3 Biggest Mistakes I Made | First Year PhD Reflection

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WHO AM I?
Hey there, I’m Cinzia DuBois. I’m a part-time, self-funded PhD student and KZbinr, Podcaster and writer. I’ve been creating videos for over thirteen years. I discuss productivity, personal development, PhD, academia and mental well-being on this channel. On my main channel, I talk about all things dark and ancient history, literature and folklore.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:10 Mistake no.1
3:14 Mistake no.2
5:58 Mistake no.3

[@janeb2958]

As a PhD holder and supervisor, I can say that most students feel like they've wasted their first year, but they've learnt so much from it that they recognise later - if a student feels everything is going perfectly at the end of the first year, I'd be very cautious!

[@soraiagoncalves6777]

I am starting my phd in classics, as a self funded student, working and studying full time, next monday after five years without setting foot in academia ... Also, I am almost 40! Perhaps due to lack of support from my family and friends I started following a lot of phd students online and starting to feel overwhelmed thinking I could never work as they do (too many apps, too many studying methods...). Earlier this week I realised I don't have to compare myself with anyone, I just have to understand what works best from me. But then I became stressed thinking that I probably shouldn't do a phd (I'm not smart enough, I don't have the money, I don't have time to do ot properly...) So... I just wanted to thank you. Hearing you say so eloquently what I have been thinking really helped me today clearing those thoughs away 😊

[@SelfHelpShelf]

Good luck!!

[@soraiagoncalves6777]

@@SelfHelpShelf 😘

[@Tech-Corner2023]

I know what you mean. I started not PhD but freelancing but anytime I listen to other freelancers using lots of tools and apps online it makes me doubt myself a bit... I am not someone who is comfortable from jumping from one app to another and following million methods to be self employed... It will almost discourage me, feel overwhelming or boring, routine - constantly entering/recording something somewhere.. But like you said, the best it to know ourselves better, trust in that and do in our way. I like the organisation part on a single source like one notebook... one online platform. That is all. I am not into splitting my attention into million places.

[@HitchcockBrunette]

In the same boat over here!you’re not alone in these sentiments!

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

My experience as a first year PhD student totally reshaped my life, as well. I want to remind you that my life has totally changed (in a totally different way) because of your influence, Cinzia. I will never stop being grateful to you. This is a very thoughtful video. I'm sure it will help others. I wish I had been able to watch it before I started in my doctoral programe thirty years ago.

[@rosiiiieeeee]

I’m in the last year of my MPH in Colorado! Went straight in from undergrad and have plans to pursue a DrPH in a few years. I’ve worked full time during my degree and am such a proponent of doing school at your own pace! It’s taken me 3 years to complete this degree and I’m grateful for advice I received early on to take my time :)

[@blurocktech]

Not a PhD student. Working full time and doing courses on the side, but this was still super helpful, as I was getting deep into the rabbit hole of productivity videos, note taking apps, and getting a bit obsessive about whether or not my chosen method/stack was the most sufficient. Thank you.

[@paperbrained]

Your first point has already called me out 😅! I'm not quite pursuing my PhD journey yet (still weighing whether to go for it after I finish my Masters) but I really value your thoughts and videos. As an only child and someone who has only done online education since graduating high school, so many of your videos are relatable to the point it feels like getting to sit down and chat with a cousin or a friend. I guess that's where your point about camaraderie comes in under your chapter labeled Mistake no. 3! Although I've only recently found you, you can expect my comments under many of your videos as I go through my academic journey adjacent to yours. We've got this! 💪

[@jimbrittain402]

I got nothin'... but I would listen to you read anything. Technical manuals, Dr Seuss, census results... anything.

[@onyourraedar]

This is so funny and I get it 😂😂

[@JaniceIsLearning]

Some of this information is good for life overall. We all need to find out what works for us. Thank you for your well thought out videos.

[@MsCristina38]

Currently doing my MFA in painting and I find your videos super helpful!

[@sabineklein]

Did my PhD from 1996 to 2000. It seems that it was much easier then. What has stayed the same, however, is that at the end you know how you would approach the journey if you were to start over again. I wish you good luck and hope there will be enjoyable phases as well!

