This month, in institutes all around the world, new PhD students will be starting their doctoral studies and will be embarking on a 3+ year scholarly odyssey of discovery, learning, challenges and opportunities. We have put together 10 tips to help you navigate the journey below:
1. Community: Meet other students & colleagues
Make sure to take time our of your schedule to attend welcome events, training sessions and activities that will let you meet fellow PhD students in a range of fields. They will become your confidants, your late-night coding buddies and your academic cheering committee. Together, you’ll celebrate the good times and commiserate the struggles.
2. Space: Organise your workspace
Whether you work in a lab, an office, at home or a mobile situation, aim to set up your workspace with everything you need (computers, gizmos, equipment, hardware, software, mugs, coffee supplies etc.) so that you feel comfortable.
3. Intellectual guidance: Arrange a meeting schedule with your superviser
Whether this is a weekly coffee chat or a monthly discussion, keep the lines of communication open. Your superviser is your guide throughout your PhD and can advise and support you. Remember they are not your boss or your parent though, your PhD is self-directed and ultimately it is up to you to manage it.
4. Read: Schedule daily reading time
There are millions of publications and this can be overwhelming. Use a reference management software (e.g. Mendeley, Endnote, Zotero, Refworks) to organise your reading and prioritise your reading like it’s your Netflix watchlist: what you need to read first, second, third, what other people recommend…
5. Define: Clarify your research question & aims
Clarifying your research question and aims is like trying to find your keys in a dark room – it takes time, patience and a few stubbed toes. Read the literature, find the gaps and craft your research question, then list the aims of your project. Be realistic about what you can do with the time and resources you have available.
6. Learn: Be a knowledge sponge
In the early stages of your PhD you may need to learn a range of new skills. Take time to identify what is going to be important, ask your superviser’s opinion and ask for help or training when you need it.
7. Project management: You’re in charge!
You are the project manager of your own PhD, therefore it is up to you to plan out your project, schedule your work, set and meet deadlines, manage your time and ask for feedback. Software tools like your Outlook diary, Trello (project management), Notes (note taking) and more can make your life more organised and you may want to set up a workflow system. Remember research is like a rollercoaster – unpredictable, occasionally terrifying, but exhilarating. It is unpredictable and unexpected things will happen; just reset and learn from those situations.
8. Work/ life balance
Make sure you schedule time for family, friends, hobbies, food, sleep and general downtime. Your life is not your PhD and you will actually do better if you have a balance.
9. Adapt: Your project can change
PhDs are like Choose your own adventure books; they can twist and turn unexpectedly. This may be due to unexpected findings, dead ends or because you stumbled upon a more fascinating research question. Talk it through with your superviser, ask for advice and feedback from others, and keep going forward.
10. Enjoy the rollercoaster ride!
A PhD is a unique experience where you get to pursue a topic of interest and make cutting edge discoveries, all directed by you! Take time to celebrate your achievements and those of others, be part of the community, travel and make lifelong friends. Finally, at the end of the process and after a successful viva, you will get to call yourself Doctor!
Best of luck!