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"Can't you hear me, S.O.S.?": TLG's PhD study blog!

New blog can be found here: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7614702

26 year old ethnomusicology student (University of London) researching ABBA fandom, seeks TSR peeps to act as cheerleaders as she battles her way through PhD studies. Apply for cheerleading position(s) by following/posting on this thread :biggrin:

A bit about my PhD topic

A bit about my specific PhD project: I am doing an ethnographic study of ABBA fandom in the 21st century :awesome:

(Ethnographic means that there's a practical element to the research, like going to fan meet-ups/conventions and interviewing people, etc, rather than just theorising ABBA based on my own guesswork/conclusions.)

I chose to do this partly because I am an ABBA fan myself, but also because I think ABBA are an interesting case study, since they continue to be part of mainstream culture despite having never reformed. (They have actually turned down $1 billion USD in the past to reform :headfire:

) I figured there must be some interesting things to say about them!

I have been doing participant-observation fieldwork with the UK branch of the Official International ABBA Fan Club, and have interviewed an ABBA biographer, as well as the curator/director of the ABBA Museum in Stockholm. I've also been keeping tabs on Facebook groups revolving around ABBA. So a lot of my work involves hanging round on Facebook. Such a tough life I lead :emo:

A bit about me/some housekeeping rules

A few bits of contextual info about me/my PhD, for those who don't know me that well:

1. I suffer from schizoaffective disorder and am registered as mentally disabled. This inevitably shapes how my PhD journey goes a lot

2. Ethnomusicology is (put crudely) the social anthropological study of music. It is the study of "music IN culture" and "music AS culture" (Alan Merriam). Traditionally it referred to so-called 'world musics' but now it encompasses everything

3. My undergraduate degree is in music from Woosta College, University of Oxford. My MA degree is in music (ethnomusicology pathway) from Goldsmiths, University of London. Had a **** time at Oxford for many reasons which I will not discuss here, but which again shape the way I approach my PhD. Goldsmiths was much better. I am currently at a different college of the University of London (would prefer not to name it here).

4. If you are one of these people who like to put two and two together and find my uni website page/academia.edu - please DO NOT refer to me on here by my full first name, or my full name (first name/surname). I prefer to keep a degree of anonymity on here

If you wanna call me something, you may call me Shan or TLG.

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 4960

Scotney

20

Great Photos TLG,so glad you had a great day and all the family were there too.🤗Congratulations Doctor!

Reply 4961

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Thanks, both :h:

My older sister (and her hubby and toddler) were missing - so not quite the whole family, but near enough :colondollar:

Reply 4962

Noodlzzz

21

You did it! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

Reply 4963

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Original post

by Noodlzzz

You did it! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

Thank youuuuuuuuu! :dance:

Reply 4964

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

I'm wondering what to do about/with this blog, now that I've had my graduation ceremony. I was planning on asking TSR admins to lock the thread shortly after graduation but, now that the time has come, I'm feeling a bit more reluctant, haha :ninja:

Reply 4965

Euapp

21

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

I'm wondering what to do about/with this blog, now that I've had my graduation ceremony. I was planning on asking TSR admins to lock the thread shortly after graduation but, now that the time has come, I'm feeling a bit more reluctant, haha :ninja:

It’s not the end but a new beginning!
You should start Dr TLG’s new life journey blog!

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 4966

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Original post

by Euapp

It’s not the end but a new beginning!
You should start Dr TLG’s new life journey blog!

PRSOM! Will wait to see what others think/feel :hugs:

Reply 4967

Schnauzerquester

10

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

PRSOM! Will wait to see what others think/feel :hugs:

Well before you do let me congratulate you! Such a big achievement, so well deserved too! As someone who is currently doing an MA and writing a proposal for a PhD, your blog has been so inspiring and motivational for me over the last year or so. So thank you for that!

Reply 4968

5hyl33n

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

PRSOM! Will wait to see what others think/feel :hugs:

I would love for you to carry on with a blog of some sort. :yep:

Reply 4969

Muttley79

20

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

PRSOM! Will wait to see what others think/feel :hugs:

I would like you continue with a blog of some sort - whatever you feel comfortable doing. :smile:

Reply 4970

black tea

19

I too would love to keep reading your blog if you choose to have one 🙂

Reply 4971

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Awwww thanks so much everyone! It's nice to know I have your support with continuing to blog! I'll have to think of a witty title for the new one :beard:

(though witty puns are not my strong point. An admin staff member from the uni's Doctoral School came up with the main bulk of my thesis title :tongue:

)... As it would be nice to keep connected to you all :grouphugs:

Reply 4972

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Maybe I should call it "The Dr Will See You Now" :rofl:

Reply 4973

black tea

19

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Maybe I should call it "The Dr Will See You Now" :rofl:

I think that might be the title of a book 😆

Reply 4974

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Original post

by black tea

I think that might be the title of a book 😆

I'd ideally like some witty ABBA lyric in there. Maybe that's tomorrow's "research task" for me, hmmm :holmes:

Exciting news, btw, everyone: my official PhD certificate has been FedExed to me by University of London! :woohoo:

It should hopefully arrive tomorrow morning :nutcase:

Reply 4975

black tea

19

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

I'd ideally like some witty ABBA lyric in there. Maybe that's tomorrow's "research task" for me, hmmm :holmes:

Exciting news, btw, everyone: my official PhD certificate has been FedExed to me by University of London! :woohoo:

It should hopefully arrive tomorrow morning :nutcase:

That's super exciting!!! 🎉

Reply 4976

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Original post

by black tea

That's super exciting!!! 🎉

Yessssssssss! My RHUL bestie L was worried, as apparently there's been a terrible backlog with certificate production since the pandemic. She said some very ****ed off PhD graduates had been emailing her (she works in the Doctoral School), saying it had been 2 years since they were awarded and they still hadn't received their PhD certificate!!! :eek2:

So very thankful mine is appearing within 4 months :adore:

Reply 4977

Muttley79

20

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Yessssssssss! My RHUL bestie L was worried, as apparently there's been a terrible backlog with certificate production since the pandemic. She said some very ****ed off PhD graduates had been emailing her (she works in the Doctoral School), saying it had been 2 years since they were awarded and they still hadn't received their PhD certificate!!! :eek2:

So very thankful mine is appearing within 4 months :adore:

So was that cardboard tube you were presented with empty?

Reply 4978

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

Original post

by Muttley79

So was that cardboard tube you were presented with empty?

It had a generic letter inside from the Principal of Royal Holloway, welcoming us to the alumni community or something. I didn't bother reading it haha :getmecoat:

Reply 4979

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OP

20

"Can't you hear me, S.O.S.?": TLG's PhD study blog!

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