6/ Sometimes the struggle isn't with ability, but with the assumption that we all understand the rules of the puzzle. #Neurodiversity #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #CrypticCrosswords #Perspective

5/ This shift in understanding has been incredibly validating. It wasn't that I couldn't solve the puzzle; it was that I didn't know the rules for the specific puzzle I was given.

4/ The most frustrating part? I didn't even know it was a cryptic until my autism diagnosis at 27. I was trying to solve one type of puzzle with the rulebook for another.

3/ But from my experience, the neurotypical world often operates like a cryptic crossword. It's full of hidden meanings, unspoken rules, and subtle misdirections I simply wasn't equipped to interpret.

2/ For most of my life, I truly thought I was solving a "regular" crossword of social interaction and communication. I'd apply literal logic, expecting direct meanings.

6/
I’m excited for the next chapter: staying at BSMS and joining Prof Chris Pepper’s team.

Here’s to growth, rest, purpose... and bringing our whole selves to whatever comes next. 💚

#PostdocLife #ECRchat #WomenInSTEM #WorkLifeBalance #AcademicChatter

5/
Behind every publication or poster is a whole person. Someone doing their best. Someone navigating life, career, and sometimes sleepless nights. 🧠💤

To my fellow researchers:
You are human, and that matters.

4/
This postdoc has been filled with challenges, milestones, and unexpected joys. But reflecting back on the last few years has been a powerful reminder:
We are always more than our job titles. More than our papers. More than our productivity.

3/
🤰 8 months of pregnancy
😴 700+ nights of broken sleep
🎲 55 new board games
👓 2 glasses prescription changes
🦷 0 fillings (small wins!)
😢 <10 toilet cry sessions
📆 4 years of growth (professional and personal)

2/
Here’s a snapshot of the last few years, beyond just publications and conferences:
📚 4 publications*
🎓 1 viva & graduation
🗣️ 15 conferences
🏡 1 house purchase
👶🐶 2 new family members
(*1 abstract, 1 paper, 2 under revision)