For those of us working on our PhD's

Hello everyone,

Getting a PhD is hard and sometimes you need a little bit of support.

This thread is here to give you a place to post your weekly "Ups" and "Downs". Basically, what went wrong and what went right?

So, how is your week going?

Hello everyone,

Today is Wellness Wednesday!

Please feel free to post any articles, papers, or blog posts that helped you during your PhD career. Self promotion is allowed!

Have a blog post you wrote/read that might help others?

Post it!

Found a workout routine or a book to help relax?

Post it!

-Mod

So, normally I have students call me by my first name currently. However, I just got hired at a university. I’m hired on as an instructor, which will transition to a TT assistant professor when I finish my dissertation. I feel like it’s weird to go by my first name for a year and then be like “okay, now it’s Dr. so and so”. Is it not weird and I’m overthinking it? Should I use something different than my first name?

I was at a local park for a STEM youth engagement event and had a conversation with a woman who introduced herself as Dr. **** and it was confused as to why the formality at a Saturday social event. I responded with introducing myself but just with my first name, even though I have my PhD as well.

I've noticed that every field is a little different about this but when do you introduce yourself as Dr. "So-and-so"? Is it strictly in work settings, work and personal events, or even just randomly when you make small talk at the grocery store?

Hi all! I just graduated with my Masters last month from a strong research university (in the US) and my research mentor is enthusiastic to take me on as a PhD student. She has vouched for me over the last two years, connected me with colleagues in my areas of interest, and has gotten me so many opportunities. She had a terrible PhD mentor/experience so she highly values building mentorship skills and is truly awesome. But her specific research isn’t my primary interest and isn’t what I would want to study long-term in my career. What is more important? Finding a mentor with more similar interests and taking a leap of faith, or sticking with a mentor I know will vouch for me and advocate for my success but not with my primary interest?

will be headed into my third year of my phd in the fall (in the US), and i am so lonely. i generally only hang out with my partner, but they live with me so it doesn’t even really count. i’ve tried making friends, to realize that they definitely were not as invested in being friends as i was, and i am just so tired.

i think i am very friendly, but i don’t really have friends. i feel awkward asking people to hang out, because they usually have other people to default to. if i schedule a hang out, they don’t follow up to schedule another one at some point. it feels very isolating.

i moved here to do my phd, so i don’t really have other people i know Outside of the program, and it just gets tough after a while.

In a bit of a rush and didn’t get to search the history so apologies if this has been discussed recently but I’m looking to organise a lit review. I can use Sheets/Excel, nVivo, citation software like EndNote, Rayyan, Covidence, DistillerSR etc - anything I’ve missed? What do you use?

Greetings all, I am considering starting my doctorate coursework. I am currently still in the military and have about ten years left prior to retirement. I want to use my degree to advance in the ranks, but also use it to help in a leadership position. Afterwards, I want to use it to get a good career in management. I am exploring these two programs and wanted some input from current students or someone who completed the program. I understand the PHD is more research focused compared to the DBA. However, I am still trying to understand which one would be best for leadership positions and for practical use besides academia. Any suggestions/feedbacks are greatly appreciated! PS. - I have an MBA and MSF, if that helps any. In USA 🇺🇸

My doctoral defence is in a couple of weeks and I am finding it challenging to get through everything I did in the last 3-4 years in a 20 minute presentation (Canadian uni). Would appreciate any advice from those who have been through this and if you can share any resources.

Hi everyone, I’m going into my 3rd year and have been feeling demotivated for about a half a year. I want to get this thing done and get out of here. I made a to-do list of things I need to do before I graduate, and it’s horrifying - I look at it and don’t ‘want’ to do anything on the list. Has anyone felt similarly? Is there a way I can reframe this to graduate and get all this behind me as smoothly as possible? Thanks for any advice, I’m so glad this sub exists.

Australian PhD here. My situation is a little complicated, but I'll try to simplify it.

