Lessons learnt from the first year of my PhD

Mike Ryder is a PhD student at Lancaster University. His research interests include biopolitics, sovereignty, science fiction and war. He is particularly interested in the intersection between literature and philosophy, and the works of Giorgio Agamben, Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault. In today's blog post, Mike reflects on the first year of his PhD. Go and have a look at his (fab) personal website: www.mjryder.net and check out his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MJRyder.net

So it’s been a year already and I’m now looking forward to the next phase in my PhD journey. It’s been an interesting year to say the least, and I’ve done a lot of different things. But it’s not always been easy...

Settling in

My first six months at Lancaster certainly involved a lot of ‘settling in’. One of the big issues for me was that I came into my PhD as a slightly older student. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but I did feel a  bit of an outsider at first compared to many of the other first years who already knew each other from Lancaster during their undergrad and/or Masters.

The other thing that really took a lot of getting used to was the routine of not having much human contact. Sure, most of us have Facebook, and there are online forums such as this, but there really can be no substitute for a good old-fashioned face-to-face chat.

Thankfully, after a few months I met the (#legend) Josh Hughes at a conference, and we have since set up a reading group together, and regularly meet to chat about war and robots, alongside our PhD woes.

Another big source of encouragement has been semi-frequent coffee breaks with my new ‘besties’ Claire and Danielle, who between them manage to keep me sane with stories of disastrous train journeys, plumbing mishaps, and the odd trip to the cinema.

I should also mention the sci-fi reading group here at Lancaster, which has also been great, and another source of much-needed human contact. Special mention to Kerry, Dec (when he can be bothered to read the book), Charlotte, Stuart and Chuckie. Our group returns with the new academic year and I’m already looking forward to getting started on the new book!

Finding work

In previous blogs I’ve written about taking on work as a PhD student, and how paid employment has helped me stay human. Though I thought I was fully prepared for the transition from full-time work to full-time PhD, I don’t think I quite understood exactly what that would mean.

So on the one hand I had a professional job where I knew people and would chat to them on a daily basis, to then suddenly moving to the other side of the country where I knew no one, and my ‘work’ was of a very different nature.

To help me get over this I decided to apply for some part-time work, which I have to admit has been really enjoyable. Not only am I responsible for the University’s weekly student newsletter, but it’s also allowed me to get involved with a host of other projects such as writing a guide for the AUA, and upgrading the Graduate College’s website. I even won an award for all my hard work!

Of course work as a PhD student isn’t for everyone, but it certainly is an option, and something I’d encourage you to look at, even if it’s just a few hours a week in the local bar. All of these things are good life experience, and can potentially make a difference to your employability once you’ve completed your PhD.

The turning point

For me, the turning point in my PhD really came in January of this year, when I started writing up my notes and putting together my first draft chapters. I was starting to settle in academically, and had found a good work-life balance and I was starting to get comfortable in my new role.

I also found that the time afforded me by my PhD* has allowed me to get back into blogging, both on MJRyder.net, as well as here on this very site. I originally set up my blog many years ago as a diary for my freelance writing activities, but it then turned into an English / Digital Marketing blog as my career shifted and I moved into different circles. Well, now it’s back, and I’m pleased to say it has given me a whole load of inspiration. It’s also been a great place for me to think through some of my ideas and engage with people on subjects that are quite important to me.

If you’ve not thought about blogging before, I do recommend it, though it is not for the faint hearted. As Emily will attest, blogging is not an easy task, and a blog requires a great deal of time and dedication to keep it going over time. If you have any questions about blogging / digital media for academics, do post them below as I’ll be happy to answer (it used to be my job you know!)

Lessons learnt

So by now you will have a pretty good idea of the sorts of things I’ve been up to this year – and this is only just the start. I’ve provided a more comprehensive list over on my website if you are interested in finding out more.

So anyway, what lessons (if any) have I learnt?

1.    Don’t stress. Seriously: don’t do it. Some people seem to dedicate more of their time to stressing out, and telling other people just how stressed they are than actually sitting down and doing some work. Not only is it counter-productive, but it’s also a complete waste of time. Stressing won’t make you complete your thesis any quicker; nor will it help any of those around you.

2.    Take time off. Again, this is a really important point, and one far too few people seem to understand. I currently have multiple jobs on top of my PhD work, but I still insist on not doing any work at all on a Sunday. Why? Because it’s important to switch off. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also be more productive when you do return to work.

3.    Find a routine that works for you. I get up at 6am most days and work until about lunchtime. I get all my ‘thinking’ work done in the morning when I am fresh as this is what works best for me. I strongly advise you don’t let others dictate your work habits but rather find what works best for you. And don’t let yourself get distracted!

4.    Don’t work hard: work smart. Remember, it’s not about how hard you work, but what you do when you are working. Look at your work habits and consider ways that might make the process more efficient. For example, do you write your notes by hand, or straight onto a computer? How do you organise your notes once you’ve typed them up? Do you do all your notes from one book first, or do you keep flitting back to it?  Addressing simple issues such as these can make your academic life x10 easier and far more productive.

5.    Don’t stress. Really: don’t do it. 

And finally the most important piece of advice is this: your PhD is what you make of it. Seize the moment; make the most of the many opportunities University life has to offer. After all, you only get one chance at this, and it would be a shame to waste it all hiding away at home or sitting in your room.

Until next time,

Mike

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Footnotes:

* I know, I know, some of you will be saying ‘what time?’ but really there are far more stressful, far worse ‘jobs’ out there.

Maybe it’s just because I’ve been through a lot these past few years, but to me at least, the PhD experience shouldn’t be something to stress about, but rather enjoy. How many people can say they’ve been given three years (seven years total for some of you!) or more to sit and do something they enjoy without any worries greater than reading a few books and writing some essays?!

I don’t mean to sound flippant or dismissive – that’s really not my intention – but sometimes it can be good to take a step back and consider just what else you could be doing with your life. Trust me: there are a lot worse things you could be doing right now!