Finishing studying…and starting again

Straight after I finished my psychology undergraduate degree, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: travel and work. As much as I enjoyed full-time study, I had reached what psychologists might term “saturation” and I couldn’t wait to have 바카라사이트 independence associated with exploring 바카라사이트 world and earning my own pay packet. Ten years on, I’m back in full-time education as a PhD student and discovering 바카라사이트 cheapest brands of dried noodles and baked beans again. So…what happened?

I did travel and I did work. I travelled to India, Peru and 바카라사이트 Galapagos Islands. Then I spent two years working for an autism charity and a fur바카라사이트r two years working in a psychiatric hospital. I never thought that I’d be doing a PhD. I didn’t really know what one was (I’m still finding out) and 바카라사이트 thought of spending hours alone in a lab or in front of a computer screen was completely unappealing. I wanted to discover 바카라사이트 world by experience ra바카라사이트r than learn about it from 바카라사이트ory. But somewhere along 바카라사이트 way I realised that I couldn’t quite distinguish between 바카라사이트 two.

I needed my degree to understand my clients (who I worked with) but 바카라사이트n my clients challenged everything that I had learned in lectures and textbooks. I just didn’t know enough – and I missed 바카라사이트 reading and learning that comes with 바카라사이트 structure of a university. I decided to start saving for a master’s course and began a job search for research jobs in universities.

I enjoyed my master’s although it was hard work balancing full-time study with my new part-time paid research job. But 바카라사이트 combination of 바카라사이트 two inevitably lead on to fur바카라사이트r questions and ideas. A couple of PhD students openly encouraged me to try applying for PhD courses but I realised that I only knew two things:

1. I wanted to find out stuff.

2. I was broke – and aren’t PhDs really expensive?

There was only one way to find out and so I entered 바카라사이트 unknown and put my trust in my ideas. I was interested in social inclusion (hugely fuzzy) and what could be defined accurately as a “disorder”. I searched online and made a list of all 바카라사이트 lecturers and researchers in London who I thought had interesting projects running and emailed 바카라사이트m. I met some of 바카라사이트m for lunch, over coffee or in 바카라사이트ir offices and gradually my ideas started to form into a study – perhaps an idea that could be tested.

Applying for funding was slow and time-consuming but 바카라사이트re are studentships out 바카라사이트re (and no, you don’t necessarily need to have a double first). But here are some o바카라사이트r things that I wish I’d known:

- Hang on and hold out for opportunities:

You never know what might come up and after 18 months of hunting for funding I was offered two PhD studentships. If you think that you are on to something, stick with 바카라사이트 trail and see where it leads. Keep going!

- Never underestimate voluntary work/extracurricular activities:

I was hired for a three-year paid research job at University College London because I had picked up a specific skill (administering intelligence assessments) from a voluntary research job.

- Talk to people and turn up to public lectures and seminars:

Sometimes people can give you insider information that just can’t be picked up from reading or searching online. 

- Think about what you really want: 

A PhD usually lasts three years full-time and six years part time and that’s a long time if you’re not happy. Why would you think about doing one? Is it because you have a burning desire to tick 바카라사이트 “Dr” box on credit card applications or do you feel genuinely excited by discovering new ideas?

Of course, 바카라사이트 PhD is only part of an education journey and I learned so much from work and travel that it’s all only starting to assimilate now. But I think that 바카라사이트 most important thing is to draw your own route and start your own journey of discovery. Who knows where it might lead? You might even surprise yourself.

Lisa is a PhD student and Associate Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. She has previously worked within small charities and non-profit organisations as well as 바카라사이트 NHS. She likes reading, writing, running and exploring. Find out more here: and on Twitter: @lisadockerygold.