#Phd Student

What does a humanities PhD student do all day? There are many tasks that come with a PhD - writing conference papers, prepping presentations, archival research, writing, and teaching. Each day looks pretty different! On this day my teacher hat was definitley on, and I spent the whole day dedicated to that. If I can help it (which is not always possible) I like to dedicate each day to one kind of task to allow for deep work. So one day might be a thesis day, another conference, etc. And then of course at the end of the day - a fun treat! Went to go see Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt in the Last Five Years and it was phenomenal #phdstudent #phdlife #london #londonlife #student

Im in my sixth year but will need seven to complete my dissertation (partly due to a one year hiatus in my 5th year to work full time in ed tech because I was out of funding and needed a visa) I don’t have any articles published (yet) I struggle to make friends at my university (mostly due to having started during covid) I don’t plan to stay in academia (I feel my work will have a broader and greater impact if I go on to work as a public historian) I haven’t been to a conference in three years and sometimes feel out of touch with my field as a result (but don’t worry, I’ve applied for a few in 2027) I struggle the most with writing despite it being one of the most crucial skills as a researcher (I much prefer disseminating knowledge through visual and audio formats) #phd #historian

Deadline done✅ I feel free😅🥰 #phd #phdlife #phdstudent #phdjourney #studentlife #stem

My dream of studying abroad for my PhD was crushed when I lost my father during my master’s program. At that time, I had already started preparing for the GRE. I was researching universities and planning to take the TOEFL as well. But realistically, studying abroad during such a difficult moment for my family would have been an unreasonable decision. I even tried applying for a fellowship during COVID, but I was rejected. Very few applications were accepted at that time given the circumstances. I was studying at one of the best universities in Japan (my home country), but I often heard people say that if you want to become a well-known scholar, you need to get your PhD from a globally recognized university. Indeed, many of the scholars I admire studied abroad in the US or UK during their graduate programs. I noticed how advanced they seemed, not only because of language skills, but also because of the diversity of experiences they gained by living abroad. I wanted that exposure too. It took me a while to accept that just because I didn’t go abroad for my PhD didn’t mean I had failed. I grew tremendously during my graduate program in Japan, and I don’t regret staying at a time when my family needed me the most. Sometimes we get trapped in the “what if.” And when we do, we forget that we are living our life right now. If we keep focusing on what could have been, we may never fully experience what is actually happening. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re wondering whether to pursue a PhD just because it’s not abroad, don’t dismiss the opportunity. Even if it’s a PhD in your home country, take it. Why not? You never know what experiences and opportunities you will encounter there. And if you truly believe you need to go abroad—maybe to collect data, collaborate, or learn from a specific professor—you can still pursue those opportunities during your PhD. I promise you, it will not be a waste of time. #tokyolife #phdstudent #graduateschool #phdlife #academics

who said my life is on pause during my PhD anyway 😎 (hint: it ABSOLUTELY was not). . . . . . . . . . #phd #gradstudent #doctorate #highereducation #university

what people tell you getting a PhD is like: 💀🫩🧪📚😰🥼 what it’s actually like: 🧚🏼‍♀️✨💞🌞👗💅🏻 • • #phdjourney #diml #graduatestudentlife #universityofminnesota #womaninstem

One day this will be worth it.#phd -#gradstudent #selfdisciplined #workhard #workhardeveryday

Tools I use as a PhD student 💻 These are a few of my top websites/tools I use nearly everyday to keep my life together: 1. @notionhq (Notion)- an absolute life changer! I use it to plan my daily life, keep track of deadlines for assignments or projects coming up. I use the template by @agenomicsphd (who we love btw!) 2. Endnote - this is the tool I use for referencing. There are many other referencing tools out there but our university provides us endnote for free. 3. @biorender.io - is there anyone in the biology field that doesn’t love biorender? We use it for illustrations for all of our figures in posters and presentations! (Please sponsor us 🥹) 4. Scribe - which is a google extension that captures your actions on your screen and creates a step by step guide for you. This is such a useful tool, especially if you tend to forget how you did something and want to come back to it! I am so smitten with this tool 💕 5. @canva - the love of our life!! We use this for everything - from lab presentations, instagram posts, figures etc. 6. @lab.hacks - One of the other PhD students in the lab (@jordanod1998_) recommended the app to us, and safe to say Niamh is in love with this app!! It is such a handy tool that helps you do lab calculations, dilutions, help you set different timers etc Do let us know if you have any questions! . . . #phd #phdjourney #phdlife #phdjourney #academia #stem #motivation #gradschoolproblems #explore #explorepage #explorepage +* #fyp #fyp= #trendingreels #reelitfeelit #dayinthelife #student #studentlife #science #stem #womeninstem #postgrad #gradschool #gradstudent #gradstudentlife #postgraduate

