What I wish I knew before the PhD - Stylish Academic

A dear friend sent me a link to this article which was first published on www.stylishacademic.com. I read it and it made so much sense as it was relatable, real and funny. I took it a step further to peruse the website - beautiful. I had to seek the editor's permission to re-publish it here and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Post by Style admin @ Stylishacademic.com

For more, Please visit what-i-wish-i-knew-before-the-phd

We recently ran a huge social media campaign calling all past and present PhD researchers to share what they wished they knew before embarking on the academic journey.

A big thank you to everyone who responded!

Although, some points may be quite doomsday-esque, remember that others’ realities do not exactly have to be yours. If you are about to embark on a PhD, don’t feel discouraged; just know that these situations exist, and should they come your way, you are now in a better position to slay.

We have sorted the responses from Twitter & Instagram into the following broad categories:

• Managing expectations 
• Job situation & career choices 
• Supervisors 
• Lifestyle 
• Independent study 
• Time management
• Academic writing 
• Motherhood, marriage and family 
• Health 
• Subject-specific 
• Community 
• Others 

Managing Expectations

• You aren’t expected to already know how to do everything (constantly reminding myself of this.
• Almost everyone has more failures than successes.
• It’ll never be perfect.
• That feeling that everyone around knows what they’re doing except you: Everyone has felt that. Everyone!
• You may fail at things on a regular basis, but that doesn’t make you a failure.
• I’m learning now that starting out goes smoother if I admit what I don’t know as often as possible.
• It’s not about the perfect thesis, it’s about having a go, learning new things and meeting people. Then get out the door!
• Don’t try to compete.
• Knowing everything and working hard may not always equal success, but that’s ok!
• You’re not expected to know EVERYTHING. That's what we have other academics for.
• If it doesn’t work out, that doesn’t mean you failed. You learned sth abt yourself and adjusted your trajectory
• It’s OK to change your focus bc PhD is start, not end.
• Wish I knew how much I would question my abilities & how much support is actually out there. Seek it out!
• All the people who look like they have it together … they’re all faking it 
• I wish I knew pre-PhD that sometimes, done is better than perfect.
• I wish I knew that making mistakes and not knowing everything in first year doesn’t mean you aren’t worthy of the doctorate.
• I wish I knew it won’t be the best work I do, and it’s a ticket to join the club.
• It’s OK to have whole days & weeks where it just doesn’t happen.
• The infamous “imposter syndrome”, don’t let it consume you! If you reached this far, you’re phd worthy 
• Don’t beat yourself up WRT productivity – you can only do the best you can do.
• Best way to defeat imposter syndrome – fake it.

Job Situation & Career Choices

• Wish I had known I will forever be haunted by not having attended an elite institution.
• PhDs are like starving artists: highly skilled but always hustling to stay viable.
• Learn many skills.
• Wish I knew that there was a general thought that not wanting to become a PI is a sign of “failure”.
• I only needed an MS for the job I wanted. I could have saved years and lots and lots of stress.
• I wish I had known the academic job market….and how to market my skills effectively.
• Don’t take teaching (e.g., TAing) lightly if you want an academic job, even at an R1 university.
• Your PhD topic is not be-all and end-all of your career. Cultivating side projects in your field important.
• Research skills are useful for ‘real life’, regardless if the PhD gets finished. Plan B’s are good for you.
• Consider all possible post-grad careers.
• I wish I had known how bad career options in academia are after the PhD, and that true stats are that only 5% get to stay after the PhD.
• I wish I had known about the bad job market and bad jobs culture; hidden mental, physical and financial costs.
• Wish I had known that my passion will not protect me from crises of faith or a stunted job market
• The competition never ends.

Supervisors

• A good supervisor is key (w/ a compatible working style.)
• No, your advisor doesn’t know how you are supposed to do the project. tell your PI what you need from them. take charge.
• Your adviser isn’t perfect.
• Learn how your supervisor wants you to write.
• It’s ok to have multiple “advisors” for difft things – research, career prep, how to survive failed experiments, etc.
• By year 3 (at least), student should know more about topic than advisor does. Transition from asking to telling.
• Your advisor doesn’t know everything and has faults.
• Don’t just do what yr supervisor tells you, fundamentally the PhD is yours – make a brave decision if you need to.
• You’re probably very low in your supervisor’s priorities. Get used to doing a lot without any help.

Lifestyle

• Go to happy hour-it will help your academic performance
• Celebrate successes
• Work-life balance is a challenge
• Remember that doing your PhD is a choice.
• Have a life outside your PhD
• Take time out, read nonPhD books – it’ll come back.

Independent Study

• You better really really really like to read and write, even when you’re not in the mood. Your job entirely depends on it.
• I wish I knew not to spend months ‘reading around the topic’ to fill perceived knowledge gaps – don’t be afraid to focus in from the start, rest follows
• I wish I knew- to always keep a paper in mind & that you’re the boss, so own your project, PI is only for guidance
• Keep detailed notes, organized data/files.

