In the last year of my PhD and I wish I found this earlier! MUCH more helpful than soo many other tutorials out there. Short and sweet but packed with information, I will never struggle with figures and tables again. Improves readability so very much! Thank you!

Ugh Be careful out there! By yourself! (You need a bodyguard)

I'm glad I remembered this video existed, I needed it this morning. Thank you :)

Thank you so much for this, really. It means so much ❤

I like the beauty

Thanks a lot, Lucy; it felt really good to see I was not the only one feeling that way. I am in a time in my life when I put a lot of effort into several things, and I didn´t get the reward for it. I came a country that I don´t know its language for masters studies 3 years ago and now the deadline for my masters thesis is in less than a month. It is not like I didn´t do anything, I actually figured out some parts that are important, but there are things that still need to be worked on, and I was hoping that when the deadline is close, I will be more motivated to study. Instead, I am doing even less, if not none. I have also been learning the language of the country I am living in, and it has come to a b2 level; I can even watch series in this language now. But I keep English as my comfort zone, and that´s why I can't be fluent in the language I am learning. I am also looking for a full-time job at the moment, but since I don't know the local language and there is a recession all around the world at the moment, I still don't have a job. It is a point that I have actually put a lot of effort into, but I feel like I couldn´t get results on it. That makes me unsatisfied and less motivated to continue, even "like a failure" sometimes. I know I don´t want to throw away my efforts for the last three years, and that´s why I should stop worrying about myself now and just do things that need to be done. I believe you, me, and everyone who is watching this video to get motivation right now will do their best and remember these times with a smile in a few years.

You're so cute

Many students struggle to get on PhD program anywhere, because they want it the most! So, when they hear of “running out the motivation” it is at least disrespectful for them.

You're underestimating my power.

2:59, Paste from source to notepad then copy and paste to word document is what I do

i have a presentation in a few days in a big Conference at Wits university

Hope you’re doing well :)

Thanks a billion, Lucy!!!

hopefully in couple years after, I can take a master's degree there🪄

Thank you for making me feel better. I feel the same way you do. It's nice to 'grow with your paper' along with the difficulties and emotions of doing a PhD. Thank you for making me feel that these are normal emotions.

I’m in love ❤

Love it.

after 3 hours i am presenting my research paper at a conference, thank you for helpful tips

The eyes chico, they never lie!

If you are not getting a full ride and a stipend then you are not doing a PhD - you are pursuing a hobby.

Thank you

Phd in neuroscience was a nightmare.

Just defended last week and I cannot tell you how many times that I came to this video when I really didn't have any motivation to keep going. Thank you for sharing this!

Writing no problem, money? Yikes

Thank you lucy ❤

Oh, my god. I LOVE YOU!!!!! I've been using auto caption numbering for tables and figures and extras for a long time, but I didn't know about cross referencing them to make the references automatically renumber if the articles were renumbered. Thank you thank you thank you!

How important is to have data?

I don't think I've ever slammed a book shut and cursed at it before. Thankyou :)

That helped thanks! I mean you're right, I have an option yet I'm still pulled to continue for some reason and not to quit so I must still care , I must have some desire, I must continue the tough journey even with what seems like little to no motivation and hope that motivation will find me!

מהממת! אהבתי תודה :)

Oof! That was a ride. So... I came here from AO3... I know. Weird, right? I read a fanfiction like, 20 years ago that greatly impacted me and I thought of going back to check on it, and realiced there was an update! the author had published an original novel! Woah! Definetly gonna check that out. I looked her name up and ended up here. Man it's cool not only to put a face to her all these years later but also to find out what she's been up to... If you guys like reading do go buy her book. Judging for the fanfic she wrote she is not only an ass kicking scientist, but a hell of a writer.

Relax!

2 days for my paper

I have the sudden urge to do my school work now, thank you lol

So truthful. For 10 years I lived like a pauper changing countries and moving around until the permanent job came, and I was very lucky to get one. If I were 20 again there is no way that I would choose a career in academia.

I want one. There’s no national lab in the place I want to live in though.

I came for your advice, which I appreciate. I stayed for that AND your gorgeous eyes.

This is easily one of the best PhD videos I've seen. Well done and congratulations on finishing the journey! I'm looking forward to going back and watching your previous videos now. Thank you for putting all of this out into the world.

One month for mine :( No idea how i can condense it into 20 minutes

I'm doing PhD since 2012 January. My supervisors kept leaving the university and I had no one to submit the thesis at the end. I had four supervisors in 4 years full time, and 3 years part time while seeking and working jobs etc. Lived almost a year without a single cent income. Here I am, started a totally new PhD in Jan 2022. Then my main supervisor was medically not fit, so restarted a new topic in August 2022. What I can say is, there are techniques to keep going. It's not a magic or something. When I write down, (when I have no one to hear my story, and sometimes when it is hard for the other person to digest, I write them down on an iPad), I feel so relaxed and new pathway comes out of nowhere. I started playing cricket and small achievements keep me going forward. When I write, I just flush everything in my mind. And in it, most of the times, I write why my research is this much valuable. Overall, if I am given opportunity to relive in 2012, and presented a PhD opportunity, I will consider (1) who has graduated (1st supervisor - zero graduates after nine years, (2) am I doing something I am interested (supervisors change topics later on forcefully or without your consent -- but their main area of research if any won't change -- this is the trick), (3) keep personal life separate from PhD as much as possible, (4) if not given holidays, get even leave of absence or any sort of a leave because no human can work 365 days per year (I was not given a single holiday for 2 years or so). I can say I lived in Hitler's jail in 2012-2018. Unfortunately, when the country is rich and controlled by a family, and controllability is the key, and no democracy, no rights for humans but nothing comes out (not Sri Lanka, some other country), there's nothing much you can do against bureaucracy. So, choose the country and supervisor and topic so wisely. Look at other people. They are as smart as you are, so whatever happens to them, can happen to you. So, do a proper background research on the supervisor, university, topic, country etc. Don't jump into a PhD. Tenured vs non-tenured is a difficult scenario.

Beautiful eyes!

Congratulations

I don't know why you reminded me Hermione Granger :), you're video is so helpful, thank you very much Dr Lucy!

Hi, Dr Lucy. A quick beg for (very) occasional updates post-PhDiaries - specifically, how are your experiences doing a PhD still impacting your professional methods as both a scientist and an author as you get further away from the conclusion of your PhD?

you seem such a cool person! I am a psychiatrist and I am going to write a novel. wish me luck. because as Yoda said: do or do not. there is no try ✊🏻

Hogwarts reject

thank uuuu

Lucy, you’re so boring … this was the most boring video on PhD

I must have watched this video 100 times during my MS in Bioinformatics. It not only helped me understand imposter syndrome but also helped me acquire my degree! Thank you so much for posting such an amazingly motivating video!

Just finished my neurobiology PhD after 2 previous master degrees… I’m quitting academia… nervous (still unemployed) but I’m feeling good. Academia is poison, I just lament that it took me so long time to realize the truth it’s a toxic pyramid scheme. My prediction is that academia has its days counted.