#phd struggles

[thephdpensieve]

5/100 days of productivity • 29-Oct-23, Sunday

About today

Still could not get out of my PhD slump. Been feeling guilty all day. So if you have any hacks, please feel free to share <3

Went to lab and sat at desk for sometime, snacking on some mishti doi, a traditional Bengali dish that's sweetened cooked yogurt. (I live on campus, so going to lab is like taking a break from my room. Applies vice versa too)

Rested well, took an afternoon nap and feeling better with my cramps all gone

Cooked dinner - made chapati and paneer gravy

Exploring the first week of this #100daysOfProductvity thing, I am wondering if I should set Sundays to be strictly rest & recreation only. For, we all need time to wind down. But with my PhD schedule, I am not making such decisions right now. Once I get into the rhythm, I can take days off fully. Till then we are going with #NoZeroDays on Sundays too.

So how was your weekend, people?

#send me advice to get over this slump #study slump #dark academia #chaotic academia #gradblr #gradschool aesthetic #phdblr #phd aesthetic #grad school motivation #phdjourney #phd life #physics phd #mental health #phd struggles

[coruscatingdust]

I loved philosophy far more when I was outside of academic philosophy. Back when I enjoyed reading Camus, Foucault, Arendt, and Kierkegaard for fun. Back when philosophy was about discussing ideas and discovering how different ideas fit together, exploring interdisciplinary connections and applications. Back when philosophy was connected to different ways of living and offering robust lens for thinking about the moral and political life. Now philosophy is about word games, name dropping, citations, and making arguments based on the most trivial questions.

Academic philosophy is more about breaking things apart rather than building things up. It feels so groundless and directionless.

#philosophy #academia #phd struggles #phd life #phdjourney #academic writing #albert camus #hannah arendt #Kierkegaard #Foucault #fun days

[museum-spaces]

seeking advice

Hello my dear academics - and other various nerds.

I am looking for advice for my current PhD application; I am finalizing my Statement of Purpose and I have space in it to talk about my autism diagnosis and Ianto being a service dog.

However, the dilemma, would it be used against my application or not/ should I wait to hear if I get in before telling them I need accommodations like for a job or should I use it in the essay. This application does not have any sort of 'my struggle' essay to write, just a writing sample - my MA thesis - and the SOP.

I already said in it that I wrote and implemented the Egypt Centre's first autistic accessibility program.... which is literally how I found out I'm autistic. So it does fit in, and I have the space.

But it is a disorder that is discriminated against.

going to tag a few folk but I want as many opinions as you have for me so please comment/re-blog whatever. I have also decided that 1 like = 1 vote to disclose so feel free to just like if you don't feel chatty.

@13faeinapenguinsuit @saintartemis @queenanne1532 @chaotic-archaeologist @autie-j @micewithknives @bundibird @rudjedet @sisterofiris

as usual; the above is a non-exhaustive list of the people on here whose opinion I admire and trust. there are always people I have left off because remembering all y'all's handles is impossible.

#not museums #academic problems #academia #academics #grad school #graduate #phd stuff #phd struggles #phd student #egyptology #autism #actually autistic #service dog

[impostoradult]

Are you a precarious academic? Or do you know any?

For a couple of years now, I've been running a Twitter account that curates "altac" jobs. Recently, I expanded the project significantly into a full-fledge dedicated site with over 300 job listings updated daily.

It is free to access through all of January. In February, I will charge $2/month for access via my Patreon.

If you are a precarious academic, or you know of any who might be interested, I'd love for you to share this with them.

A few caveats:

Currently, the curation is almost exclusively US-based. I would like to expand beyond the US but currently I do multiple hours of work on this project every day for essentially no money. I can't expand outside the US until my work is financially supported.

I primarily curate jobs relevant to those with academic backgrounds in the Humanities & Social Sciences. I have the odd STEM-related job there, but my primary focus is the Humanities & Social Sciences.

#academia #humanities #social science #phd life #phd struggles

[ragazzadellearance]

PhD students after a meeting with their advisor:

#phd life #academia #academic life #doctorate #phd struggles #phd student #malcolm in the middle

[sciedithub-services]

8 Top Tips and Pieces of Advice for New PhD Students

PhD imposter syndrome is far more common than you might realize. Feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy are completely valid and can make you feel as though you shouldn’t be studying for a Ph.D. Imposter syndrome manifests differently for everyone – and is something Áine has experienced herself.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME IS REAL

“Imposter syndrome is real and pretty much everyone experiences it at some point. I find it helps to open up about it to peers as you realize others feel the same way.”

