The PhD (+ mature student + other postgrad) thread II

[Nadle]

Could it be because you're still in your 20s and not sure if you can hack life outside the university? I am honestly not trying to be snide or hostile when I say that, and I'm honestly trying to have a go at you personally. I think that might be a wider motive for taking up doctoral work than is usually assumed.

Its a frequent argument that is levelled at most postgrads - along with 'You just did it because you cant handle real life'. Which makes no sense whatsoever because it implies that we can't handle something. How do young postgrads know whether they can 'hack life' outside university if they have never experienced it?

You have to hack life doing a postgrad - and I think most post-grads will tell you that it is a damn site harder staying on at uni than trotting off to some 9-5. We still have bills to pay, families and friends to see, supervisors to satisfy etcetc.

There are more people that can't handle university life, than can handle real-life.....

 

[Idris2002]

That may be true. But if - for example - you have difficulty forming social relationships, then a university environment provides a ready-made social network you can slot yourself into.

I do take your other points about the hackability of postgrad life, mind.

 

[Idris2002]

While we're on this subject; yesterday morning I was talking to a friend who had her second viva (defence to Americans) scheduled for that afternoon.

She was really worried, and genuinely thought they'd reject her work - but I met her this morning and she'd passed and got her doctorate with very minor corrections (fewer than I had in fact).

So it can be done - and she did it because she was really enthused by her subject.

That's the real secret - find a subject you're really, really into, and stick to it.

 

[jerseymonkey]

And don't do it because you can't think of anything else (obvious. I know - but it seemed so much easier at the time. Over 3 years later I still have no idea).

 

[Roadkill]

That's the real secret - find a subject you're really, really into, and stick to it.

I think it'd be very difficult to do a PhD in a subject area that you weren't very enthusiastic about. You have to be a little bit obsessive I think; you have to immerse yourself completely in something quite obscure for several years and stick with it.

Universities do act as a bit of a magnet for people who can't handle "real life" (whatever that may be) - there are a lot of people who spend their time pushing back the boundaries of some dark little corner of human knowledge but haven't the common sense to wipe their own arses. But they're a minority, and the majority of postgrads IME are just people who are very enthusiastic about their subjects, and who want to make a career out of them.

 

[J77]

Working in universities seems more relaxed than your equivalent 9-5

 

[Idris2002]

Maybe for us Joe Postgrads - but usually not even then. And definitely not for those who are actually on the staff.

Average working week is usually at least 51 hours.

 

[kea]

my sister is doing a PhD, i'm very proud of her (it's in biochemistry - something about proteins that i don't understand ) she had her first viva last month, she was really worried about it and was working like hell - she and my brother-in-law couldn't celebrate their first wedding anniversary properly, cos it was the day before - but anyway, she did fine and got the thumbs up to continue.

the majority of postgrads IME are just people who are very enthusiastic about their subjects, and who want to make a career out of them.

this is exactly what she is like. she's hoping to continue into a research career because from her experience of industry (she did 6 months in industry as part of her masters i think - she's sponsored by proctor and gamble) she prefers 'pure' research. she's always been really good at focussing on one thing to the exclusion of everything else - i guess that helps with something as demanding as a PhD?

 

[J77]

Average working week is usually at least 51 hours.

When I say working I mean research not that teaching stuff...

 

[Mation]

Maybe for us Joe Postgrads - but usually not even then.

Tell that to my poor supervisor. His PhD students take any amount of time off to go climbing and sailing (and raving ) etc, and work very peculiar hours but it's fine because we all love what we're doing, and put in really long hours when we need/want to. The work gets done.

 

[onemonkey]

i've just been accepted. I start in October

Approximate topic

"A neuroconstructivist investigation of object knowledge and action in development and developmental disorders"

Catchy, huh?

 

[equationgirl]

well done onemonkey

Your phd sounds impressive, if a little scary. Hope you're looking forward to years of self-doubt and questioning too

 

[E.J.]

I've enrolled last week to continue with my part-time studies at uni. It's my fourth year of the course. Even though i'm back on the fly (or social) since June, quit my job and i had personal problems. Especially with work and coming to terms with my mum and second passing away. Thus i left on a leave of abscene this spring. I was feeling quite negative and a bit depressed during this summer.

For the second time i was considering giving up my BA degree. But i had a few words with e.g. Kidda and my dad. Thus they persuaded me not to quit. One of my academic tutors, he's doing a Phd himself (as well as being a senior lecturer from Devon) was very sympathetic with my situation. And he's sorted out my academic stiuation as well

 

[Pickman's model]

i miss being a postgraduate because i can't mix it with the big phd types on this thread.

 

[J77]

i miss being a postgraduate because i can't mix it with the big phd types on this thread.

You're like U75's resident researcher tho' PM

 

[Roadkill]

Anyone else experienced the strange phenomenon of post-thesis lethargy? I can't think of anything I want to do less than academic work of any sort right now.

I'm supposed to be off to a conference in two weeks' time. There's nothing I want to do less, frankly, and I argued with my supervisor about it yesterday. He just talked me out of pulling out of it, but now I wish I'd stuck to my guns and refused. I can't be arsed at the moment: I'd rather sack the conference off and sign up for a string of 60-hour weeks at the bar to get at least some of my debts cleared off.

 

[J77]

I wrote loads of stuff up after finishing my thesis - probably just as much additional work to what the thesis contained.

Lethargy sets in sometimes, but that's the time to move on...

 

[onemonkey]

Started last week.. looks like I will be adrift in reading for quite a long time yet, it was very pleasing that the first book i had to get was called 'The Big Book of Concepts' (G.L. Murphy)

It's actually rather narrowly about psychological research into concept formation but it's a title that might be generally appropriate to anyone doing a phd

 

[hovis]

Anyone else experienced the strange phenomenon of post-thesis lethargy? I can't think of anything I want to do less than academic work of any sort right now.

I'm supposed to be off to a conference in two weeks' time. There's nothing I want to do less, frankly, and I argued with my supervisor about it yesterday. He just talked me out of pulling out of it, but now I wish I'd stuck to my guns and refused. I can't be arsed at the moment: I'd rather sack the conference off and sign up for a string of 60-hour weeks at the bar to get at least some of my debts cleared off.

No, I miss it actually.

Post doc anyone?

 

[Idris2002]

Anyone else experienced the strange phenomenon of post-thesis lethargy? I can't think of anything I want to do less than academic work of any sort right now.

I'm supposed to be off to a conference in two weeks' time. There's nothing I want to do less, frankly, and I argued with my supervisor about it yesterday. He just talked me out of pulling out of it, but now I wish I'd stuck to my guns and refused. I can't be arsed at the moment: I'd rather sack the conference off and sign up for a string of 60-hour weeks at the bar to get at least some of my debts cleared off.

Uh-huh. After my external examiner told me to rewrite the whole thesis (may his name be blotted out), I spent most of a year doing that. And for the year following it, I didn't want to see even a trace of the written word.

 

[Roadkill]

Uh-huh. After my external examiner told me to rewrite the whole thesis (may his name be blotted out), I spent most of a year doing that. And for the year following it, I didn't want to see even a trace of the written word.

<shudders>

I've got my viva in January. I know and like my external, but if he makes me rewrite the whole thing he goes straight off my Christmas card list!

Tbh I'm enjoying bar work far more than academic stuff atm.

 

[Pickman's model]

No, I miss it actually.

Post doc anyone?

let me just get to the doc bit first, eh?

i don't want to get ahead of myself...