3 Warning Signs a PhD Isn’t for You 🚩 1. You’re in it for the Dr. title or academic validation. If your main motivation is having “Doctor” before your name, impressing people, or chasing academic validation, a PhD will get old fast. Even if you finish, you might still feel empty. A PhD is long, challenging, and often isolating.. so if curiosity and a passion for research are not driving you, it’s going to be hard to keep going. 2. You don’t really know what you want to do. Being good at school doesn’t automatically mean grad school is the right path. Grad school is not an extension of undergrad. If you haven’t thought carefully about your long-term goals or what kind of life you want, you might end up spending 5+ years on a path that doesn’t excite you. 3. You’re doing it for the money. If you think a PhD automatically leads to a high-paying job, think again. Most PhDs earn less than people assume, and the opportunity cost is huge. If your main goal is financial gain, there are better, faster ways to achieve it in industry or other jobs. 🔁 Share or repost if this resonates with you. 💬 Thinking about doing a PhD? Comment “tea” below 👇🏽 I’ve got some resources to help you with applications and figuring out if it’s right for you. #phd #phdlife #phdstudent #gradschool #gradstudent #academia #research #science #stem #applications #admissions #advice

oh and let’s not forget being treated like students #phd #phdlife #gradschool #phdstudent #gradstudent

I was about to feel overwhelmed by my PhD journey… The late nights. The research revisions. The statistics. The data analysis. The endless reading. The imposter syndrome that quietly visits every doctoral student at some point. But then I reminded myself, only a very small percentage of the global population earns a doctorate. This is not just “grad school.” This is doctoral training. This is academic research. This is higher education at the highest level. As a woman in STEM, as an international PhD student, as someone navigating academia far from home, this journey is rare. Women in academia don’t talk enough about: Dissertation pressure Qualifying exams Publishing research Teaching assistant responsibilities Balancing mental health in graduate school Being a first-generation scholar Being a minority woman in higher education PhD life is not aesthetic productivity. It is discipline. It is research methodology. It is statistical analysis. It is literature reviews. It is resilience. So before I let stress define my doctoral experience, I remember: I am part of a small percentage pursuing a doctorate degree. This is women in STEM. This is graduate school life. This is the doctoral journey. This is academic success built quietly. 🕊️🧕🏻 study abroad, international student, PhD journey, master’s abroad, student life in the USA, academic journey, research life, women in education, chasing dreams, growth phase, learning and growing, Keywords, becoming her, student journey, work, goals, memories, PhD life, PhD student, study, grad life, master’s abroad, study abroad life, international student journey, academic goals, growth, mindset, resilience, becoming her, dream life, that girl, studying, hard work, women in stem, university, grad school, #studystudystudy #phdlife #studyroutine #gradstudent #usa

1. I’m not really sure about staying in academia. After starting a PhD for the sole reason of one day attaining Professor Emeritus, I’m questioning whether an academic career is really going to be what I had been dreaming of. 2. I still don’t feel very confident reaffirming my identity as a ‘researcher’. 3. I don’t enjoy presenting at conferences because talking about my ideas in front of ‘experienced academics’ terrifies me. 4. I don’t like going into the office. Hearing about other people’s progress makes me feel like I’m falling behind. Once when I heard that some of my colleagues who started their PhDs after me had already defended their PhDs, I couldn’t sleep for days. 5. I thought about quitting my PhD a lot at the beginning of my write-up year, and almost left for a job in industry. . . . #phd #phdlife #academia #gradschool #phdstudent