Making predications about my PhD in marine biology before I start...

// ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT MY PHD//
02:16 Massive mental challenge?
02:52 Working overtime at some point?
03:46 My family won't understand what I do fully?
04:38 Low income?
05:53 Rewarding experience?
06:21 Will need to take extra care of my mental health?
07:10 Networking a lot?
07:39 Making lots of mistakes in the lab.
08:13 Fall over during fieldwork (lol)?
08:30 Feel imposture syndrome at some point?
Do you think my assumptions are correct? Comment below!
Find all my pages here and kit: linktr.ee/no_ordinary_biologist
I am a PhD student at the University of Liverpool (Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences). I plan to share my whole journey from start to end!
Dina (No Ordinary Biologist) x

[@peerreviewed]

Mega congrats on getting on to a funded PhD! I'm going through the application process at the moment and I am one of those humanities students you mention. There is absolutely no one that is even vaguely interested in paying me to research accounting history 😂 So I'll probably be doing mine part time while staying in my accounting job part time as well

[@no_ordinary_biologist]

Thanks very much! I’ll be putting out a video next week on PhD applications so keep your eyes pealed 👀 massive good luck! Humanities is so hard to get funding - I’d recommend applying to DTPs/CDTs as they are your best bet for funding.

[@unboxedana9964]

Greta video ☺️ interesting assumptions. In October I’ll be heading into the second year of my PhD ☺️ I found sticking to 9-5 working hours a lot easier when I was actually on campus and in the lab, it was harder when working from home bc of covid. I am however generally pretty good at working 9-5 and not over working. That being said, I’m running an experiment soon that will require daily transplants and RNA extractions, for at least 10 consecutive days, so unfortunately that will mean over time, but I’ll definitely balance that out with some time off after and potentially shorter days. I think the working long hours point links to the mental health point that you made though. For me, I have to prioritise my mental health because if I don’t I’ll burn out and then I’ll need more time to rest and recover. I find it mentally taxing, as per your first point, but also it can be very physically taxing when you’re on your feet all day, walking between floors and labs. And because of that sometimes I get home and I just flop onto the sofa, when that happens I’m sure to go easy on myself and have a shorter day on Friday if I need to. In terms of networking that my experience was very different. I think a year ago I’d have made the same assumption as you based on my UG experience and working in labs prior. But bc of COVID things were very different and spending the first 6 months of my PhD wfh meant it was very isolating and difficult. I hope your experience is better. Imposter syndrome can be a big personality in my PhD. But I’m honest about it when it happens. I’ll often preface a question to my supervisor with ‘This might be a silly question, but I feel impostery so...’ I’ve found the more I normalise myself feelings the more space it creates for people around me to do the same. And yes. My family have no clue or understand of what I do 😂

[@no_ordinary_biologist]

So interesting to read about someone else's journey so far. Thanks so much for sharing Ana :)

[@georgelowndes3786]

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[@no_ordinary_biologist]

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