What to Expect in 2026

A Guided Year of Scholarship and Creativity

I wanted to keep my welcome post separate from my “What to Expect in 2026” post. I believe introducing the blog and outlining what to expect are two distinct topics. Typically, the “What to Expect in 20xx” would be announced at the end of December or early January. However, I chose to take a break. Finishing my PhD last fall was rushed and one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. I wasn’t fully prepared to complete my dissertation; I needed to do more, but I simply ran out of time. It’s normal to feel rushed, even in your third semester or fifth year. It takes the time it takes. This blog is designed to connect with and support you as you navigate the world of dissertationing and academia.

Once the dust settled, I realized it was the perfect time to rethink how I want to show up here in 2026, to end one chapter and open the next. I feel strongly that each post should connect and make sense. If right now isn’t the time for you to follow and read, maybe June will be. My blog and Instagram posts are a healthy mix of advice, tips, and book reviews. I’m not offering mentoring or coaching services, at least not right now. I may offer workshops at my university for graduate students, but this space is for me to share my story and help others. With that in mind, imagine this as a guided journey through scholarship, creativity, and the lived reality of academic life.

I reviewed my 2026 plan and considered what would work best once I chose to include monthly themes. Think of this as a thoughtfully curated intellectual year meant to both support and challenge you. Although it might initially seem like a syllabus, it’s really not. I’ll admit, I do like my syllabus to feature themes, so this started as a simple idea that evolved into something more. Each month, I aim to demystify the chaos.

With January already in the rear view, it’s time to map out the rest of the year. Here’s the shape 2026 will take.

• February — Welcome: A grounding month focused on orientation, clarity, and setting the tone.
• March — Momentum: Turning ideas into action, conference prep, and the energy of forward motion.
• April — Research: The heart of your work: curiosity, archives, questions, and the emotional terrain of inquiry. A month dedicated to demystifying how historians actually find and shape knowledge.
• May — Writing & Discipline: The craft, the rituals, the systems, and the emotional stamina required to write with intention. A candid look at discipline without the productivity theater.
• June — History & Storytelling: Where analysis intersects with storytelling. Explore how historians craft narratives, why storytelling is important, and how to balance facts, interpretation, and voice.
• July — Travel & Movement: A month of active motion—both physically and mentally. Engaging in fieldwork, writing about travels, observing changing landscapes, and exploring how movement influences our perspective.
• September — Teaching & Mentorship: The classroom, the mentorship arc, the emotional labor of guiding others. A month on pedagogy, presence, and finding your voice as a professor.
• October — Myth, Magic & Feminine: Your mythic month is perfect for Halloween. A blend of scholarship, creativity, and the mythic edge of your brand. I’m so excited about this month’s two book reviews!
• November — Reflection & Real Talk: A candid month — the truths of academic life, the behind-the-scenes realities, the emotional reckoning that comes with a year of work.
• December — Rest, Ritual & Reset: A soft landing. Rituals, rest, clarity, and the intentional reset that closes the year and prepares the next.

Each month brings a focused theme shaped through essays, visuals, flowcharts, and honest reflections on academic life. On the second Monday of every month, you’ll also see a post written with undergraduates in mind, another way of thinking about teaching, learning, and the work we do in higher education. Expect a curated mix of clarity, creativity, and behind-the-scenes scholarship designed to meet you where you are. Now that you have the map, I hope you’ll walk the year with me.