Kat MacDonald
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acadiandame.bsky.social
Kat MacDonald
@acadiandame.bsky.social
PhD Candidate; Queen's University | Dark Tourism & the Heritage Industry in Canada | Public & Oral History | Type 1 Diabetic & BPD | Lover of ghost stories, hauntings & urban legends. Proudly 🌈
Support your TAs, TFs & RAs! Show your solidarity! We need all the pressure on Queen's we can get so that they can't claim this is "business as usual."

#GradLife #GraduateStudent
March 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
However, with the current system, I do so much unpaid labour in order to ensure my students have all the tools they need to succeed. Does Queen's care? No.

Graduate students are essential to undergrads' education at university & we deserve to have our institution respect us & our roles.
March 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Instead of discussing New Imperialism- I am getting ready to head to a picket line. There seems to be this narrative around the strike that we, as TAs & TFs, are being selfish- that we want our students' education to suffer. There is no other place I would rather be than in a classroom.
March 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I am just grateful that I have such a privilege to engage with and watch as these future scholars navigate the course and the history field.

I could write a whole blog post about my experiences teaching as a graduate student and how I approach teaching history.

#Teaching #GradLife #History
November 29, 2024 at 2:44 PM
Any challenges I had during the semester- now seem all worth it. Students sharing their kind words with me aren't something new, I have emails from all the way back in 2019 saved in a folder with kind words students took the time to share with me.

Yet I am always surprised when I receive one.
November 29, 2024 at 2:44 PM
I am currently sitting at my desk, sipping my coffee as I prepare myself to mark my students' final papers.

My work inbox has emails from students letting me know how much they appreciated these seminars, my teaching, the care that I put into my seminars.
November 29, 2024 at 2:44 PM
Yet every time I finish a semester, I am always so grateful. I am grateful that my path in life has led me to this point. Are 8:30 AM seminars the most fun? No! Yet, I wouldn't change these last three months for anything.
November 29, 2024 at 2:44 PM
and the preparation needed to run seminars (readings, making engaging activities, creating resources for them to use) and marking assessments, sometimes leaves little room to do anything else in my day!

This is only my second time teaching in-person since early 2020.
November 29, 2024 at 2:44 PM
In my spare time, I enjoy sewing, blogging, photography, make-up, and cosplaying.

Thank you for joining me on this strange but beautiful journey!

#GradLife #GraduateStudent #History #Heritage #PublicHistory #PublicHistorian
November 19, 2024 at 3:12 PM
I have also done several media interviews and have had my research shared on CBC Radio: Ontario Morning, on Global News Kingston, in CBC Ottawa, and more.
November 19, 2024 at 3:12 PM
I have presented my research for the Kingston Historical Society (November 2023), been interviewed by Western University’s Gradcast Radio, Dr. Samantha Cutrara’s “Source Saturday”, and other podcasts, and have been a guest speaker for graduate classes on her work as a public historian.
November 19, 2024 at 3:12 PM
In particular, my research looks at the use of ghost stories, hauntings, and allure of deviancy used in the promotion of tourism at sites of pain such as Rockwood Asylum, Kingston Penitentiary, McBurney Park, Fort Henry, and more.
November 19, 2024 at 3:12 PM
Honestly the best vibe!! I am buying some pieces from a renfaire website and 100% wearing them next year for school no shame aha

(hi!! miss chatting with you and seeing what you've been up to <3)
November 18, 2024 at 5:44 PM
Omg yes you should wear it!! It's gorgeous! I think some accessories that fit the vibe might help it look less like a "costume" but even then- wear what makes you happy and own it!!
November 18, 2024 at 2:28 PM