Which leads us to Áine’s next piece of advice…

‘Don’t compare your PhD project to other people's

“Don’t compare your PhD project to other people’s. They are all different, so don’t worry if you have more or fewer data, papers, and experience than your peers. You were accepted onto the program because you deserve to be there!”

A PhD is a massively steep learning curve. Whether you’ve got your heart set on a PhD in Accounting & Finance, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Sustainability, Media & Cultural Policy, or Planetary Science like Áine, looking around and comparing yourself to others never helps – especially when everyone is on their own PhD journey. Managing your expectations, as well as having the right attitude and work ethic to keep yourself moving forward is important.

‘Be super organized!’

Establishing a routine and dedicated workspace free from distractions with access to the right resources and tools is the golden rule, and can really help lay the groundwork for success.

From the get-go, calendars, diaries, planners, and to-do lists will be your BFFs throughout your PhD. You are ultimately responsible for the planning and management of your studies. Although it may seem obvious, it’s not uncommon to find yourself suddenly struggling to keep track of whats-what – something which Áine wish she’d thought about at the start of her PhD.

“I have dozens of notebooks from loads of meetings, experiments and conferences and I am terrible at keeping track of what information is in which notebook. I wish I had made a system for this as it would have saved me so much time now!”

‘Build yourself a research network’

It doesn’t matter what your research area is, or where in the world you’re studying, networking is a huge part of your PhD. Attending and participating in local and international events, such as conferences, seminars, lab meetings, and even graduate school sessions are a great way to build and maintain professional and social relationships.

“Be it online or not, be it in your research group, research department or not, find peers in the same boat with a little more experience than you who you feel comfortable talking to,” explains Áine.

‘Make use of your university’s student counseling service if there is one

PhDs demand long hours, with massive amounts of reading, researching, and writing which can understandably result in high levels of stress. Checking in with yourself on a regular basis is important. Be open and honest, and don’t feel like you’re on your own, whatever your worries or concerns may be.

“Over half of PhD students experience poor mental health symptoms during their PhD. If this happens to you, make use of your university’s student counselling service if there is one, learn to notice the signs that you’re struggling and give yourself a break.”

The University of Glasgow, offers a wide range of support services, including a dedicated Wellbeing service which students can access as little or as much as they like.

‘Don’t feel pressured to work 24/7’

“Some people in academia work really long days seven days a week and that just isn’t me,” says Áine. “Early on I was really worried I was going to fail because other people around me were working such long hours, and I told my supervisor this was worrying me, and she was really helpful in encouraging me to have a work-life balance.”

Having a good work-life balance is essential. You’re allowed to have a life away from your PhD, so make time to organize fun and exciting plans with friends and family in between reading sessions, research, seminars and meetings with your supervisor.

‘Don’t worry if your project changes as you progress

“Don’t worry if your project changes as you progress, and when that happens, don’t be concerned if you feel a bit lost and unsure as to what’s happening,” says Áine. “Doing a PhD means contributing to knowledge and so it’s totally normal for what you might contribute to change as you go through.”

You’re challenging existing beliefs and customs, all while developing new ways of thinking. Remember you’ve chosen to study a PhD to make a significant contribution to your field

Regularly check in and assess where you are in your schedule, but keep in mind that encountering problems and new developments are inevitable. Accepting that your initial plan of action may change is also ok.

Contact us for the best SciEditHub Editors

#sciedithub.org #sciedithub #phd struggles #phd guidance #phd candidate #phd thesis #phd journey

[justagirlwithblog]

Writing an article manual:

read a source

google another source within the first source

google another source within the second source

realize you don't know other things within the third source

go down the rabbit hole

write exactly zero sentences

feel stupid

Voilà!

