Explore the world of doctoral research and academia with insights, tips, and guidance for prospective and current PhD students. Navigate the challenges and rewards of the doctoral journey.

Experiences
Mojalefa Daniel Maluka

The H in PhD Stands for Hope: Remaining Hopeful in a PhD Journey

The PhD journey can make us lose hope, feeling trapped in the melancholy that often befriends the doctoral journey. But this empowering and uplifting article, written from a South African perspective, explores the idea of hope being an important friend to PhD candidates, helping us reach the finish line to graduation. Alongside the author’s personal journey with mental health, the article emphasises the importance of prioritising wellbeing, changing strategy when things aren’t working, and always remaining hopeful for the future.

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Experiences
Hannah Broadbent

 Why Being a Distinctly Average PhD Student is Extraordinarily Fine

PhD survivor Hannah Broadbent shares her personal account of persevering through her PhD, detailing her struggle with imposter syndrome and mental health. Upon self-reflection, she shifted from academia to an industry job that best matched her preferences. Her story emphasises the importance of personal satisfaction over conforming to the perfect PhD student stereotype.

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Community
Kathryn Zacharek

Solidarity In The Collective

It’s important to find community and support while undertaking a PhD. For Kathryn, forming a decolonisation collective held potential for friendship. In this article she reflects on the valuable lessons learned from being part of a collective, including the need for solidarity, sharing resources, and supporting one another emotionally and mentally.

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Experiences
Mercy Rophina

Managing PhD Stress And Staying Motivated. 

A research journey is a rollercoaster ride with its fair share of ups and downs. If we can enjoy the happy moments, we can overcome the things which pull us down. Let us see our PhD as a solo adventure trek, rather than a track race.

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COVID-19
Karl Miller

Doing Your PhD During A Pandemic, And Being Open To Adapting Your Research

Adapting to changes in research plans is an important skill for all researchers. Karl Miller writes about the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including working from home, the inability to access equipment, and the need to redesign studies. However, online data collection provided new opportunities for learning and developing new skills.

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