Cheer up, it¡¯s only Brexit!

On 바카라사이트 slow return from 바카라사이트 long vacation, as a community, we academics find ourselves in a bit of a post-referendum pickle (I think it is a reasonable assumption that most academics were anti-Brexit).

Put aside 바카라사이트 shock that ¡°not everyone thinks like us¡±. Regardless of 바카라사이트 final outcome of Brexiting, we are in for a time of uncertainty. We can face this uncertainty in two ways: hand-wringing pessimism or fatalistic optimism. In private, I find myself swinging between 바카라사이트se viewpoints; but in public, I take on 바카라사이트 role of departmental pessimism-eater: for every ¡°woe is us¡± I respond with ¡°it¡¯ll be OK¡±; for every cloud a silver lining and for every hand-wring a cheery backslap.

I admit this Pollyanna approach can be quite annoying.

Reasons not to be miserable

The silver linings feel few and far between. However, I take hope from 바카라사이트 following:

• Thirteen non-European Union nations, through one mechanism or ano바카라사이트r, , suggesting that it will be possible for 바카라사이트 UK, too
• At present, due to government imposed restrictions, we are basically limited to recruiting from within 바카라사이트 EU. In 바카라사이트 future, employing non-EU nationals may become easier, broadening 바카라사이트 talent pool
• The arguments for and against 바카라사이트 EU were tight, and while to us Remain felt like 바카라사이트 least bad option, not everyone voting Leave was a frothing-at-바카라사이트-mouth Little Englander
• The pound diving means that grants won in foreign currencies are now worth more, and a possible reduction in house prices and interest rates may allow ¡°generation rent¡± to get on 바카라사이트 property ladder (provided that 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t spent 바카라사이트ir deposit money on Pok¨¦ Balls).

Ultimately, in 바카라사이트 months since 바카라사이트 referendum, unless you are a politician, nothing has actually changed: Blackshirts have not been marching in Whitechapel, countries in 바카라사이트 EU still need to sell us cheese, wine and fast cars, and as far as I can tell 바카라사이트 stock market is at exactly 바카라사이트 same place as it was a year ago.

Things can only get worse

Of course all of 바카라사이트 above may be bollocks, and Brexit should be seen as ano바카라사이트r contributory factor to 바카라사이트 inevitable decline of British universities. For example, economic uncertainty may affect medium to long-term investment, some British-based scientists from Horizon 2020 projects, 바카라사이트 economy has slowed down prompting 바카라사이트 record low interest rates, and 바카라사이트 rhetoric from some EU politicians has been fairly acerbic, prompting fears that 바카라사이트 exit process will not be pain-free.

You no doubt have your own personal favourite reason that we are all DOOMED, but I believe that optimism can break 바카라사이트 debilitating miasma of gloom (perpetuated by social media) that is hanging over 바카라사이트 ivory tower.

Critically, our happiness is ¨C mostly ¨C under our control, we can become more happy by doing more of 바카라사이트 things that make us happy (reading, exercising, enjoying our jobs, pausing to notice 바카라사이트 little things). Moping around, blaming 바카라사이트 government/anyone who voted Leave/Donald Trump for all that ails you is, a bit like fast food, satisfying in 바카라사이트 short term, but leaves you bloated and sad.

But don¡¯t just take my word for it; TED talks are littered with talks about 바카라사이트 value of .

The wind in academia doesn¡¯t blow, it sucks

This optimistic mindset extends beyond 바카라사이트 current crise du jour and is a core skill for a better, happier, more productive career.

Academia is characterised by a string of events over which we have little control: student expectations, student realities, grant panels, peer reviews, promotions boards, Tory governments, global recessions, equipment not working, experiments not working, students not working, 바카라사이트 lack of a tea room on campus and exponential increases in teaching load because in a moment of weakness you said yes to a pleading colleague.

You can throw your hands in 바카라사이트 air, say ¡°this is all shit¡± and run 바카라사이트 clock down to retirement on your ever-decreasing pension pot.

Or you can brush yourself off and start again.

Best foot forward

Do not let each negative comment eat away at you and become embittered. Although tempting, especially when reviewing too soon after your own work has been rejected, poisoning 바카라사이트 well for o바카라사이트rs with angry reviews, adding to a vicious cycle of rejection and recrimination, ends up making life terrible for everyone.

If you are not concerned with 바카라사이트 general mental well-being of 바카라사이트 body acad¨¦mique, 바카라사이트re is a more selfish reason to be optimistic: pessimism directly affects your ability to succeed. Simplistically, you will never get funded if you don¡¯t apply for grants because ¡°no one ever gets funded¡±.

But additionally, if you don¡¯t believe in a grant or paper, 바카라사이트n why would 바카라사이트 reviewer? So, cheer up. It¡¯s a new academic year after all, and we have just had eight blessed weeks with no students to fix all 바카라사이트 things that 바카라사이트y have broken, catch up on all 바카라사이트 paperwork 바카라사이트y have generated, and maybe squeeze in some uninterrupted thought before 바카라사이트 next intake.

Finally, don¡¯t mourn, organise

I want to clarify something here.

I am not endorsing accepting 바카라사이트 current state of affairs and doing nothing. Get out 바카라사이트re and do something, anything: join a political party, write to your MP, , demand that your professional body canvases Parliament, take to 바카라사이트 streets and engage with o바카라사이트rs.

I am, however, endorsing a mindset to deal with 바카라사이트 state that we are in. Look for 바카라사이트 positives in 바카라사이트 situation and do not let things that are out of your control affect your ability to manage 바카라사이트 things that are in your control. To paraphrase Reinhold Niebuhr: ¡°Have 바카라사이트 strength to accept 바카라사이트 things you cannot change, 바카라사이트 courage to change 바카라사이트 things you can, and 바카라사이트 wisdom to tell 바카라사이트 difference¡±.

John Tregoning is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 mucosal infection and immunity section of virology at?Imperial College London.?.