Two Months Down, 46 to Go: Reflections on the First Two Months of My PhD

#1 You read A LOT

Whilst every project is different, most people start their PhD by getting up to speed with the literature, understanding the work that has been completed to date and finding the gaps that your work is going to address. This means A LOT of reading. Since starting my PhD I have been reading articles and writing a literature review that will also become my thesis introduction. It’s important to take notes while reading as you will never remember everything or be able to locate where you read it. The law of literature is that you will never find the same article twice if you don’t write it down. It’s the academic equivalent of trying to find the same top in Primark a week after you first saw it – it’s not going to happen.

My survival tip is to make a spreadsheet. I have a spreadsheet of all the articles I’ve read with notes on the main findings of the study and my thoughts when reading it. I’ve also put in key words meaning that when writing, I can search for relevant articles for each paragraph. This has really sped up the process of writing for my literature review and helps make sure I’m actively reading rather than staring into space.

It’s important to make sure you’re reading the right thing. Chat to your supervisor about the key papers in your field and what search terms you should be using. It’s helpful to have a few rules, for example limiting your search to articles published in the last 10 years, to keep it manageable. Then the main tip is just to read! Each day I go through a few articles and over time this really builds up your knowledge. And you have a beautiful spreadsheet to show for it!

#2 You meet a lot of new people

The first few months of your PhD involve a lot of new faces and networking (the academic term for socialising). My university has an open office for all the PhD students in the department – meeting PhD students in different years is great. They have gone through the same thing you are and will be able to catch you up to speed on the easiest way to do things. My university also had a social event for all new PhD students. Even if it seems daunting to go alone, these events are really helpful to meet new people and build your academic community.

Another key person to get to know is your supervisor. They are your tether to reality while you float around in the abyss of literature and research. Your supervisor is the one who will keep you on track, guide your ideas and ultimately develop you into an independent researcher. You will work together for the next four years so take time to get to know them.

#3 You will experience all the emotions in a day

Starting a PhD is exciting – having survived the lengthy application process you now actually get to start your project. However, the reality of doing a PhD is often overwhelming. It takes time to learn to balance these emotions. Combined with new knowledge and new people, the first few months are tiring. Taking breaks, booking fun things in for the weekend and getting to know your graduate school support systems is so important. A PhD is a marathon not a sprint and there will always be more work to do, so you need to set your own boundaries and goals to maintain that ever elusive work/life balance.

Something I didn’t consider before starting was what skills I wanted to develop during my PhD. I quickly learnt that “a doctorate and a job” were not the right answer to this question. Take some time at the start of your project to think through your goals for the next few years. Is there something you’ve always wanted to be better at? Is there a specific technique you’ve always wanted to learn? What specifically excites you and scares you about this opportunity? Discusses these goals with your supervisor so you can action them together.

#4 You won’t know where the time has gone

My first two months have flown by in a world of meeting people, reading articles and training. Setting monthly goals has kept me on track this term and quietens the guilt when I’m having an afternoon off. The main thing I’ve learnt is that I will never get to the bottom of my reading list but that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve an evening off.

With 46 months to go until I have a doctorate, join me on this journey with monthly reflections on the rollercoaster of PhD life. Month three includes my first ever annual leave, which I am very excited for!