Before my mid-candidature a pretty stringent covid lockdown took place, preventing me from accessing any experimental equipment. I was doing a heavily experiment topic, which I frankly wasn't that suited to and so already struggling a little. Because of this, my supervisors and review panel encouraged me to change to a purely theoretical topic that had essentially no relation to the previous (aside from them both broadly being chemistry based). It wasn't the worst decision, as I've been far more productive and confident in this topic - even despite losing a close family member during the lockdown.

However, because of that delay and having to take on full-time work in the last year of the candidature I wasn't going to finish on time. My principal supervisor (who encouraged me to get my current job) strongly suggested I let the candidature lapse, and that I could submit within a 3 year period after the lapse. I agreed and have since finished the thesis, but it took longer than I hoped. She's supporting me still, but obviously nowhere near as much as she would a student within their candidature period (which, fair enough - this is basically a favour at this point).

But, because she's been less communicative and helpful, I've gotten less feedback on quality and formatting. I'm trying to get organised for the reinstatement process currently, which requires a letter of support from her. She has suggested I get a professional proof-reader or copy-editor before giving her the completed thesis for her final review and approval. But, this costs quite a lot of money and will take 2-3 weeks more - and I will have to go through all changes and suggestions afterwards. English is my first language, and I'm generally considered to have a good attention to detail but I have been staring at the same document for far too long.

Due to the length of my thesis, quotes from good editors are in the range of 3-5K AUD. Some quote lower, but I'm less confident about the quality or benefit of their work. I need my supervisor to be confident in my thesis to support my reinstatement, and it likely would help my case. What should I do?

Hello PhDs!

I hope you guys are doing well & healthy.

So I'm currently on the edge of submitting my thesis for defense, right after summer holidays. Therefore, I'm trying to maximize my efforts in summer. However, I think I might be developing a very bad habit & I'm worried on how I can get rid of this. On the other hand, perhaps a part of is posting this with the hope that others face the same issue & it's not a big of a deal.

Anyway, my problem is, whenever I sit down in my chair & turn on my pc to work on my thesis, I do not seem to want to get up. I have passed out on many ocasions on my chair & I don't think this is heamlthy at all. What broke the camel's back me, two weeks ago, working on my pc for 34 hours staright until I passed out on my chair.

Basically, when I'm working, I just end up getting more ideas to write, & therefore, I don't want to stop working. Sometimes whilst I'm reading, I just feel like I need to finish just this one paper, then end up reading many more, as I feel like I'm too immersed to leave. I've tried writing down my ideas on a notepad but I feel like I won't have the same continium I have currently on my mind, which is correct, as I end up producing better text whilst I'm on a streak than when I'm working bit by bit.

Does anyone here face or faced the same issue? How can I get rid of this bad habit?

Hey guys,

I'm having a meeting with my PhD supervisors today about expectations and general supervision stuff.

I need some help! What are some questions you wished you asked your PhD advisor before you started? Can be anything you wished you knew, i've got some questions but I imagine there's a thousand things I won't think to ask until it's too late haha!

Appreciate you

I have my defense coming up couple weeks and i really don’t feel confident about my work. I just got comments back on my thesis and my advisor’s comments made me feel like that. I don’t see any sort of motivation from him or encouragement, quite the opposite frankly. Anyone with similar experiences? How do you guys build confidence before you go up there and defend, especially when it doesn’t come from your advisor?

Hi I am going to graduate this semester and would like to apply for a PhD after a one-year research assistant in the same lab I have been performing my two-year research projects.

I notice that quite many universities in Europe e.g. Germany and Switzerland, require 2 or sometimes 3 reference letters for the PhD application. However, I can only get one, which is from the PI of my current lab. There is also a mentor of mine (a PhD candidate), and a lab manager (who graduated from the PhD a long time ago, still participating in research), but I am not sure whether I can ask them for the letter since they are all in the same lab)

I am the second author of a journal article, and hopefully, a second paper will be under peer review by the end of my RA job, and I may be the co-first author or second author. But I can't really be sure about that since the project is only halfway done. (This is the main reason why I chose to stay in this lab)

Therefore, may I know who are common that I can ask for a reference letter? Thank you.

