The first year of a PhD can quickly shift from an exciting adventure (“Ok I got this“) to an exasperating rollercoaster (“What I am doing here? What if I just move to a husky farm in Canada?“). Marina, has reached that stage and, after having exhausted her patience scrolling through <insert your preferred social media platorm here> in search of threads on how to boost her ‘producitivity’ (sic), she was encouraged to ask:
How do you manage projects, courses, navigating the lab group culture and everything else as a first year PhD student?
Dear Marina,
Ever feel like everyone around you glides through the academic pond effortlessly while you are struggling to stay afloat? First, let’s throw that impostor syndrome in the (lousy) metaphorical trash bin. You are not alone in this. Unless, of course, you’re some retired emeritus professor enjoying your days of freedom by enrolling into a PhD – in which case I am torn between congratulating you and feeling pity for you. For the rest of us mere mortals, we are not born master academic jugglers. Trust me, I’ve been there. The initial exciting weeks, fueled by a dash of Dunning-Kruger effect, gave way to moments of despair when I realised I knew nothing, Jon Snow. And that it’s also fine.
Are you clocking in more hours than there are in a day, even on weekends? Does procrastination in the form of scrolling High-Impact PhD memes feel way more rewarding than your mounting to-do-list? It’s time to stop shooting yourself in the foot. While I don’t have a magic spell, I can offer some sage advice. I’m certainly no time management guru (says the person procrastinating on manuscript writing to address this letter), but here’s a plan.
Time management is your new best friend.You don’t need an MBA to grasp its essence, but it will become your motto. Prioritise tasks. Some are main characters, others mere extras. Set clear, achievable goals that map the route to your ultimate objective. Help colleagues but also embrace the art of ‘no’ or the gift of delegation when necessary.
Connect with your fellow co-workers. Every lab is its own universe with unique (geo?)dynamics, but sharing either lunch, coffee or even a drink in an after-office pub can help to make you feel part of the lads. If no one is biting, it is probably a red flag.
Am I bombarding you with advice? Well, then let me finish with my white-woman’s-instagram-landscape-picture-inspiring quote: give yourself the gifts of time and kindness.
Yours truly,
The Sassy Scientist