[@CLWgirlysnacks]

Cinzia, as an academic (albeit in a completely different field to you - supply chain management and logistics) I would just like to say that you are a refreshingly wonderful person and i thoroughly enjoy your videos on both of your channels. You have such a deep understanding on your area of study and also yourself and it is so refreshing to hear each week with your videos. You 100% have a career in academia ahead of you, I know you have said in past videos you don’t think you do but you definitely do, you are so talented and intelligent that you are destined to succeed in your chosen career path. If you ever want to discuss the different routes you could take in to academia in higher education I would be happy to have a chat. All the best and have a fabulous weekend 🙂 x

[@88Marster]

Thank you for this, I’m not a PhD student but I’m doing my BA as a distance learner while working and seeing and hearing about your experiences has made me feel better that I will able to continue to the PhD if I wish. Also, your podcasts that are on KZbin have helped me to frame a positive PMA going into my second year with drowning in anxiety.

[@HollyJaneYT]

The queen speaks the truth. I love love love your journey, your advice, and am grateful you choose to share parts of it with us! It makes this PhD experience a little less solitary. X

[@MichaelV34]

I feel very supportive of your efforts. I earned a bachelors degree as a mature student, against my family's advice. I think I know how you feel.

[@fallabeaufaebelle]

Im not even working on a PhD and I loved this video

[@juliequick5526]

Hi Cinzia! I a thinking of going back to studies at 61! It seems so much more complicated than in the 1980s, but maybe I was naive? Kudos to anyone doing advanced duration. I now feel I need it as an outlet to carer responsibilities. Loving your petsectine 💖

[@lizjeffries5366]

I would say go for it. I am 64 and just starting my MSc with a view to exploring research and whether I might have sufficient passion and energy for a PhD in my area of interest. So thanks for this video.

[@FarahRoseSmith]

Hi Cinzia, I am a big fan of your videos, and even cited one in my master's thesis. I'm in the second year of applying for PhD programs after a full sweep of rejections, which I feel was from being too honest about having chronic illness in my initial round of applications. This video is definitely helpful. Thank you for having a generous manner about your studies.

[@flannerypedley840]

I too have a chronic illness and in my experience (undergrad & professional Masters) it never pays to say so.

[@winterburden]

Thanks for sharing these reflections Cinzia!

[@norakrissford4171]

I'm an undergraduate in Turkey and I have been loving your videos! I'm not even sure if I'll do a Phd but I find your videos very calming. I'm trying to learn that we all make mistakes but it's not the end of the world.

[@bryndis1975]

Great video. I definitely made several mistakes in my first few years of my PhD, but feel I learned a great deal from making them that I honestly feel thankful that I did make them. I think the note taking and productivity advice from others was the worse, I really needed to create my own system.

[@anabelperezreal]

I love your PhD videos, please, keep them coming! 😊 I'm also going into my second year, and I know the feeling of having wasted some of your time following “social media trends”. I tried to set up a Notion page, then Obsidian... Finally, I realised that I work best reading and taking notes at the same time, scribbling on the margins whenever possible. And I don't mind rereading papers or whole chapters when I need said information to, say, write a paper... I was momentarily trapped by this idea of “you need to take perfect beautiful notes because if you read the same text again, you'll be wasting your time”. On the contrary, at least for me! When I go back to the same papers or books, I understand the information on a new level, and I make interesting links between different ideas. Furthermore, I’ve memorised a lot of information without consciously applying myself. Of course, I keep notes on everything I read, but sometimes I'll just refer myself to said book or paper if the information there is valuable for future me. I think the important thing is finding your own system, as you say!

[@NetherworldBibliotek]

I'm really sorry to hear people were unsupportive of your endeavors.

[@Tech-Corner2023]

For example, as a person with ADHD, I cannot just use too many apps to take notes, productivity, project management blah blah... the more apps and places to take notes and other things, the worst it is for me, since out of sight is out of mind and I may even start forgetting where I record what and get bored easily of recording things to too many places. The best is single notebook with everything in it and a single simple writing pad type of place.

[@fshbulb1]

I'm only coming to the end of my Bachelor's but god damn this hit home. I feel like I wasted the first year or so trying all the different productivity hacks and advice around using notion or onenote or Cornell note taking and it just left me an anxious and emotional wreck. There's definitely some great information around time saving apps and browser extensions out there, particularly those that help to search for related journal articles or manage references. What helped me the most was the advice that came from other neurodivergent people which has been useful for me to learn how to use my neurodivergency to help instead of hinder my study.

[@Caroline-vz4by]

You are such an inspiration ! Thank you for these videos :)

[@SelfHelpShelf]

Glad you like them!