#phd #phd stuff #phdblr #phd life #thesis #phd student #phd struggles #phd topics #studyblr #study #studying

[dooareyastudy]

07.07.2022 | here is to a summer of talking less BS and working more on my thesis :)

#still not over that #i talk too much and should shut up #for everyone's good #phd #phd student #phd studyblr #phd struggles #study #studying #student #studyblr #gradblr #grad student #grad school #student blog #student life

[lau-and-history]

I read 3 interesting essays and I'm thinking about slightly changing my PhD topic 🤡

#The people and place would stay the same #But the analytical aspect would change even tho not a lot #Maybe I can combine both??? #studyinglaurel #gradblr #phd struggles

[asongaboutpirates]

The goddamn thing about impostor syndrome is that it’s turtles all the way down. As an intelligent, self-aware human being I can say to myself: “I feel like I don’t belong with all these excellent people, I feel like I conned my way in here, but that’s just the impostor syndrome speaking.’ And then the impostor syndrome will say: ‘Other people might have impostor syndrome, yes, but you don’t. You’re just faking it, so you can feel like you belong.’ And it never fucking ends.

#impostor syndrome #academia #phd struggles #phd thesis

[phdraccoon]

Mental health - the fluctuation

How was your mental health at first?

Some people (like my dad) assume that being a Ph.D. student is a breeze. The following are comments I hear most frequently:

"It's only 3 years, right? And they even pay you. How nice of them!"

"It's just another academic goal, it shouldn't be harder than a bachelor's degree."

"You just need to hand in a few articles, how long does it take? 2 weeks?"

"You're guaranteed a high-paying job when you graduate, what's there to fuss about?"

And I'd always have to remind him:

"3 years, if I'm lucky. I pray that my data are on point during every experiment. The payment? It's the scholarship. It wasn't easy to acquire. But yes, I am very very grateful for it."

"Yes, it's my goal. Both are strenuous, for different levels of myself. I was a toddler back then, now I'm just a child in the academic world."

"2 weeks? Probably for the reviewer to wonder whether or not my article is worth reviewing. 2 weeks is sometimes not even enough for one graph."

"A gua- where did you get that idea?"

And that's just part of it. At first, I would feel offended, but over time it clicked in me that he just didn't understand my work.

Then I learned that it was okay to not be understood. I just have to educate him over time. Maybe one day he'll get it.

      2.  How is your mental health now?

I’m going to be honest, it fluctuates every day. I could have a great day where I’d love to chat with everybody in the lab, then the next day I’d just rather be alone.

My professor, lab pals, friends, partner and family are amazing people, I’ve got nothing against them. But I always felt like it wasn’t enough, because I would always hold myself back when we’re conversing. There were just some problems I haven’t dealt with, because of tight schedules throughout the year (or life). 

I’m the kind of student who would:

feel ashamed of taking days off, even though I see my other lab members doing it consistently (and I was, of course, jealous for no reason). 

have a hard time rejecting work from my professor. At a point in life I was only sleeping 2 to 3 hours a day for a few months straight (I regret it now).

have a hard time correcting my juniors, even though it was for their own good. I didn’t want to make them unconfident in their work, their were just some tweaks that could be made.

It was horrible for the others and myself, and I wanted to change. 

So I went to counseling. And it was the best choice I could’ve ever made. It took half a year, but I improved myself to keep myself alive and human.

Now I’m able to:

ask for 1 to 2 days off from the lab, and just reboot my thoughts.

have better communication with my professor

convince my mind that what I’m about to say to my juniors are beneficially for their experiment.

Some background info, my family doesn’t help me financially because I’m already an adult. So my scholarship, and the extra income by working extra projects are saved for my school fee and life expenses.

I know all of this sounds absurd and like privileged people problems, and I’m sorry if I offended anyone.

#university #studygram #studyblr #study #study blog #studyspo #studyabroad #study hard #studyspiration #gradblr #phd struggles #phd research #phd life #phdblr #phdjourney #student #mentalwellness #positive mental attitude #mental wellbeing #family #school #education #positivity

[coruscatingdust]

I don’t know how I will get through this world with so much fear in my heart but I have walked this path so far. This is a path I’ve once dreamed about and longed for with all of my being. When we long for something we usually don’t think about all the terrors and pain that come with getting what we want. I wasn’t prepared for all this. Yet this is the life I wanted and the life I chose. Being an academic has sucked the life out of me in so many ways yet this is what I envisioned myself to be. It is my decision and I’m having to live with that. I don’t even know what I want anymore or who I am anymore. I just want peace. I want courage. I want to love and face the world again. I want to love what I do than fear the results from not doing enough, not being enough.

Enough.

Time to go to bed.

#phd struggles #studyblr #oxford #has been a nightmare #yet I’m still here #I cry almost every day #god I’m so lonely while I’m on campus #it’s terrible

[museum-spaces]

Long Night Blog Updates.

