Settling into a PhD – Fresher’s Week for Postgraduates

#1 Don’t take ‘settling in’ for granted

If you’re starting a PhD this September, there’s a fairly good chance you started a Masters last September and a Bachelors a few years before that. You know how the process works.

In fact, if you’re staying at the same university, you probably know enough about the local pubs and takeaways to run your own fresher’s fair.

But a PhD is different. For one thing, you’re not just starting university as a student this time. As a postgraduate researcher you’re also part of your department in a much more significant sense. You’ll work alongside its staff and contribute directly to the reputation of your laboratory or research group.

The induction process for your PhD will reflect this. Sure, you can try and grab some goodies along with the ‘other freshers’. But you may also find yourself invited to more ‘professional’ welcome events and orientation sessions - the kind that offer free wine and nibbles rather than free pizza and beer.

So keep an eye out during fresher’s week and don’t assume you’ve seen it all before. The induction opportunities offered to you at the beginning of your PhD will be really helpful. Some may actually be compulsory.

#2 Check your inbox

So, how do you hear about those postgraduate welcome drinks and faculty inductions? Sadly, your lecturers won’t be standing outside the library handing out fliers for free wine and crisps at the initial research meeting or lab induction. Well, probably not.

Instead, you’re going to have to rely on a slightly less vibrant information source: your email.

There’s a lot of important information to digest at the beginning of a PhD, from the details of those welcome events to slightly less exciting student guidelines, conduct handbooks and research training. Most of it will end up in your inbox. So make sure you have access to it. And check it.

A wide range of student societies and other university organisations will also be eager to get in touch with the newest crop of postgraduate researchers. Some of what they have to offer won’t be of interest to you. Some will be. Don’t be afraid to sign up to a few lists and find out.

Finally, there’s your supervisor. It may be a week or two before you both sit down and discuss the first steps for your research project, but they’ll probably make contact before then. They may even suggest a more informal meeting for coffee – or make sure you know about any appropriate induction processes.

Basically, any of the opportunities and events mentioned in this post probably involve your email inbox in some way.

Whilst you’re checking it, why not take a moment to set up a neat academic signature. After all, you’re a ‘PhD Researcher’ within your department now – and this is going to be your professional account.

#3 Check your schedule

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that PhD research students don’t have any academic timetable. Except when they do.

Unlike all those new undergraduates, you aren’t going to be attending your first lectures and seminars next week. You’ll probably be setting up an initial meeting with your supervisor (and a further schedule for such meetings). But you’re unlikely to have any other ‘classes’.

This used to be true for the majority of PhD students (certainly in the UK), but it’s gradually changing as doctoral training evolves. These days the beginning of a PhD can actually involve some initial timetable – particularly if your university operates a more structured training and ‘development’ plan for its postgraduate researchers.

The sessions you’re expected to attend won’t relate directly to your project; you still won’t be ‘taught’ your PhD. Instead you’ll be offered more practical training: covering research methods, use of resources and any ethical or legal issues that might relate to your work.

A lot of this probably won’t seem exciting, but it is meant to be useful. More importantly, it could be compulsory – with attendance required for successful progression on your programme.

Information on formal training and induction will probably be emailed to you. It may also be covered in your research student handbook. Speaking of which…

#4 Read the research student handbook

A university’s research student handbook is a lot like the iTunes terms and conditions. You’ll be asked to read it. It will be boring. You won’t read it. You’ll say you’ve read it.

Most of the time, this will be fine. There won’t be a quiz. You won’t need to refer to the handbook during the day-to-day progress of your PhD and procedures for important milestones such as your MPhil upgrade or viva will be discussed with your supervisor when the time comes.

That’s most of the time. But the information in the research student handbook can be important – particularly if you run into any issues with your PhD. The guidelines there will help set out what your university expects of you and what you can expect from your university. Knowing them – or at least knowing where to find them – could be important.

So read the handbook once. Then stick it on a shelf somewhere.

#5 Attend the postgraduate welcome drinks

This one shouldn’t be a hard sell.

If your department runs an event to welcome new postgraduates, it’s definitely worth going. There’ll normally be some food and drink provided and you won’t yet have a better opportunity to meet other researchers in your department – including other PhD students.

These events differ quite a bit, but most are fairly relaxed. There may be a quick speech by the head of department or another senior academic and smaller groups may even ask individuals to introduce themselves. Most of the event, however, will be spent chatting to other attendees.

Your supervisor will probably attend and this may be one of your first chances to chat with them after arriving at the university. Now won’t be the time to discuss your specific project in depth, but you can expect to be introduced to other researchers, including your supervisor’s other PhD students (if they have any).

Whether or not your supervisor is around to provide an icebreaker, try not to let nerves get the better of you.

The people you meet at your welcome drinks are part of your ‘team’ and you’re going to be working alongside most of them for three years. Professional networking is also a key skill for academic researchers. You may as well get started on friendly ground.

And finally, don’t put off attending a welcome event if you’re staying at the same university for your PhD. Even if you already know all the staff (and some of the students) your position has changed. You’re no longer just their student; you’re now rubbing shoulders with them as more of an equal. Take the chance to grab a glass of something and enjoy that new status.

#6 Look out for research seminars, guest lectures and other events

Welcome drinks are a great way to get to know your fellow researchers and get involved with your department. One of the best ways to build upon this is to look for other departmental activities and events.

You might be surprised just how much goes on within a university faculty or research group – a lot of which you may not have noticed (or paid attention to) during your previous studies.

Larger departments in particular will often host visiting speakers or run their own seminar programmes at which research staff present on their current projects. Some even run specific groups for postgraduate students to discuss work in progress.

You don’t have to present at any of these yet, but they’re a great way to get involved and ‘show your face’ around the department. Needless to say, they’re also a great way to continue your networking, learn about current work in your field and perhaps identify opportunities for academic conversation and collaboration – all good habits to get into at the start of a PhD!

#7 Don’t ignore fresher’s week entirely

I began this post with jokes about free pizza and discounted beer. The aim was to make a point about the differences between the start of a PhD and the first week of your Bachelors. Hopefully the points above have done that – and you’ve picked up some useful advice.

But let’s be honest with each other: free pizza is no laughing matter.

Being a PhD student doesn’t mean you can’t check out the union, grab a few flyers and benefit from a few promotions (including those for takeaway food). Like any other student, you want to enjoy your degree and your time at a new (or old) university. And, like any other student, you need to eat.

Don’t overlook the other elements of fresher’s week either. There’s no rule that says postgraduates can’t join student societies and enjoy interacting outside their immediate academic circle. In fact, quite a few universities run their own postgraduate societies.

So, should PhD students care about fresher’s week? Sure. Just make sure you read check your inbox and read the research handbook too.