How is the Pandemic Affecting Your PhD Experience?
Even if your day-to-day life has not been affected significantly you might have friends, colleagues, relatives or loved ones in areas which have been heavily hit by the pandemic.It has been a time to think about what is truly important.
I have been chatting with many graduate students and PhDs recently, and one thing is for sure: these last couple of weeks have been a time of reflection for most of us.
What I Learned From My Grandmother About Getting Through Your PhD (or any tough situation)
Ever since I was a little girl, my grandmother, Magda, had taught me that Health was #1.
Living through two World Wars in Hungary she didn’t have an opportunity for higher education, and money was always scarce.
As people have been stocking up on household items for over a month, and many items are out of stock, I remember how my grandmother always made the most out of the little she had.
She cut open tea bags, poured all the tea leaves into one container, and by using a tiny spoonful of tea leaves a day, made one box of tea last for years (literally!).
No matter how tough times were, my grandmother always had a cup of tea for breakfast, and she ate the healthiest foods she had access to (many of which, like chicken with bones and skin, are coming back into popularity by health experts).
The most remarkable thing I remember about my grandmother is that she was always true to who she was.
In the hustle and bustle of the times we live in, it’s easy to forget why we do what we do.
Why did I start my PhD? Why did I marry this person?
My grandmother never had to wrestle with the first question, but I can say with certainty that she and my grandfather had the most respectful and loving 40-year marriage anyone could ever wish for.
How many of us have time to ponder: Am I true to who I really am? (Hint: not many!) Even if you’re lucky enough to go to a retreat for a few days (or even 2 weeks!), the glow from having had a break fades quickly after coming back. Just a week after you return, things are probably back to “normal.”
The pandemic we’re living through is giving us an opportunity to reflect upon what is truly important, and what’s not important.
I have been working with PhD students for over 10 years now and the pattern I see among those students who are having a hard time is that they’re trying to contort themselves into something they’re not. For example, they are working towards a PhD in a field that they are no longer interested in. Or, they are working hard to get a tenure-track position because they think that academia is the only option available in their field.
It’s not hard to see how working long hours on something that’s not important to you (anymore) is stressful.
Is Getting a PhD What You Really Want?
What if you no longer want to stay in your field, or no longer want to stay in academia? Should you quit your PhD?
That depends. Some students happily (yes, happily) commit to finishing their PhD even if they know that they don’t need it for their careers. For students who decided to change fields, or go for a career that does not require a PhD, getting a PhD is a personal accomplishment. It’s a symbol of being able to overcome challenges and self-doubt, and to become the kind of person who finishes things.
Click here to check out 5 reasons why it’s worth getting a PhD.
Other students see no value in getting a PhD once they recognize it’s not important for their careers. This is one of those choices that you can only make yourself. There is no right or wrong – it’s about staying true to who you really are.
How do you know whether for you it’s worth getting a PhD, or if you should quit?
Do the thought experiment about looking back on this experience many years from now. What makes you feel like you are most true to yourself?
Feeling proud that you stuck with this journey and finished what you started? or,
Having the courage to quit because it wasn’t right for you?
There is no right or wrong answer here. It’s really about what feels most true to you.
What makes you come alive? What excites you? What gives you a sense of peace?
Use this time for reflection on what is important to you.