10 Brutally Honest Lessons About Doing A PhD | Real PhD struggles and PhD Stress

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Unlock the secret formula to thriving in your PhD: turn the toughest challenges into your biggest triumphs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6XJdqSebJl1hrs

[@chunnaiyamspo5062]

Please do a video on supervisors (often senior professors) who claim first authorship on every paper from their research lab. And how it can possibly impact his/her PhD students' future? And how to remedy if the student is already in the midst of it? author some single authored papers? Please do a video on it.

[@go_Addy]

I just want to say thank you for bringing up that last piece of advice. I really struggled with a fellow candidate with their research going so smoothly and mine just felt like it was stuck. Ultimately, your sage advice happened, my research picked up and he hit the proverbial quagmire. After this I realized, comparing yourself to anyone while doing a doctoral degree is wasted energy. I did not have a great way to articulate that situation until you verbalized and want to impress upon others in that same situation to only say, speed does not matter, smoothness does. The old military saying of slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

[@Areutherehello]

I was treated like crap by PhD candidates and professors. I was a nice person...and I was a naive person to boot. I saw how chronically exhausted PhD candidates always were, and it was always about kissing the butts, schmoozing the right people, cloistering themselves in their own little, self-centered worlds, stomping on and using other "lesser" people all in that holy quest of publishing and getting ahead, and spending years researching and working for a pittance of a stipend, only to get that PhD. Life is too short to slave away for a PhD for most people, at least it is for me anyway. I've got years of living and earning power over my former "colleagues" who had to pursue their PhDs.

[@BunnyWatson-k1w]

Many PhD students think their thesis is a magnum opus. It only has to be defensible. It does not have to be 800 pages long. More than 95% of theses in the social sciences and humanities will never be published as a book. So just get it done. Write 1-2 pages a day and take weekends off.

[@ourmuse]

i wrote a paragraph a day 😂

[@nilak.s617]

​@@ourmuseYeah, me too. 😂

[@thematrix1101]

What about fields like physics and engineering? I have seen a lot of theses being used for future experiments and even industry projects.

[@륜폐이]

But your Jmp decides which job you get. No?

[@-__Shadow__-]

​@ourmuse did you have to rewrite entire sections? How did you think about putting it together or did you have an idea of direction?

[@abidullah9621]

1-year PhD student. lost my sleep due to anxiety and stress. Not able to produce my research proposal, still working on it. I was going crazy. But this video opened my eyes. It let me focus on things I can do and avoid things I can't. Thumbs up!

[@王梓源-f6l]

I have the same dream that I wanna pursue my PhD in the future, and what I wanna say to you is keep moving forward, you are the best ! ❤

[@pilotlounge1970]

Not a PhD student...but listened to this as the best life advice ever.

[@alje311]

PhD's might also get you turned away from many jobs because you are deemed way overqualified, its better to leave it off your resume if you really need the job you applied for.

[@Daxx88888]

Being your own cheerleader is great life advice in general

[@k0185123]

So true!

[@httv8677]

I called it 'be your own therapist' hahah

[@francoisotis3560]

And become your own nightmare

[@62Deepblue]

What you are saying is in an actual fact the reality of life!! You are in control of your own destiny.

[@noelgillett346]

I'm not sure that this is a correct synopsis of his argument. Having to suck up so as to get thru gate-keepers sounds like hell to me. and as myself am being put through an initiation ritual at present, it seems to me that much of the control lies in the hands of others.

[@yoelbacteria]

@@noelgillett346 Totally. There are plenty of jobs that you can have more autonomy of your own future tbf

[@paulineelisabetholsen]

Andy, thank you! At the end of my doctoral journey but just lost my daughter, so diving back in has been excruciating. “I am doing all right.” Thanks for the push

[@theeternalgus9119]

Sorry to hear about your daughter. When I was a kid I lost my brother and this was during the time my mum was doing her thesis for her phD. Sadly she never continued to complete it. Wish you all the best. ❤

[@Nevy21]

This... freaking sucks terribly. I'm sorry about your loss.

