledge and being part of a vast community. Sofia's experience also includes interacting with academics from various disciplines, gaining insights into their research topics and the messages they aim to convey. She found herself engaged in discussions both within and outside the academic field, exploring cultural aspects and experiencing the richness of cross-cultural dialogue between North African and South African perspectives.
Havilah Nnadozie, also an AWaRMN scholar based at the Institute for Water Research reflects on her experience.
One statement that resonated with me during one of the writing workshops at the Centre Post Graduate Studies writing retreat at Assegaai trails in February 2024 was "Academic publishing is like walking into a party and joining a conversation with other experts in your field". These writing retreats are a valuable resource for postgraduate students at Rhodes University. I attended the retreat in December 2023 and again in February 2024. The writing workshops provided helpful tips and guidelines for navigating the academic writing process, finding one's voice in academic publishing, and making a success of thesis writing.
The Pomodoro technique, which involves working on a task for a set amount of time and then taking a break, was used during the writing sessions and proved to be helpful in maintaining focus, avoiding distractions, and staying accountable for achieving writing goals.
The location of the retreat at Assegaai was refreshing and inspiring. Being surrounded by nature helped to stimulate creativity, which is an essential part of writing. There were many relaxing activities to enjoy after a productive day of writing. Whether it was a stimulating hike, a refreshing dip in the pool, or simply sitting by the pool to chat with friends while watching the sunset, there was always something to do.
I strongly recommend that postgraduate students, postdocs, and staff who need a conducive environment and motivation to write should consider attending the writing retreats or creating their own safe spaces where they can receive the necessary support and motivation to succeed in their writing.