2013 A PhD's Year in Review

So I made it...barely. The first year of my doctoral programme is coming to an end and it was quite a year. For those of you thinking of starting a PhD, I will encourage you to do so but there are a few caveats.

A PhD is a full-time job.
I thought I would read and make notes then complete a 8-10,000 chapter on what I've learnt through reading and making notes and this would take no more than 25-30 hours a week, enough time to have a part-time or freelance job and 2 days for a social life. I was sadly mistaken. Being a part of a doctoral programme takes an incredible amount of time and discipline. Tip: go to the nearest library. Do not think its convenient to say home and write, there are so many distractions: laundry, television, gossip blogs, etc. By the time you realise its 3pm and you have accomplished absolutely nothing.

Make time for yourself
Following on the previous point, it is crucial that you ensure a day (and usually you can only have ONE) where you DO NOT work, think, remember or consider your PhD. Get out of the house and the library and enjoy spending time with loved ones or friends. You can easily forget to make time for others (and yourself) and this can add strain and make the doctoral programme a very lonely and disengaging experience. Do not lock yourself away for 3-4 years...it's not worth it.

Take part in the process
A doctoral programme opens you up to a plethora of new experiences. Being a quasi faculty member you have opportunities to teach, organise and participate in seminars and conferences, chair panels, join editorial boards and the holy grail of academia PUBLISH in high quality respectable journals. This might be somewhat difficult for some doctoral candidates who have transport constraints, as travelling to these events do add up especially if your location is not very central. However some departments do offer travel grants to facilitate faculty members and doctoral candidates to participate in conferences at home and abroad. These events are a great way to network, meet others interested in your own research, broaden your research interests or just to acquaint yourself into the world of academia outside of the library. Additionally,  many faculties may have additional funding for PhDs to organise academic events such as conferences, workshops,  and seminars so if transportation is not an issue, get out there and join in the fun.

Write
I was terrified to write. I didn't know where to begin, if what I was writing made any sense to anyone, include myself. These fears are natural but must be overcome -the clock is unfortunately ticking. The best way to overcome the fear of writing? Write (Yes, it was a trick question). The only way to improve your writing is to begin the process of writing. Do not be afraid that your style of writing may be inadequate, you would not have been accepted into the programme if that was the case. The fact that you are a PhD candidate is inherently a sign of your ability to not only write but write to a standard that your department deems acceptable.

Read
But how much? And who? Well that definitely is a trick question. Your writing should be commensurate with your reading. Do not read for a year eschewing all writing and expect to simply write the following year. Your brain doesn't work that way. I see it more as a symbiotic relationship, between reading and writing. Your writing improves that more you read and your reading becomes more targeted and selective the more your write. Which goes to the former question of how much reading is necessary to complete a doctorate. The answer: ALOT. My PhD supervisor was a great help on this question and this is especially for persons who 1) Are entering a PhD after working outside academia 2) Undertaking a topic outside of your Masters or prior academic work. It is tremendously easier to being a doctorate having your prior studies in the same or similar field of study. It is not impossible but question why you would want to take such a leap out of your academic comfort zone to engage in a different field of inquiry. For others such as myself who took a break from academia to enter the workforce it might appear a bit difficult to transition back into the swing of things so quickly. So reading becomes twofold: you learn both context (what it is you want to discover) and construction (the acceptable way to structure what you've learned) which are required to complete your doctorate. Your supervisor, who is an expert on your topic, will be the first to direct you onto the major readings, authors and research agendas but afterwards it is up to you to follow up and to explore the vast knowledge in front of you, remember it is your PhD.

Listen
To my final point for the year 2013. Once you have gotten into the process of graduate school it is important to be quiet. Yes, as a former journalist I have learnt that you learn the most when you keep your mouth shut. Not all the time but especially as a junior. Take the opportunities with your supervisor and other faculty members to listen to what they have to say, it may be on your topic, it may be on your methodology, it may be on neither but listen and learn and enjoy.

Best of luck in 2014