[@glitcharcing]

Wow, I’m so sorry. I commend you and understand your motivation to push through a period of suffering. I will share my story with you in the hopes that it makes you feel even slightly less alone in the pursuit of research through a difficult time. I will hopefully never know the pain of losing a child, I simply cannot imagine how painful it is. However, I can relate to feeling grief and loss from the unexpected severance of a familial connection. In 2020, my mom started going into psychosis (she has had bipolar I my entire life) and disappeared in 2021 as a result. My mother was never the greatest person, definitely lots of trauma to unpack still, but it is still sad for very obvious reasons. I tried to help her but I was only 19-20 years old at the time and very lost myself. I was hopeless because I had no family at that point. I had many mental health withdrawals during that time, and I honestly completely lost myself for a year. I have no memory of that time. While I cannot say I have fully recovered, I can gratefully say that I’ve been able to find myself again and live a full life again as of last fall. I remember listening to this one band El Ten Eleven last September around 6 A.M., pretty much alone in the library, and walking outside to a refreshing and beautiful brisk wind. I took a deep breath and I felt like my soul had been renewed, and at that moment, I knew there was hope for me. I was so motivated that I befriended my instructor and asked him to discuss some research papers. He was kind enough to believe in me despite my lackluster academic transcript and he let me join his lab. There have been quite a few struggles… particularly with anxiety and depression… but I am still doing it, and so are you. The pure love and joy you feel when you’re in the flow of research is unparalleled. It really takes away all the pain for a few moments. I don’t know you, but I’m proud of you for powering through this time and I wish you the best.

[@notreallydavid]

Condolences and best wishes, Pauline. Do everything your daughter would want to see you doing - especially, being happy.

[@zheiyydaibrahm2565]

I lost my mother at 3rd Year of phd, i felt lost of motivation and regret but slowly try to keep my self busy and after a year i picked up again. Keep doing and be brave and keep pushing. I completed my submission finally i defended my thesis and passed! U can too

[@TheSamuanelS]

I am in my second year of PhD, and only lately have I managed to learn and understand all these invaluable lessons. I am still stunned by the staggering difference between my experience as undergrad and master's, compared to that of a PhD student. I was convinced like many that the path before a PhD would serve as preparation to research, but my world was instead overthrown! Utterly flipped inside-out. Up was down, left was right. I am left now wondering why people are kept ignorant of such catastrophe, and are not educated and prepared accordingly (or at least, I wasn't). Secondly, although I am finally coming to terms with all these harsh truths, I can't but think that things could be better, and that a lot of all the struggle a PhD student has do endure could be alleviated. It really feels like it has to be this way and no other, and I fail to see the causal relations determining this conclusion.

[@webiorg6147]

"Up was down, left was right. I am left now wondering why people are kept ignorant of such catastrophe, and are not educated and prepared accordingly" Could you please tell me a bit about that? What was the most shocking to you, and how do you think this could be prevented?

[@yoelbacteria]

​​​@@webiorg6147Hello. Not the OP in this post but there are certainly some cases that can I can provide so you can understand that claim. 1. Before PhD you are gratificated by supervisors to do the job. Usually comes with a grade, or a publication. As a PhD student you don't get celebrated by your job. You need to show off. Bragging-culture is the bare minimum. 2. Before the PhD, receiving and giving help is the norm. As a PhD student if you are not training someone because your PI ask you, you most likely will become trouble because you're wasting your time in things that are not experiments. 3. Before you enter a PhD you can do science for fun, after that you do for funding. I'm sure that there's more examples of this switch of perspective in academic life when you become a tenure track professor, or a postdoc (the death alive of the lab) but those are the one who I've experienced as a PhD student dropout 😬

[@yoelbacteria]

​@@webiorg6147it can't be prevented. Academia is broken 🥰

[@webiorg6147]

@@yoelbacteria Thank you very much

[@yoelbacteria]

@@webiorg6147 My pleasure. Btw, I edited some grammar as english is not my native language.

[@stiggofthedump]

I'm 6 months in - honestly, this should be required viewing for every new PhD student at about the 6 month mark. Thanks Andy!

[@agnieszkastarczewska3018]

Same!

[@BenjiShock]

Honestly I am so glad I didn't try to do a PhD. I think in general doing research is just really harsh for your mental health. Because most research is really boring or has disappointing results, which are of course still valuable but I can't fathom to spend 5 years on something that would just be thrown into a book shelf and never looked at again. In contrast I've started to work now as an engineer and I can see the value of my work really fast really often. And that has been so refreshing. Big respect to everyone that takes on this challenge and good luck to you!