Hello my beloved nerds. I hope everyone in the North is keeping warm and everyone in the South is keeping cool. Ianto and I have just had a very very cold week. We got down to -28C which google tells me is about -18f and we hung out there for about a week. Now we're back up to -11c which is much nicer.

I can't remember if I've posted about it here but I have been working on a gradschool application to the University Chicago department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations - Egyptology department. It was a bit of a last minute dash because I kinda forgot to look at the due dates. woops. But I got everything in and all my Letter of Recommendation requests out by 1 Dec - a full 2 weeks before my contributions were due.

The deadline for the LoRs was the 22nd. I got one LoR from a Classics professor, one from a Museologist, and one from and Egyptologist - in theory. The Egyptologist ended up not sending a letter in and between Christmas and New Years I will be sending her an email politely asking what went wrong because I could have substituted a different Egyptologist. I know a bunch of them.

If I get in, I'll know by the end of February. But because I am one LoR short, I likely won't get in. Which sucks. But, as it was a last minute application I don't actually expect to get in and it will be nice to be able to blame her instead of my own mistakes and gaps.

On the plus side, if I don't get in, I can take some time to apply for more than just this one program. Might try Leiden. I also made a terrible joke that if I wait long enough my cousin and my aunt can be two of my LoR writers. They have different last names from each other and me, so it wouldn't raise too many flags lol. Except I have nothing to do with medicine -aunt- and only tangential ties to historic musicology -cousin.

For now, Ianto and I are hanging out in Camel Town, and if my application is rejected, we have promised work here next year if we want to stay on. I am itching to move to a city again, but I live in a pretty good place for the money, and it will let me build up a 'war chest' of cash as well as other tools for my eventual PhD program.

I am a little bit bummed about the situation but there isn't much I can do about it.

Ianto eating a ginger cookie

I got this beautiful blanket out of my hope chest when it got cold. I have 3 quilts from my grandma, two like this, and one with beautiful pinwheels. Ianto is enjoying this one with me.

#phd struggles #phd stuff #museum #museums #egyptology #letter of recommendation #academic problems #ianto dog

[ericalagu]

“Doubt is not a pleasant mental state, but certainty is a ridiculous one.” ― Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire

19/01/2023, Thursday.

I am a PhD student! It sounds incredible! 👩🏻‍🔬

Last spring I completed my exams and went on 5-days congress before starting the traineeship. In that moment my life started to change!

I realised I was miserable, passively transported by the events, sort of asleep, so focused on passing exams that I never asked myself what made me happy... After the polymer congress I began to question who I was and who I wanted to become. I was awake and my life was just to tight.

The period from end-May to end-September (the time it took me to complete the thesis and graduate) was a complete roller coaster!

The thesis absorbed 90% of my time, certain days I worked up to 12 hours! It needed to be that way due to PhD application deadline. In the spare time I struggled to be a functioning human. Going to the gym was hard, no time for hobbies at all, and I couldn't bear the weight of housework... My 4 years's relationship ended in August.

On the 21st September I graduated 🎉 from there everything went in the right direction! I could rest till the beginning of the PhD (in November), I reached out for old friends, and I fell in love with an amazing person.

Currently I am content! I still struggle with work-life balance, there are a few aspects of my life I want to improve and work on. I need to focus more on maintaining friendships and I would like to learn to do more recreative activities on my own (and not just wait for someone to accompany me) 💪🏻

#study motivation #stemblr #studybrl #italian studyblr #women in stem #chemistry #chemblr #chemistry student #personal #university studyblr #master degree #university struggles #university student #universityblr #phd life #phd struggles #phd diary #phd journey #phd studyblr #Spotify

[slowburningechoes]

currently writing a fic called “remediation” and my grad school friends are too traumatized by the word to even hear about the plot lol

#grad school #grad student #psyd #doctoral student #clinical psychology #fic writing #fanfiction writer #female writers #phd #phd struggles #psyd struggles #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfiction

[southernblackqueer]

Things I should’ve done rather than waste my 20s in graduate school

Work a real job to afford grad school rather than going deeper into debt

Escape to the woods and pull a Walden by Thoreau

Travel. I mean I’d be in debt but I’d be happier.

Get super into some weird niche hobby, make it my entire personality, and dedicate a youtube channel to it

Please add your thoughts

#graduate school #gradschool #phd stuff #phdjourney #phd struggles