Just sharing with you guys some of the many lessons I learnt during my PhD....add more if you have any....
1. Better call
your guide before you go to meet him/her. Have an appointment, fix a time
according to her convinience coz chances are that even if you did call her
beforehand you might have to wait and you will be left guessing and asking
everyone else where she is. Imagine you get up early, get dressed, planned
everything and realized she’s on leave or she’s taking class the entire morning
session, or that she has to attend meeting the whole day. You will feel shitty,
right?
2. Use a
notebook for your entire research. It is easier for you to refer later. That
way you save precious time and your poor brain isn’t left confused and guessing
as to where you have jotted down some important lines.
3. Do NOT get
addicted to any kind of game or social networking sites. I am addicted to candy
crush and I am paying the price.
4. Do not
forge the results. If the result is non-significant, so be it. Field works are
meant to be done at field and not at the comfort of your room. Get out, apply
sunscreen, keep your pepper spray ready and go out and rock the field. We
really need cool, smart and inspiring youths in the field. I know of people who
filled the questionnaire in the room, data analysis done by boyfriend, slides
prepared by fiancé and research paper written by the guides and published in
journals. Kinda makes me lose faith in published works.
5. Keep your
patience and temper in check.
6. Do not be
disheartened if you have burnt the midnight oil and you put forth all your work
with so much expectations and it is being dismissed with the wave of a hand.
7. Working
with excel is fun, do your data analysis yourself, learn the right way of doing
things and above all go for multitasking.
8. Ignore the rivalry,
the hypocriticism, cynicism. Don’t let negative energy influence you.
9. The guide
is ALWAYS right…you are lucky if you get someone who is flexible.
10. Try to push
your way through in the most polite manner.
11. Respect is
earned and not forced.
12. Always
carry a book or have a game installed in your phone so that you have something
to indulge in while waiting….coz cumulatively counted i think the time you spent in
waiting is a zillion times more that time spent discussing your research.
13. If your
parents, boyfriend/girlfriend or friends are visiting find a valid reason for you not
showing up…..one of the many times where lying actually works if your guide
cant understand your predicament.
14. The better
the conference, the better the food.
15. Conference
is not just about food or visiting new place and making a fool of yourself like
many of us. It can be a good learning experience.
16. Not submitting
your PhD thesis just coz you have no idea what you gonna do after your PhD and
surviving on your scholarship is a huge gamble.
17. Nothing
sails smoother during PhD than having a group of friends who are helpful, smart
and equally clueless about the future as you are.
18. Guys are intimidated by girls who are pursuing PhD.... So even if I always claim that intelligent girls are enormously sexy, if you are pursuing PhD and still single..lets face it...not every random guy is gonna ask you out before thinking twice. He is a keeper if he stands by you even if you are spilling over your frustration to him or yelling at him for no fault of his. Marry him girl coz you're never gonna find someone like him again. Just like Marilyn Monroe says...if he can't handle you at your worst, he sure as hell don't deserve you at your best. ;)
