February is often framed as a month of grand gestures and picture-perfect expressions of love. But at Scholar Start, we

A gentle, forward-moving, exploration-centered blog for doctoral students + journalers. January doesn’t have to announce itself with pressure, perfection, or

Ah, December. The month when educators are counting down days, doctoral students are counting down citations, and journalers are counting

November asks us to hold two truths at once. First, we stand still. We pause for the quiet courage of

October brings pumpkins, costumes, and all things spooky—but for many doctoral students, the real scares aren’t in haunted houses. They

September hits differently when it’s your birthday month. For me, it’s not just the start of a new season—it’s a