[@Nevy21]

I'm a big proponent of doing a PhD later in your career after you have some experience in your field and more financial ressources. You'll have a much clearer view of what you want to do.

[@frlipa]

And much less time and much more responsibilities outside your phd

[@aresation]

True, you will less easily be exploited and, If you wish, you will need more focused on topics.

[@TheCrabappleCottage]

I'm planning to start my PhD in public history when I am 47 years old and my son has graduated from high school. To me, I think that is the perfect time to get a PhD. I am settled in life, I already have a career that I enjoy, I'm just looking to level up a little bit. And for me, the PHD is more of a personal ambition, not a career must have. I am content in my career as it is

[@vibrolax]

I was a frustrated wanna-be Ph.D. from age 21 until age 40. I ended up in a 40 person startup company spun off from a university that employed a half dozen Ph.D.'s. Only one had served as tenured faculty. I was able to get published as lead author in good journals, and served as a reviewer for said journals in my specialty. I really came to appreciate how academia is the lowest productivity business in existence. 80% of the good researchers are not in academia, at least in my field.

[@jean-bosco729]

You are # 1 Andy! Recently got my doctorate, yes you're telling the brutal truth. Keep it up!

[@aurogom675]

I get very emotional when I get feedback from my supervisor. It is usually negative and very straightforward, making me come to tears. I am figuring out a way so it does not affect me so much because it is embarrassing to show vulnerability in public. Thanks for sharing your insights. It makes me see things from a different perspective! :)

[@starfish258852]

I am just applying for a PhD and this feels important to know

[@Psyaii]

What field are you in?

[@emilyt3737]

Same here…

[@br7693t]

Good luck starfish and Emily! Took me several cycles to finally get admitted. Don't give up.

[@starfish258852]

Thank you :) I am already working to say with my potential supervisor, I am very excited!@@br7693t

[@kevinrams]

I withdrew from my PhD. This is basically everything you need to know from the psychological point of view.

[@cedargrace]

I really value your content for bursting my illusory fantasy bubble of what I hoped a PhD would be for me. It’s really saving me from a lot of future heartache.

[@hoangphucpham2182]

going through my first month of PhD. Gonna binge your hold channel now Andy!

[@csbc92]

As a PhD student in the final year, I can relate to every point 100%.

[@k0185123]

Hello Andy, I have been following your channel since around one year ago. In the beginning, I was intrigued by how you interpret and explain what PhD is, because at that time I just got my PhD offer from an international research center was was really excited about my future. Later on, I gradually lost the interest in watching your videos, because I couldn't relate to it anymore. I wondered perhaps I need more realistic PhD experience to really understand your point. Now it's one year into my PhD. All you said in this video totally match what I have been feeling in the past few months. I am developing a simulation tool in a team where 95% of people are experimentalist. I was jealous how "easy" it is for them to do experiments and generate papers, because those equipment is already set up completely and continuously maintained by vendors. As for my research, I have to code all by myself and no one in our team has any clue about what I am doing. It's like explaining calculus to normal people outside academia. But perhaps like you said everyone has their own difficulties. In addition, my relationship with supervisor is also interesting. He is really nice and kind, but I started to think he is not capable of supervising me, because he is not an expert in this field. This makes me doubt his profession and even start complaining him in my mind. But after watching this video, I realized he is just a human. Just like me, we don't know everything, so I shouldn't care that too much. Instead, I should take the ownership of my research. One thing that I've been thinking is what counts as a good Ph.D. student / researcher? Like you said, I set a really high expectation of me in the beginning, and after realizing the realities, I started losing my confidence, thinking perhaps I couldn't accomplish this and that. But then your words remind me that no one is perfect and we just need to follow some specific steps to get the PhD, and that is it. PhD is nothing more than some specific research and administrative steps. Don't set our expectations too high. Anyway, I just want to say your video really helps me a lot! Thank you so much for sharing these invaluable tips and advice! Sorry for my limited English.

[@MrCliverlong]

The advice goes way beyond attempting a PhD. Can apply to life outside academia especially how people defend themselves by hitting out when they feel vulnerable.

