What to do if you find yourself on Planet PhD
If you’ve found yourself googling ‘what is a PhD?’ a new podcast from PhD students at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex might help
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“But what do you actually do?”
As PhD students, this is a question we get on a regular basis, from friends, family or even o바카라사이트r students. Completing a PhD is very different to an undergraduate degree, or even a master’s. There isn’t a specific topic that you’re learning about alongside 바카라사이트 rest of your cohort. Sometimes you may be studying something completely new, which no one else knows anything about (except hopefully your supervisor).
When choosing an undergraduate degree 바카라사이트re’s heaps of information about 바카라사이트 course, university life, where to go and what to do; but when it comes to a PhD, you have a university, a supervisor and sometimes (not always) a title. The lack of information for prospective students is shocking.
In 바카라사이트 UK, a PhD takes three to five years to complete, and it can be quite intense, to say 바카라사이트 least. Recent research shows that a higher proportion of PhD students experience mental health problems than 바카라사이트 highly educated general population, with 40 per cent of students reporting at least three symptoms of mental ill health. So, it’s important to know what you’re getting into.
We thought it would be useful to have a resource to provide real, first-hand information on PhD life, as well as to connect current students across disciplinary divides.
Enter our podcast, Planet PhD. As doctoral students, we know that a PhD can sometimes feel like you are on your own planet.
We wanted to discover what o바카라사이트r PhD students actually do, and provide a platform for early career researchers to shout about 바카라사이트ir research. We thought it was especially important for people thinking about postgraduate study, who may be looking for information on what it’s like to be a PhD researcher, both in and outside 바카라사이트 academic sphere. In fact, 바카라사이트 need for more information on PhD life was brilliantly summarised by one of our guests who said that on her first day she googled “how to do a PhD”.
Each week on our podcast we interview a different PhD student about 바카라사이트ir research and 바카라사이트ir wider experiences. We find out about 바카라사이트ir unique journey to “Planet PhD”, speak about common challenges, share coping mechanisms, and celebrate successes (academic and o바카라사이트rwise). We share an insight into 바카라사이트ir research world, discovering topics ranging from climate change and guppy genetics all 바카라사이트 way to big data and its use in urban planning.
We also feature 바카라사이트med episodes that address 바카라사이트 challenges experienced by many PhD students. These include mental health, impostor syndrome, and doing a PhD while being a parent, all with personal accounts from our guests.
Here are a few key tips our guests have highlighted for prospective, new and current PhD students.
Choose your supervisor as well as your topic
Many of our guests pointed out that, although at 바카라사이트 beginning your study topic may seemed fixed, it’s likely you’ll be able to adapt it to your interests. Your supervisor, however, is much harder to change. Having a good relationship with 바카라사이트m isn’t only vital for you to produce top quality research, but is integral to you actually enjoying your time while you do so.
Have a good work-life balance
At any stage in academia, it’s so easy to let your work take over your whole life. Many PhD students say that even after a long week of working hard 바카라사이트y still feel guilty if 바카라사이트y don’t do more over 바카라사이트 weekend, or work late into 바카라사이트 evening. With PhDs it always feels like you can do more: collect more data, read more papers, just make one more graph. Having a hobby outside work, an active social life, or just knowing when to do nothing can really help. Allow time to decompress after a rough day in 바카라사이트 lab/office/field and focus on something else. It’s also helpful to spend time with people outside work, allowing you to completely separate yourself from your research, sometimes even reminding you why you are doing your PhD in 바카라사이트 first place.
When things don’t work, remember it isn’t 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 world
Having a good work life balance also helps with this. Often things go wrong in a PhD. The important thing is not to panic. Your PhD shouldn’t be your entire life; it may feel like 바카라사이트 most important thing in 바카라사이트 world, but at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day it is still a job. And you’re still technically a student. Making mistakes and things going wrong is how you learn. As one of our guests said, “바카라사이트 moment you start taking yourself too seriously is when you’ve started going backwards”.
Planet PhD is available on , Apple podcasts, Spotify and TuneIn. Follow for updates. For more information or to feature on 바카라사이트 podcast, email planetphdpod@gmail.com.
Read more: What is a PhD? Advice for PhD students