[@marialeg2367]

Thank you for sharing these experiences and your perspective with us! Your content is super interesting, entertaining, and valuable. I really like these videos that you're putting out and appreciate the effort! :) All the best x

[@SelfHelpShelf]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@sarazsadanyi4113]

Wow, your first point really gave me a little shock! I have been feeling so negative about my PhD at the moment and I am just watching so many insta stories of PhD students who are seemingly crushing it. Time to unfollow and think about how I want to work!

[@MsSarahJam]

Thanks Cinzia. 😊

[@mezmarionybarra]

Thank you😊

[@nocturnus009]

The development of one’s unique capture & documentation style speaks to what the L&L folks have attempted with Scrivener. I immediately thought of Scrivener as I watched your video then realized the application was developed by dissertation researchers frustrated with MS Word. When Betty Edwards talks about exploring the intertextual connections in diverse art forms in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain & think there are correlating applications. Lessons we find in our journey connect with our progression?

[@AS-sd6yb]

Starting my phd in 10 days with dozens of saved linkedin posts and profiles with advice etc but now I'm convinced they'll mostly be useless 😂

[@KaisaKylakoski]

Am finalizing my PhD thesis at the moment, and disagree. Just don't take anything as gospel - and you shouldn't if you have the capabilities for a PhD. I think it's good to understand that people have different systems and different ways working. Something might be useful for you. (Personally I followed (unknowingly) advice from Tara Brabazon: picked a system and stuck with it.)

[@holyfreak8]

Honest question: There are mistakes that we could never have known we were going to make (in PhDs and in life in general), do you appreciate these mistakes for what you learned from them? or you feel annoyed by them? Great video Lady! I really like how honest you are.

[@SelfHelpShelf]

No, because mistakes are necessary. It's annoying to have made so many as I have done, but you don't get anywhere or accomplish anything without making mistakes

[@r.a.4587]

Für den Algorithmus und Cinzia ☺️👍

[@Lauren.Wagstaff]

I’m not a phd student and don’t think I’ll be one. However…the advice here is applicable to most any major life event. Getting married? Here’s one blueprint way to do it, or a million others. Buying a house? Someone doing that will have different issues from someone in another location. Doing a no-buy? There are numerous tips and tricks but only you can find what works for you. This is just good life advice

[@Wee_Catalyst]

👏🏼💛👏🏼

[@phoebebaker1575]

It’s interesting to see behind the curtain. I do love your videos, Cinzia.

[@mnickrowe]

To Cinzia and anyone else here in the comments who are currently a PHD student or was, is there general advice you can take from watching other PhD student and then tailor it to you? For example, PHD students who are in a similar or exact same field, same country and size of university? Or like Cinzia has stated within the first two mistakes, you aren’t gonna know until you start and various factors will change how you do your PhD?

[@GnosticInformant]

is a PhD even worth getting anymore? I hear so many people talk about it like its not. I mean, obviously doctors and scientists clearly need them, but do historians and scholars really need to do it ? We live in a time when anyone can go online and get a Greek or Hebrew tutor, and read academic articles online and primary sources from the ancient world are all translated in english and available online.

[@SelfHelpShelf]

No, they're not necessary, but I never said they were

[@nightspore4850]

@@SelfHelpShelf I’m a subscriber and enjoy this channel, but I am not sure I understand your reply here. If the Ph.D. is not necessary for something, whether academic employment, a publication credential, ticket into professional societies, or whatever, then why do it? I dropped out of a fully funded doctoral program after asking myself the same question. Given that independent scholarship is a thing, the time, expense, and hassle of getting a Ph.D. seems like a monumental waste of time unless you do actually need it for something.

[@SelfHelpShelf]

Because you want to do it for the challenge, because you love researching, because you love the project and you want to improve your academic skills, because you want to influence the institution or work alongside specific people. There are many reasons to do a PhD, but they're not necessary.

[@eldritchacademia]

@@SelfHelpShelf I agree with this sentiment, as someone in a field where a PhD is not a requirement (or even that common) I took mine on for the sake of the challenge. In terms of financial worth, would have made more money staying freelance but it was worth it for me personally just to work with my supervision team and because I loved my research area. There can be an advantage with institutional backing as it can leverage more access for you and the grounding in research ethics but sometimes it's enjoyable to do things just because you want to do it.

[@GnosticInformant]

@@SelfHelpShelf thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, I did not mean to imply that you said that either. Also, love your content!

[@_infinitedomain]

[@gorsian1979]

How old are you ?