[@robw1927]

PhD = Permanent head Damage

[@sharmas7586]

Awesome

[@RizkiAnjani]

Oi! 😭

[@rpaulcelso]

This is great, and it is the same as my experience almost 50 years ago. The only thing I would add is to be open to the help that will come from an unexpected source. I was totally stuck on processing my data, due to the limited computing power available to me at the time, and then my advisor said “I am going to provide you with help from this guy who is an expert with minicomputers.” I provided the programs and the fellow recoded and ran them, and soon the data was analyzed, showing nearly all I expected, with some surprises of course. I had no reason to expect this help, as my advisor barely knew what I was doing, but it saved my four years of effort, and I dedicated my PhD to the programmer. It was a miracle, and I have learned to expect them, but mostly to be open to them.

[@amberlawes-johnson300]

Andy! you have helped me to see through some of the deep struggles I've had throughout my PhD so far. I'm indebted to your wisdom and your ability to empathise and be real about this journey. So much of what you preach goes beyond PhD to the wider sphere of life! Massive thanks always

[@qookiemonsta2557]

I am not doing a PhD, however I thoroughly enjoy your enthusiasm, energy and humour in your videos; plus of course the occasional useful tip regarding research and AI. Great work Andy!

[@yidpgh]

I have a PhD and, in no small part due to bad advicing and other life choices, i am working an entry level job. Spare yourself the drama and think twice about it

[@krishnasaikia6132]

On what , phd

[@yidpgh]

@@krishnasaikia6132 public and international affairs

[@koraamis5568]

I am not in academia, but did a PHD anyway some years ago, it was hard but I absolutely loved it, best time of my life. My supervisor was fantastic, he took time for the students, and always talked good about his students specially when they were not present. No idea if anyone apart from those involved ever read my papers or thesis, but actually stumbled over a citation once where someone cited one of my papers as an example of weird shit you can do, so it was absolutely worth the pain. At my current job nobody cares thou, it is more like a personal thing I did, like going on a magical mystery tour.

[@yoelbacteria]

Don't give me hope. I'm 29 years old with a Bachelor and MSc. in in Biochem/Microbiology. I'm always striving to find a place when I can feel the magic I use to feel when I was 18 and put a step in the lab. 😓

[@SoufyAsth]

I can't help but be so disappointed by my supervisor's lack of support and guidance and it is definitely affecting my mental health.

[@strayorion2031]

Oof thats one of the hardest one, try to find support in other people, but generally not getting enough support from the supervisor is one of the worst case scenarios you can be in

[@diaryofagraduate]

me too

[@KaiwenTeh]

I’ve been there.

[@JupiterThunder]

Well I wouldn't allow it to do that. The situation is quite normal. When I started my PhD my supervisor said "There's the lab. Get in there and do some top science. Get a couple of papers published, and stick my name on them. See you in 3 years time for the viva."

[@diaryofagraduate]

@@JupiterThunder how? I put pressure on my supervisor, but he but the regeants and materials.

[@cocs88715]

Thanks for confirming that hardships and difficulties are CERTAIN events in academia. So many PhD students were simply not prepared when they signed up…

[@albondar]

This is the best video out there ! Really shows the hard truths more and cuts thru all tbe glowing glitter of your 1st year “i’ll come in and kick ass”.

[@Mountaineer170]

Amazing video man! Would love it if you do videos for post-PhD career building, resume, the transition, etc.

[@siyabongapatrick2257]

Great video. I'm in my first year PhD focusing on fuel cells, metal air batteries and water splitting and every point you mention are 100% true. This applies to everything in life, you are your own motivation

[@JohnMusic_PhD]

Good video and insights. The best and hardest thing I ever did in my life is getting a PhD from MIT. It taught me about how hard life can get and the value of inner optimism, humility and perseverance.

[@DanOneOne]

PhD prepares you to be the best Taxi driver in the universe!

[@cookingisnorocketscience]

I really needed to hear this today. Thank you Dr. Andy Stapleton for your support. Listening to you for last 4 years ❤

[@lycaenops]

Not easy but not impossible !! Thanks Andy , and to all of us who are struggling in our research, good luck and success!

[@chrisogonas]

Can't agree more! You wrap it up, and you realize you still got lots more to do to penetrate the industry, and work with countless others with lesser degrees but often in key strategic positions. However, all said, a PhD well done is still worth your time if you can make time to get it done. It stretches you into a greater resource in so many aspects. Stay stupid, stay hungry, keep learning, keep growing 👍

[@LuminaryLibrarians]

Just about to start my PhD in September. I think I need to save this vidoe and rewatch it often. Thanks for the honest advice!

