PhD Student Advice - 15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a PhD

Hello @Ciara, Thank you so much for your sharing. That's helpful the people who start with ph.D journey. In this video, you mentioned digital note-system, you can share more detail how you create your the note system to get the high performance? Very graterful if we have another video for this point.

I find your video to be interesting and pertinent with clear points of concern. I was particularly intrigued by the mention of a research diary and am reminded that I should have one of my own. Your comments on this have cemented the idea for me. Moving toward digital note-taking for me is something that can be developed by practice being part of the learning process. This is also how I see most stages of the program. The learning process for me did not involve me trying to find out the details of stages well in advance;
but coming to awareness of the requirements of a stage and then dealing with it. The iterative nature of research tells me that there will be unknowns that you will encounter and then have to deal with. Your comment about the passage of time being quick and that your first three years have gone by jolts me into reality that my one remaining year needs to be filled with consistent application. Thanks for your valuable share of experiences.

I was planning and wanting to apply for PhD this year. But I decided not to. Weighed pros and cons, and more cons than pros. Not worth wasting life for fake publishing-based academia.

I like your new video ❤❤

How can I get the PhD

The most important thing in your PhD program is to make sure that you have a good and supportive advisor. Once you miss this, you are doomed and also, do not try to manage or endure it once you are in, switch advisor if you can before it is too late.

This is so useful! I just started 4 months ago and im so overwhelmed 😢 Imposter syndrome is no joke😢😢😢😢

some good suggestion~ thx

Thank for the advice !

This is quite useful. Thanks

I have my pre-Ph.D interview tomorrow. Thanks for sharing yours. I was googling about PhDs and interviews and was glad to find your channel.

this was so helpful, thank you!

Such a useful video. I'm contemplating pursuing a doctorate, so these tips are definitely value-added to my decision-making process. Thank you.

thank you, very informative

Thank you! I really needed to hear this :) I'm starting my PhD in September in International Realtions

It must be difficult to go into a PhD looking to discover something new compared to discovering something new first and then writing your thesis based upon that. So instead of having to find your needle in the haystack you've already found it and your just justifying your discovery. There is no way I would want to try and do a PhD without first understanding that I have already discovered something new. I couldn't do it. I've made various discoveries in various different fields but I discovered them just based on the normal process of living and learning things and then being surprised when I have discovered something completely new and than doing the research to support that discovery. So I have a lot of respect for those that do this the other way around!😀

10-15 minutes thesis defense 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The minimum is an hour.

"You can do anything, but not everything". I really like that, and its so true.
I also want to echo how important your PhD Advisor / Supervisor (we call them advisors in the US) is to your success. I have an amazing one, and i would have probably given up on my PhD if it weren't for them. I have talked to other people who have terrible advisors and it makes their lives so much harder. Don't be afraid to switch advisors to a professor you have a good relationship with. It can 10x your success in the program and just make your happier. I also really like point #13, that non-PhDs never relate to what you are doing. I found it hard to talk about my progress with people who aren't familiar with the process. Its a unique experience to be in a PhD and really most people won't be able to relate. Also I wanted to share my excitement when I got something published, but the research papers I was reading and writing were too complex into my research topic for most of my friends and family to understand or even just appreciate the accomplishment.

Thank you very much for sharing these valuable experiences. I am starting my Ph.D. program next week, and I am both excited and apprehensive about it.

Very rich snippets of wisdom regarding PhD programme.

thank you

I'm starting my PhD by January 2024 and I am happy to find this video. Thanks for sharing, I wish you are into Materials Engineering

So interesting the examination proccess where you are!
I'm in Australia, we have 2 external examiners only, (unless their decisions conflict majorly then another is appointed) your supervisor arranges it and you never know who they are, because we don’t do a viva, just the thesis!

Thanks for some excellent thoughts about PhD work. I'm a PhD candidate working on my dissertation. I've struggled with a few things you bring up here.

💜💜

This is just a great video.

One of the most daunting things in the PhD is the imposter syndrome, especially at the early stages of the PhD.

I’m just less than a month into my PhD. I have been reading and rereading and even being overwhelmed and confused about the things I truly gotta do. It’s all crazy, I have spoken with my supervisor and how much I want her to set a bit of deadlines for me she truly agreed. I think I’m feeling a bit better now.
Thanks for the video too

Just tuned in to your channel. You have an American-ish accent. Have you spent some time in the States. Also I’m an undergraduate student at the age of 40 pursuing a physics PhD. Giving good info. Thanks

Thank you for your video. You helped me a lot. This is a direct instruction that I needed.

👩🏽‍🏫👩🏽‍🎓🎒📚🎯♥️‼️🫶🏽

Do you have any videos on how to work with a supervisor, and the relationship because I am quite confused and scarred

When to write the thesis ?

There is a sort of full exam in Canada do you know anything about it ?

Hi, thank you for sharing. What do you mean by "organizing tour Code"? I also have another question. I started to do literature reviews of articles and I don't find a better way to organize by just opening a new Word document and creating a folder organized by the last name of the authors I need to remember what the article is about and sometimes I can't find the review. I think you were using some software called Mandeley? Can you or someone recommend a better way using also keywords? I am in humanities. Thanks

I am currently at the IRB phase of my Dissertation and this video was wonderful ♥️ You hit all the important things!

i am starting in September in Dublin

Great video. Thanks for your tips. I am also into planning before starting a project. I am now over my second year of PhD and realize that I need a digital notebook. Just got an Ipad. Can you make a video about how you are taking diary lab notes?
By the way, this Imposter syndrome is REAL!!!
Thanks.

Wow, thank you for your video, really motivates me in my phd journey

This is so helpful for someone like me who just started his PhD and completely feel lost 😅

Deeply grateful👍

WOW, it is so true, and thanks for sharing. I am overwhelmed by how I can satisfy my family that Ph.D. is my job. in addition, I used to feel that I was the dumbest person in the room but NOW I know every Ph.D. student feels they are dumb. it helps to get back your confidence.

Thanks for sharing.

This is perfect. I'm starting my Ph.D. now so this came to my attention at the right time. Thank you!

16. Don't make life-changing decisions during a pandemic LOL
(I know, I know, it's unavoidable)

Thank you so much ma'am!!❤️, It was really helpful