Take A Break Before It Breaks You
The PhD workload can weigh quite heavy at times. Zakiyya explores how taking breaks can actually increase productively, as well as improve well-being.
Fighting with my thesis: Juggling a PhD and the life of a fighter (part 1)
PhD students are all brain and no brawl. True? Not really. The life of a PhD student is more than just the university. Imagine then if you have to juggle the many challenges of the PhDLife with being a Muay Thai fighter. Nora Castle, PhD student in the department of English and Comparative Literary Studies, knows this reality very well. How does she do it? Read more to find out the exciting and very bruised daily life of an academic fighter.
Human stories for humans
Have you ever gotten a patronising comment about the subject of your research? English Literature PhD student Deborah talks about some of the reactions she has encountered when telling friends and colleagues about her topic – female nineteenth century authors – and why she thinks that is and why it should not happen.
Surviving the ‘isolation’ phase
It’s Friday night and you’re alone again… in your room, staring at the same words on the computer screen that you’ve seen for the past three years staring straight back at you. It doesn’t feel great, but you know you can’t escape this. Jenny Mak offers some quick hacks to hopefully make the isolating phases…
It’s not just art historians who look at pictures
I feel very lucky to have completed my doctorate in History of Art because if I get bogged down with writing I can always look at pictures! In this post I would like to encourage scholars working in other disciplines to also consider the visual as a valuable historical source. But how do you start when looking at paintings? Here I offer a few suggestions from my practice…
Winter Blues and PhD Life
Do you have a mood swing during the winter season? Do you feel that the gloomy winter affects your PhD life? If the answer to both questions is yes, then this post is for you.
To Conference Or Not To… There is no question
There is lots of guidance available on publishing academic papers. Sharing your research at conferences, however, is the relative unknown. And this can make the prospect quite daunting. Zakiyya sheds some light on the topic, sharing a few of her experiences and offering tips she has picked up along the way.
In search of more time
“Are there any other tricks you know which will reduce the amount of sleep I need each night, so I have more time during the day?” an old friend asks me. With only the slightest hint of a wry smile I respond: “That is not really how it works…”
Mind The Gap: A Guide for International Students
Are you new to the PhD environment in the UK? Do you come from a different educational system? If your answer to both questions is yes, then this post is for you. Throughout my education, I have been transitioning from one distinctive educational system to another. My primary education was at an Islamic school in…
On Dealing with Anxiety in a Highly Competitive Environment (Part 1 – Achievement)
Going through a PhD can be particularly challenging when uneasiness and stress are part of your daily life. In this three-part piece, Alice dissects the main aspects of the PhD she struggled with, the worries that accompanied her through the process and how she handled them. The first part focuses on Achievement and the expectations…
New Year, New Me: Research Resolutions
Happy New Year! Now that 2020 is here, will you be making any new year’s resolutions? In today’s post, Sophie provides some research related resolutions that you might wish to try too! We have just said goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020. A whole new decade. A New Year brings promise, hope and of…
Christmas and Your Mental Health
In this post Sophie shares her thoughts on looking after your wellbeing over the Christmas period. Christmas time can be full of food, fun, parties and spending time with your loved ones and family. With this in mind, Sophie offers some tips on how to look after your mental health during the festive season. …
The Superhero PhD Student
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the Superhero PhD student! The expectations that we face as PhD students can place undue stress upon us. Jenny Mak offers two tips to help you gain perspective and harness your superpower…
A PhD guide to travelling on a budget
Are you the adventurous type? Do you wish to travel and explore during your PhD? Are finance worries holding you back from booking a trip? If so, this blog could be just for you! Sophie offers some tips on how to travel on a budget.
Writing your PhD proposal: What isn’t in the manual?
Are you considering applying to do a PhD? Katie shares her warts-and-all experience of writing a proposal and enjoying it.