[@DrPinayLoves]

This is just too frank and I love it. I'm writing these tips and putting the note in my notebook to remind me. Thank you, Andy.

[@RyanCaesar]

I wish i had access to this advice when i was doing my phd! i will now be sharing this with all my students who are considering going for one. thanks for your work!

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@pranashakti4161]

took me 5 years to get mine. To be frank, I could've done it in 1-2yrs if I was focussed and disciplined. Those 5 years were one of the worst periods of my life. By the time of my viva [UK system] I hated it so much that if the examiners had said change one word I wouldn't have done it!! Thankfully, there were no rewrites. I then ran away from academia as fast as I could ;) My sympathise to anyone going through this right now - make sure you have a life outside of your research - hang out with good, kind people who aren't in academia and have fun. Good luck

[@JK-vc7ie]

The world needs 67% fewer phd students.

[@Chrisratata]

A PhD is something one has to do for themselves as a further road towards edification

[@Vullfy]

Im writing up my dissertation and have experienced all of these problems! I feel like I should acknowledge the shittiness of university process and culture in the acknowledgments section of my dissertation! I love your tips Andy. Thank you. Although the reality they reflect does take the shine off PhD or even academic qualifications in general. If I didn’t feel so strongly about my own research topic I would have quit a long time ago.

[@jakubburnos7095]

Man I am so glad I left after one year. Best decision of my life.

[@DevinAkin]

Thanks for the reality check. :) This is brilliant advice. I love brutal truth. Subscribed.

[@hein8162]

Dr Stapleton's advice is generally good, but some it just seem great to me and there were two issues where I disagree. First the gold. He says to get your systems and structures in place. I think that is absolute gold. This, more than anything else will help you achieve almost any goal. His other idea of doing a power point summarizing your research every two weeks --- gold. Do this! I like his advice about taking control and not waiting around. Also, I think it is true that 99% of PhD students will feel stupid periodically and need help -- I did. And, it true, PhD's are hard, so don't be surprised by that. Now, the stuff I sort of disagree a bit with. My expectations for my PhD were pretty much non-existent. I hoped to graduate and that was my expectation. I feel that it really helped me learn to think and improved my mind. It has opened many doors for me. So, the results of my PhD exceeded my expectation even though only a few people have read my thesis. I've known about 10 people with PhD's and they have always been wonderful supportive people for me. I love them. I only had one incident where I felt like I was being treated unfairly, but I am still friends with that professor and he taught me a lot. All of the other PhD's helped and encouraged me -- love them. (Maybe Penn State is just a nice people place.) I don't recall ever intentionally kissing anyone's ass, but I was always so impressed by them and honored to work with them, maybe I was kissing their asses without event trying to.

[@filipposaatkamp6337]

I think that everything you said applies to life in general...not just academia, let alone PhD programmes

[@marlo512]

I have my first PhD interview tomorrow!!!

[@glitcharcing]

How’d it go?

[@Dark_Souls_3]

Update ussss

[@mlpb]

I'm stuck in my thesis. I liked listening to this. Thank you Sir.

[@javieraalfaro1091]

Same... 😢

[@annipurple]

this speech is so good it fixed my life. literally. every line can be easily applied to life in general. i feel healed

[@VisionScientist]

8:58 - 10:00: This reminded me of a computer science professor who required students to write programs in his particular style. One program had to report the mesasure of rainfal for each month within a particular peiriod. My program did this by means of an elaborate switch control structure. When the professor evaluated it, he wrote a note on it with red ink. He wrote: "Totally rediculous! Use if else!" An if else structure would have been a mess!

[@emigonzalez9765]

This is one of the most helpful videos I've seen in a very long time… and just what I needed to hear today! Thank you so much for this pep talk!

[@shermsl]

thanks Andy for the encourgament. It was rather harsh for me navigating through my pHd.

[@Vale08131]

I’m writing these down, thank you so much Andy ❤

[@oksanakushnir7228]

I'm not a scientist, I'm a mother of BS student who wants to go for a PhD. I come to this channel to have some idea and understanding of how everything works. Now I'm thinking what to do prevent my daughter from this mistake. Thank you for your eye-opening videos.

[@md.moniruzzaman7944]

I found so many important issues in this video. I have been following you for more than two years. Sometimes, I could not agree with your opinion. But today, your experience and opinion really aligned with my experiences over the past six years. Everything you said perfectly matched my experience. I should thank you a lot.

