10 Important Things Every Student Should Do During Their PhD
Pursuing a PhD can be both challenging and rewarding for new students. Challenging because PhD students find it difficult to navigate through their course and manage their PhD work with their personal lives. But rewarding as it helps students accumulate knowledge and skills to gain expertise in their field of study.
A PhD also acts as a solid foundation for a career in academia or other professional job roles. However, many students often feel anxious about managing the challenges that come along with a PhD and are not able to make the most of it. Instead of stressing over these difficulties, doctoral students need to manage stress and set achievable goals.
If you are looking to get the best out of your experience, here is a list of 10 important things that every PhD student should do during their doctoral studies.
1. Network
During your PhD years, you will have multiple opportunities to network with academic experts, peers, other researchers and industry professionals. Active networking can be useful in making long-term professional relationships that can help you both during and after your PhD. A good way to make new connections is by meeting people on and off campus. Additionally, social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter can also help reach out to researchers and industry professionals from different parts of the world.
2. Be proactive as a PhD Student
During your PhD, you may come across several opportunities to demonstrate your skills. Whether it is presenting at conferences, leading a workshop in your department, doing a guest lecture or organising a campus event, volunteer for the activities that interest you the most. But, these opportunities will not just fall right into your lap. You will need to be proactive in searching for them.
Presenting your research in front of the public will boost your confidence as a PhD student. It will also help you look at your work from different perspectives. Moreover, you will be able to build your public speaking skills, which are highly important in the field of academia.
3. Attend conferences
Conferences not only give a better understanding of the subject area to doctoral candidates but also present several networking opportunities. Attending a conference once in a while might help build your confidence in speaking with other academics and students. As well as providing you with ample opportunity to learn of new developments that may be relevant to your research. You can start by attending one or two local conferences in your first year and gradually move to more frequent or international conferences.
4. Take up teaching
A good way to get first-hand experience of a subject is by applying the information that you are currently studying. Many universities encourage doctoral students to take up teaching roles during their PhD tenure. By teaching other students, you can share the knowledge that you have accumulated throughout your academic life. Moreover, teaching experience can also act as valuable collateral for the CV and improve your chances of establishing a successful career in academia.
5. Listen to your supervisor
Your supervisor can have a significant influence on your research and PhD career. Supervisors act like mentors who guide doctoral candidates throughout their PhD journey. Although you don’t have to agree with your supervisor all the time, following their advice might benefit your PhD. They can guide you in understanding the PhD process better and give you constructive criticism to improve your dissertation.
Some PhD students can experience clashes with their supervisors and this is not uncommon. They are also working professionals and finding the time to assist you with your PhD work can be a challenge. Therefore, it’s best to come up with a strategy that works for both of you. Understanding how each of you works will be sure to help alleviate any friction and result in a great working partnership.
6. Take risks
During your PhD, you can take measured risks to see what works for you and what doesn’t. While working on research, check if taking a risk will make it more impactful. Even though not taking risks will not affect your PhD graduation, being ambitious can make a larger impact and get a higher reward from your PhD. Taking risks will also motivate you to be creative and come up with innovative ideas to apply to your research.
7. Identify your weaknesses and strengths
While pursuing a PhD, make it a habit to set goals and track your achievements or failures. After every interval, remember to reflect on your learning and see how far you have come. As you analyse your progress, you will be able to identify your core areas of strength and the areas that need improvement. You can highlight your strengths in your CV to give an idea of your personality to recruiters in the future. Additionally, once you identify your weaknesses, you can try to work on them and find ways to overcome them.
8. Learn to deal with rejection
Rejection is a part of life and we need to learn to deal with it sportingly. Especially for PhD students, there will be several instances when you will feel stuck in the wrong place. However, facing these issues bravely will give you the confidence to complete your research and pivot when needed. Perhaps your manuscript isn’t accepted by your journal of choice or you don’t get the job you worked hard for, these are opportunities to learn and grow. There will be plenty more journals, lots more editing and more job roles that may be even more fulfilling. If you are struggling with your journal article or implementing comments from your supervisor, it may be essential to consider help from a professional PhD writing service.
9. Pursue non-academic interests
Although PhD research will take up a significant amount of your time, trying to take time out for non-academic interests is important. Potential employers seek candidates who have comprehensive experience in academic and non-academic activities. Indulging in activities such as gardening, painting, cooking, photography or music will help to keep you motivated. It will also stimulate your brain and ensure that you do not feel stressed or bogged down by your studies.
10. Pay attention to your personal life
To stay at the top of their PhD game, many doctoral candidates can over-indulge in their academic work and ignore their personal lives. However, this can have a negative impact on your work-life balance and add up to stressful situations. Creating a schedule is the best way to balance your research and personal life. It will give you time to spend with your family and friends. Having a work-life balance will ensure that you pay attention to your health and nutrition and get enough rest when needed.
