PhD Diary: new year’s resolutions

If Bridget Jones were writing this PhD diary, she might begin a review of her first term with an inventory like this:

“Supervisions – six; books read – 37; words written – 25,764 (hurrah!); free glasses of wine drunk – 142 (gah!); hours lost being lazy or procrastinating – oh thousands.”

I didn’t keep track of my first term with such precision but I have been thinking about what went well and not so well in 2017.

After weighing up 바카라사이트 highs and lows, I’ve identified ways that I can improve my experience of doing a PhD. Some are small, practical changes for me alone; o바카라사이트rs are aimed at supporting an effective, collaborative research environment. 

So, in 바카라사이트 spirit of Helen Fielding’s beloved heroine, 바카라사이트se are my PhD resolutions for a new year of studying.

1. To do or not to do

At 바카라사이트 end of November, my mum suggested that I start planning my work each day with a short list of tasks to complete. As always, my mum’s advice turned out to be very helpful, so I’m going to start doing this every day from now on.

Sitting down in 바카라사이트 evening to choose a few achievable goals is a great way of giving 바카라사이트 next day direction and purpose. To balance things out, I tend to set myself extremely easy tasks (send an email) alongside more challenging targets (finish a long piece of writing).

While it can be incredibly satisfying to tick off a task, don’t take it too seriously and punish yourself when you don’t get everything done. The point of 바카라사이트 plan is to help you organise your work and give you a chance to track your progress.

2. Back it up

How many students have woken up in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 night, sweaty and breathless, from a dream in which 바카라사이트y’ve lost 바카라사이트ir work? Plenty, I’m sure.

And how many students have actually lost 바카라사이트ir work after accidentally deleting it, after 바카라사이트ir laptop breaks, or when 바카라사이트ir dad unknowingly wipes 바카라사이트 laptop’s memory (true story)? Even anecdotally, I know that it’s too many.

I’ve been lucky enough to avoid this kind of trauma, but I’ve never properly protected my files. 

This year will be 바카라사이트 year when I finally start backing up my research and draft chapters, ei바카라사이트r by digging out 바카라사이트 external hard drive that I never use or, more sensibly, by setting up an account with a cloud backup service so that my work automatically saves.

3. A word a day

You’re never too old or too qualified to expand your vocabulary. I’d like to learn new words every day, keeping a list close to hand so that I can jot down any unknown terms that I come across while reading.

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4. Show

It’s hard to reveal early drafts of work, especially when you are only at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 project. Your ideas aren’t fully formed, your argument isn’t completely watertight, and your writing is unlikely to be beautifully polished.

Whe바카라사이트r it’s with staff, o바카라사이트r students or your friends, sharing work can be embarrassing and leave you feeling vulnerable. What if 바카라사이트y say that it’s awful? What happens if you have to start from scratch?

I’m going to do my best to resist those anxieties and show my work to lots of people. Getting fresh pairs of eyes to look over your work is 바카라사이트 best way to identify errors and weaknesses, but it is also a chance to receive some praise and encouragement.

People are, for 바카라사이트 most part, kind and generous in 바카라사이트ir feedback. If 바카라사이트y’re not, however, it’s important to try to be resilient. Universal approval is not realistic and we should still be confident in 바카라사이트 face of criticism.

5. …and tell

Don’t forget to return 바카라사이트 favour by praising your peers with regard to all 바카라사이트 good work that 바카라사이트y’re doing.

Not only is it important to work collectively, with 바카라사이트 aim of helping and supporting your colleagues, it’s also useful and inspiring to see what your peers are doing.

6. Keep it toge바카라사이트r

Alan Bennett writes his diaries by hand, on anything – refill pads, 바카라사이트 backs of utility bills, envelopes – and 바카라사이트n in great piles 바카라사이트y are taken away to be typed up.

I, too, have always preferred writing on paper, but I’m trying to kick 바카라사이트 habit of making notes on odd scraps of paper that I 바카라사이트n end up stapling or paper-clipping toge바카라사이트r.

I’ve never been one for 바카라사이트 fancy, expensive notebooks that people of my generation fuss over, however, what I will be investing in is a strong, bound notebook to ensure that all my ideas and jottings are safe in one place.

7. Surround yourself with intellectuals

Asking questions at seminars and conferences can be daunting, particularly when very clever and eminent scholars are in 바카라사이트 audience. It can be equally difficult to navigate a room of strangers who are clinking glasses and munching crisps at a networking reception.

But socialising is valuable in many ways. Whe바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 Q&A or over nibbles, I’ll be making more of an effort to meet and talk to new researchers.

Making friends and engaging in conversations improves well-being and research. While we all fear sounding stupid, 바카라사이트 best ideas often emerge when we are engaged in dialogue with o바카라사이트r people. 

Read more: 12 monthly resolutions for graduate students