[@Three-Chord-Trick]

I wanted to do a PhD so I could feel superior to everyone else. It had nothing to do with any money or a job.

[@Areutherehello]

At least you're honest about your true motivation. Sounds like a huge amount of time and money spent just to feel "superior" to others. Um, okay.

[@drts6955]

Well at least you're doing it for the right reasons!

[@darod850]

That’s exactly what a PhD is for 😂

[@yoelbacteria]

we need this type of honesty in academic spaces

[@abdulmujeebopeyemimuhammad3969]

I love your video effects.. Especially when you did the bubble thing

[@pabloreed7717]

Thank you Andy!!! Your videos are always so inspirational

[@elifcliff]

Just when I needed this. Thank you!

[@joeh212]

Same

[@maelcashe]

Wow, this video is so enlightening! I would like to thank you, Andy, for sharing your point of view about a PhD, and most importantly, for sharing it with other people.

[@daydaykeyis]

You are so bloody helpful mate

[@greensombrero3641]

My expectation was to leave the university a bit better than when I entered. I wanted to leave better and I want the university to be better when I finished. I learned a lot - especially about hard work and coffee - and was fortunate to contribute to a couple of high profile papers - luck contributed as much as hard work. In order to stumble (into something interesting) - one must be moving.

[@amanda-clairebennett6132]

You just described my undergraduate course, best wishes from Perth Wa and many thanks for a very entertaining video.

[@rincybio123]

Just love your videos Andy. Sometimes we cant share what we r feeling and you just said everything as how it was to be.. its made me feel like am not alone.. Thank you for this video.

[@JoeCurran-s4x]

Thanks for the video. Lots of great points in it. I'd say that while most of this applies to PhDs in the Humanities too, the writing up process can be a bit different in that the crafting of an argument as well as presenting your data can be important. Very useful though overall. I wonder how many people eventually quit academia because they decide they don't want to be jerks

[@alicecarle_1941]

So true … you put words on my feelings … you’re awesome, thank you!

[@yeahdudex]

I'm not sure how I ended up here, but: thank you; these lessons generalize surprisingly well to someone starting a new career in software development (working in an organization with a lot of recovering academics, no less)

[@bmimagining9415]

I haven't seen all of your videos, but I think this could certainly be one of the best 🎉

[@mktarcali1212]

Happy with my Master degree, 🎉. This guy talking about reality behind curtain which many ppl not talking about. 🎉

[@joeh212]

Wow spot on. This is profoundly accurate, and I'm glad you made this.

[@kennethlane3896]

I have watched a LOT of your presentations. A lot of what you say can be applied to life itself, regardless of what you do for a living. I retired 10 years ago, but if I were to go back and pursue a PHD your advice would be absolutely priceless. Not trying to kiss your ass but I truly admire what you are doing. You are an awesome person and I would tell any young person to watch your videos and apply most of your ideals to their everyday life. Especially for someone crazy enough to want to "Pile It Higher and Deeper" (PHD).

[@jeng4867]

Well, this was spot on and fantastic. Thanks for putting together the great content Andy! Helping me through the final year :)

[@hitadhunbishxxx6849]

In the US, real good students from major universities don't go to graduate school, instead, they would go to professional schools. Those who end up doing PhD are often those who did not do well for their undergraduate degrees, can't get a job and so on or those who go to small colleges, because going to graduate school at a major university with an undergraduate degree from a never-heard-of college is a step up.

[@QuinnJACKSON-zx1dx]

3rd year PhD student here (U.S.) He's right.

[@dmitripopov8570]

Brilliant advice and expertise! Thank you!

[@noxiousdow]

I wish I had had videos like this available to me when I was doing my PhD. Back then this was not talked about at all. You were just expected to shut up and get on with it. And yeah, nobody gave a shit. I mean, I'm glad now that I did it, but I feel like I lost something in my life. I think it might have exacerbated existing mental health problems and I may suffer from lasting effects to this day. Who knows? I can't know how my life would have gone if I hadn't done it.

[@onewhoisanonymous]

11:11 PhDs are hard. My colleague gave me a compliment after our lecture stating that I seemed very engaged and was working hard to keep notes on my laptop. I laugh and stated "no, that was me googling EVERYTHING while the advisor was talking. I had no idea what he was talking about:" Take control. I just started my PhD and all my colleagues are from the same country. Even our advisor speaks the same language as my colleagues, So I am incidentally left out from a lot of the conversations. So I am just putting along trying to figure things out myself.