Just some background first:

I'm an expat living in the UK (moved for my partner) and been here since before COVID. I sort of gave up my career for the move, and also left behind my parents which was really hard.

Since then I've built my career back up and then last September entered a PhD programme as I always planned. Very supportive partner and ideal situation really, so I have nothing to complain about there. But m heart just feels conflicted.

Mainly the conflict is with my parents getting older, my biological clock ticking (in my early 30s) and just feeling confused as a whole. I thought I really wanted to complete a PhD and be in research but I find myself half in/half out. Randomly after accepting the PhD I felt instant anxiety and for the last few months I've been thinking I should have just kept working and started a family with my partner. Now I'm barely making enough to get by, having to work a part time job to make some extra cash and feel more stressed than ever. At this trajectory I'll be in my late 30s when I graduate, and I feel like I'm just doing things wrong.

The thing is I wasn't completely happy in my job before either, I thought going into research would get me closer to the field I'm interested in and allow me to deep dive. Which it definitely has, and I've met some amazing people through this too, not to mention my supervisory team is so supportive. I'm really lucky there. I think the major conflict just comes with knowing my parents are aging and it's getting difficult for them to travel oversees, and now I feel trapped. I have freedom to travel to them often at least but now money is tighter.

I guess this post doesn't make much sense due to a lot of rambling thoughts, but how do you know what choice is worth it?? I just don't know what to do, or what I would do if I quit anyway. I'd probably burn some important bridges if I did that too. I think I'm just scared putting off my life for the next 3 years to do this thing...

TL:DR- confused PhD student has no idea what their doing with their life and misses parents from abroad.

Hello, I have a Microbiology PhD which I finished up in December. I am a little land locked at the moment because my partner has secured work in Cape Cod Mass so I'm trying to secure work in Mass too. The job market has been brutal. No issues getting interviews but I can't beat other candidates to save my life. I'm looking to branch out into medical services now, clinical micro or toxicology. There's plenty positions open but a lot are looking for MLT/MST Certs. Has anyone here ever started work without the cert and gotten it down the line? Or, in your experience, is the cert a mandatory thing. Most positions advertise it as optional and now I'm wondering if I could compete with a B.S. level applicant with the cert. Also, if there are other areas I'm not thinking of or if you have tips for work in Mass let me know. Thank you.

Hi, I was wondering when is deadline for thesis submission, from my understanding once u finish year 3 you can submit it and the last day is the end of autumn semester?

Three weeks ago I defended my dissertation and passed. I guess I'm a doctor now? But this week, likely due to chronic stress, I have developed a bad case of shingles and it's very painful. I am going back for blood work because my liver enzymes were high and the doctors are concerned. I've never had any health issues nor do I have any pre-existing conditions. I drink maybe one bottle of wine a week. I'm in a foreign country to conduct research trying to maneuver the health system on my own. I'm saying this to all the graduate students to please take care of yourself and to be cautious about "powering through because it will be worth it in the end." I'm at the end and it wasn't worth it. I have rashes on my scalp, face, and down my chest and the PhD is not making the pain go away.

US, STEM field

Hello everyone! This is my first post and I have to ask for your help.

A few days ago, I (25 F) have completed my Master’s degree in Modern Philology in Italy. I now wish to apply for a PhD in History, as both my bachelor’s and master’s theses focused on contemporary history and historiography.
I am considering applying for a PhD program abroad (in Europe) to gain new experiences and learn a different approach to the subject in a foreign context. (I don’t know if it’s useful, but I know both English and German, even if I'm a bit rusty with the latter).
The problem is that I am unsure about what project idea to pursue and how to write a dissertation about my research, as I am not familiar with the archival sources of other countries or key points that I should highlight.

I’d like to research on war violence, with a focus on sexual violence, violence against children and women, trauma, impact and its strategies. This connects with my master’s degree thesis, which is focused on brigands’ violence in 19th-century Italy.

