Sam Ayele is a PhD student at IMT School for Advanced Studies studying the cognitive science of internet memes. She is an Ethiopian-born, California-raised international student in Lucca, Italy and the founder of the International Student Union. In her spare time, she writes a weekly blog on www.samayele.com/blog

Anxiety in Academia: Using Anxiety as My Superpower  

Anxiety is a debilitating condition that can make the simplest of tasks difficult, let alone a PhD. This empowering article follows Jake’s experience with anxiety during sixth form and university, and how once he discovered research he began to view anxiety as a superpower to keep his PhD pushing forwards. He shares anxiety-reducing techniques for when it gets too much, including affirmations and breath control, and emphasises the value of accepting anxiety in your life.

Read More »

How to Deal with Boredom During the PhD

This article discusses the dark cloud of boredom that doctoral students may experience during the long PhD journey. It explores some possible causes of boredom, such as social media leading to comparison and disinterest in our own lives, and provides tips on how to handle it – aiming to inspire and encourage you to have a wonderful research journey ahead!

Read More »
Your contribution to our PhD Stories helps us disseminate valuable support to researchers worldwide.
Update cookies preferences