[@womenscvresearch]

You are ON POINT Andy.

[@jonathansonnenschirm8535]

one of my most favorite videos that you made lately! 🙏🏻

[@julianosvonskingrad7009]

People always wondered why I, someone who was one of the smartest of his fellow students, was not interested in doing a PhD. Actually, I informed myself so early about pro and cons of a PhD, that I decided it is not worth it. Others are still trying to finish to this day and completely misjudged the needed effort and the brutality of this path.

[@LUXi125]

This is so funny and real I love it, I did not start yet. I can imagine that these points are so important.

[@breathlessMay]

Very nice, real, and useful.

[@TimTeatro]

Well, where the hell were you ten years ago when I needed you? ;) Great advice.

[@marohs5606]

Maybe the best video ever about PhD... thank U

[@jamesraymond1158]

As microbiologist Wolf Vishniac told me just before his untimely death, "there's got to be a spark". If you don't have a novel and interesting idea, forget about it.

[@yoelbacteria]

❤

[@skreppeknekker]

I work at an occupational health service at a university and forwarded this to my colleagues

[@annika8877]

Thanks for your video! I just reached half of your points but there is so much truth in it! I am so happy I finished my PhD last year and it was honestly the hardest thing I did in my life until now. Honestly, I am still not sure if it was worth all the struggle. 😅

[@陈悦-v7i]

I have just completed my Master's degree and already know *somethings* about academia. One strategy I am preparing to use is to list my minimum expectations as specifically as possible. One is to put my mental/physical health first. Two is to get the PhD at the end and stay away from toxic people at the beginning and along the way. Three is to start exploring other career oppertunities at the beginning (like, I am a good babysitter). Four is to do honest science. And the list goes on and on. I have also listed many things I can let go of, such as a prestigious school, good publications/citations, etc. I also lower my expectations on my expectation list by knowing that they may not all be met due to this and that, so I have to navigate myself from time to time.

[@OlgaTsygankova]

Going to grad school and staying away from toxic people is a contradiction in terms.

[@陈悦-v7i]

hahaha you are kind of right, but I did find good people/labs twice in the past (not by luck). I believe there are good people at a lower ratio. So my strategy is to carefully find them/identify the toxic ones IF I decide to go to grad school/take a PhD position.@@OlgaTsygankova

[@yoelbacteria]

Doing honest science it's an oxymoron. If you don't learn how to make your data "adjusted to your hypothesis" someone is gonna publish first 🤠

[@thelordofrings-l9c]

Oh my Gosh !!! I just laughed and wanted to cry I want to leave academia for the reasons you mentioned in the video. After watching this video I changed my mind and keep going with my way. Thanks for the video!

[@wmpmacm]

I got one. It helped with pay at the community college. The only research I did was to get it. It may have been a waste of money, but it was something I wanted for myself as a way of reaching a difficult goal academically.

[@ambrosekola4011]

There is need for a revolution in doctoral studies. I think we need to focus more on writing impactful journal articles than this bunch of theses that other people will barely read.

[@Slide61]

Awesome!!! You nailed it - especially academic egos!!!

[@meemsultana5299]

Thank you 😊 Andy ☺️🌸

[@incememed55]

You are basically suggesting us to be a machiavellist :) I believe one needs to do whatever it gets; otherwise, nice people can not have fun with their lives and get their PhD at the same time. I am doing my PhD and I mostly agree with your suggestions but it is such a pity. I hope one day the system will change.

[@sohumkapadia4740]

Thanks for this! It is very relatable and feels relieving to hear from you.

[@johnsmith1953x]

*You will NOT get a job after your PhD* *You will NOT get a job after your first Post-Doc* *You will NOT get a job after your SECOND Post-Doc* You will then CRY.

[@engineering_guy]

Man Andy...I'm doing a PhD now(2nd year and still no paper)..and all of this is real..I know..I used to watch all of your videos. But every time I see one..I feel more and more dejected. I know you're speaking truths..but I have to believe that things will work out. I really like my project..it's just taking way more time. Make some cheerful videos once in a while

[@heavenlyjoy8499]

I'm in my fifth, still no paper

[@SuperSwaggaboiz]

Tell him