I am unsure how to expand this topic into something less specific and more “international”, a project than can be seen as more useful and appealing for other countries' universities.
Thank you in advance :^)

Hello All, as the title says, I’ve been seriously contemplating ‘mastering out’ of my program (USA). I’ll be an entering my 4th year this Fall, but life in lab hasn’t been swell (I’m in a bioscience program based on human pathogenesis). Typically, students graduate 5.5-6 years.

To sum it up, I have a decent advisor. They’re nice, intelligent and understanding for the most part. However, I don’t get the most out of our conversations or guidance. I often feel like I’m lost and stuck in place in term of research, I do acknowledge to my PI that I’m frustrated with my progress or lack thereof and oftentimes they just give mediocre input and kinda shrug. At this point I feel like I’m just lingering around the lab aimless. I do also get a sense of favoritism towards a fellow student (PI spends more time assisting, investing on conferences for this person who has about the same amount of data as me). I won’t dwell much on that issue but I’ll say it doesn’t help with my situation and sense of “place” in the lab.

Additionally, this has taken toll on my mental well being. Constantly crying, and disappointed with myself. I can’t seem to tolerate the immense amount of pressure anymore nor the competitiveness/favortism that is starting to arise in the lab. Now this isn’t something new as I’ve been dealing with this for months now—so I’m starting to take the first steps by inquiring the process of just getting my masters. Of course I’m saddened by all the work I’ve put in but at this point I also just want to be happy, make money and actually live.

I suppose the advice needed is I want to make sure I’m not being too irrational by considering some questions I need to ask myself and secondly, as my life career goals changed (no longer want to stay in academia), I wonder how realistically difficult hard it would be to get a job in industry as a Scientist or Research Associate with decent pay in the East Coast (US). More so, would a Master of Arts differs greatly vs Master of Science during the job hunt? I really appreciate any advice as I consider this big change.

I know it stems from me still feeling like a failure after never becoming a medical doctor like i planned to in my youth but i don’t know how to shake this feeling of failure. i fully understand the need for non-STEM degrees and I have no problem with the fields themselves. but the way society acts as if a non-STEM degree makes you “less than” is really getting to me.

There's probably stuff I can do to fix it, but my brain is so fried and I feel like a boomer who doesn't want to learn anything new regarding technology. I also know the student version is like $9/month and tbh I'll probably just cave and buy it on Monday.

Just coming here to whine with a glimmer of hope that someone knows of a quick fix

Canadian PhD here. I start in September. I graduated last summer and I spent my year travelling (three trips overseas), working part time most days of the week, spending time w peeps, working on publications from past work, and just picked up two summer RAships. What else should I be doing this summer? What did you do? I have three months left

So I got a cash price for a submission I made at a conference. I did 90% of the work that was submitted. Co-authors were supervisors who got funding basically.

Am I expected to share it? Its not a lot of money, so divided into like five co-authors will make it maybe a diner? Not sure what to do here...

Hey folks, I’m sure that I’m not the first person posting about this, but I still want to seek your advice. I’m currently done with the 3rd year of my PhD in Materials Engineering at a tier 2 university in US. My research is on batteries. Initially, I joined this PhD program for the wrong reason. I’m a first generation American with both parents possessing PhD’s. They were able to immigrate to the US and build a stable life largely thankful to their education. Therefore to them, not having a PhD as a man is equivalent to failing in life. I was lost after graduation and pressured into this program with the threat of getting cut off from my family. For the last three years, I have been a failure. I barely passed everything and had low motivation to show up in lab. I also don’t fit in with the group since all the other students are international students from China and I feel isolated. For the past 4 months, I have made absolutely no progress in research. I also spent more time at the gym, at the bar, and going into short-term relationships with people from the bar and dating apps. I’m eating healthy and in good shape but deep down I feel so empty. I’m seriously thinking about quitting and becoming a personal trainer(already have about all the certificates) or military officer(already a comissioned officer in the army reserves). But I also know that I barely have 1 year left. Should I fix myself up and get it done?