Time Management

• Keep regular hours: work during the day, see friends & relax evenings/weekends. Don’t sleep in the day & work at night. That = depression!
• Published != right. Time management is huge
• Time management is the key to progress & a healthy work-life balance

Academic Writing

• Write a little every day
• I wish I knew the importance of writing; the isolation you may feel as nobody else is studying exactly your topic
• Make footnoting/end noting a priority from the beginning. My supervisor told me that someone failed due to poor footnotes.
• When your writing & ideas are edited, it isn’t personal.
• Co-authors can be unreliable, plan for it
• Writing everyday is important – criticism is a great form of academic development & a life beyond the lab healthy
• Always and remember to date all your work! Try and write a little everyday

Motherhood, Marriage, and Family

• If you’re married it will test your marriage to a degree you never thought possible. Be prepared!
• When people said “don’t get a PhD, it will destroy your relationships,” they weren’t being cute. They meant it.
• Having a child during PhD will provide ++++motivation & +delay; he’s still convinced graduation was actually Hogwarts 
• That awesome project may take more time from your loved ones than you actually want

Health

• Don’t work so hard you forget to stay healthy and exercise
• Sleep is optional – Coffee is not (Sarcasm Alert)
• Self-care is critical to mental health
• Your PhD is not your life. Taking time off and resting IS OKAY. ‘Being busy’ is overrated
• I should’ve known that the basics still apply: never take myself or the system too seriously. Also, sarcasm helps.
• Take personal time (hobbies, etc) – You are in control
• Working weekends is for emergencies You can do it!
• Work-life balance = making time to not work Stress/time in lab =/= productivity Hobbies are critical for success
• Build a healthy relationship with yourself. no amount of work, no amount of success will let you escape from the dark places.
• Get your flu shot early. Need best chance at immunity at exam time. Many (most?) profs don’t offer extensions or makeups.
• I’m just getting started and all this talk about mental health and wanting to quite is depressing (pun not intended)
• The mental anguish you will regularly feel and the feeling that you must be doing it wrong. You’re not. It’s HARD
• Finishing a PhD isn’t worth your health
• Depression/anxiety-v common, many students suffer in silence. These should be taken seriously. Please consider counseling/meds if possible
• In choosing a PhD program, consider the quality of their mental health support. When in school, take advantage of it early & often
• Regularly schedule time for yourself right from the start, and guard that time with your life
• Protect your health

Subject-Specific Responses

• In ecology, don’t try & answer everything / be too broad in scope, rather choose a key question & answer it well using complimentary methods
• I wish I knew that if I cloned some random “microbial immunity nuclease” called Cas9 from S aureus, I’d be a famous millionaire now
• Replace that last course in molecular biology with tactical training to fight against the war on science
• The higher you get the less doing science for the love of it is valued. Know what your values are, as they will be tested

Community

• You’re not alone. Find your tribe. See a psychologist. You’re not stuck, if you’re not happy you CAN make a change, best thing I ever did
• Talk to and visit potential advisers/labs. Personality fit is key. (And ask the graduate students how things are, they’ll tell the truth)
• Make as many things automatic as possible, when to shop, what to eat. Make and stick to a budget (YNAB). Maintain friends.
• Your grad student peers will likely be your most valuable professional network
• Keep up with your undergraduate advisors and mentors.
• Get to know others in your field (especially postdocs and faculty) outside your institution whenever you have the chance
• Talk to committee members (frequently) between meetings and use them as mentors
• Don’t be afraid to approach faculty members for no reason other than to build relationships
• Maintain important relationships. Find a PhD community; Twitter is a wonderful space for it
• Collaborate
• Many accomplished people in your field are actually people and many of them will happily give you pointers if you ask
• YOU ARE NOT ALONE. All[?] others go thru similar thing
• Developing a social support systm is top priority AND networking
• PhDs are mega lonely, as it makes you become obsessed with something noone else in the world cares about or understands
• You’ll meet some of the brightest people you’ve ever met. And get to keep some of them as friends for years after
• It is okay to ask people for help
• Ask for help, you are a trainee! Demand training.
• Find a trustworthy cohort
• Twitter can actually help you work
• Make friends with your peers, they need you and you need them.

Other  responses…

• It’s not worth it. You can learn as much at a real job while being paid. Don’t do it
• I feel like I’m solving a puzzle and the pieces aren’t all accessible to me unless I ask for them
• Explore outside your research
• Take every opportunity even if it delays completion slightly..
• Wish I had known that nobody would give a damn what I thought only what I thought I ought to be thinking
• The poverty — both during and after
• The higher you get the less doing science for the love of it is valued. Know what your values are they will be tested
• Do a blog or tweet about your PhD as you go along
• For conferences: be brave. Speak clearly. Shake hands. Look people in the eye. Learn their names. Be interested. Listen.
• Wish I knew that realizing value of a PhD often means moving.
• Remember to enjoy it. Never again will you get to focus so much of your time on something you love.
• Wish I had known it’ll take longer than planned (12 years )
• Don’t get distracted
• Finishing is the BEST feeling ever (up there with having my son), and passing is even better!