Hello folks!

Hope y’all enjoying the beautiful summer it is! Recently had an a-mazing trip to Gros Morne with my husband, did invigorating hikes, relished the scenic landscapes and got seriously badly tanned! Haha, but a tan is proof you really made the best of the summer! That’s the fun part of life!

But on a serious note, this year officially marks the final year of my graduate program, that means, I have some crucial reactions to do before I call it a successfully completed project, and the fact that grad school funding is limited to 4 years gives me an additional kick to write my thesis and defend it with minimum possible delays. With this at the epicenter of my life these days, I am going to write this blog about what exactly how I feel as a final year grad and some of the tips I am using in order to accomplish my goals and finish my PhD on time (although with a little extension).

First, let’s talk about what it feels like!

Honestly speaking, with the completion in sight and the PhD honor itself, the feeling is absolutely amazing. Although the thought of finally finishing up is great and relieving, the thought of how toilsome the time between now and the end is going to be puts me through a lot of stress. I find that I am being too anxious and overwhelmed at times with an overly enhanced amount of mood swings. The rush is the same as one has before a final exam, the difference being that this feeling is almost about a year-long! With the tremendous amount of planned work and thinking which is required during this period of time, it is important to keep oneself focused and disciplined and for what it’s worth, spending time on the right things is really key. I still have to finish my final project (making some complex molecules, which are just not giving me the best of time until now) so, here’s what I think are going to be my set of rules for the remainder of this year and these have been well-researched so might as well be useful to you as well.

1. Keep calm and collected:

There are always stories in the press and online about the grim situation of newly graduated PhDs but something will turn up. It’s best to connect with optimistic people in your field who tell you the good things which can possibly follow rather than just zap the zeal out of you. It might not be an academic career, but you definitely got a super skillset with all these years of research and that can go a long way in getting you a job which you might as well appreciate more than what you had expected.

2. Make your priorities clear:

Select the activities you want to include in your plan. What are your priorities? They are likely to include experiments that will give the thesis a conclusion or that may be necessary to publish a final paper. Mandatory administrative tasks will also need attention, and allowing time to prepare for your next career move will give you the best chance of a seamless and successful transition post-PhD.

3. Best use of available resources:

This being the final year means you are no longer going to be a student again. So, make the best possible use of the resources your university (although virtually now) has to offer as well as take the chance to make a well-rounded Resume for yourself. Things such as volunteering, or some specifics such as gaining teaching experience, improving your communication skills etc. can be worked upon best in the university setting (like, say volunteer to write a blog for your school) where it is okay even if you make mistakes as long as you are learning, but outside of this world things and people would be different and you would be expected to be an expert at whatever it is that you are doing! You can talk to your Supervisor regarding what you have in mind for your future and maybe they can provide you with some opportunity such as conducting their tutorials, or sending you to conferences etc. which might be really helpful.

4. Networking efficiently:

It’s networking which is a game-changer when it comes to securing a job and how efficiently you do it, makes the entire difference. Nice places to connect with like-minded individuals and pioneers in your field would be conferences, seminars and talks, and of course there’s LinkedIn. Make sure you put yourself up nicely and do not hesitate to talk to people, both professors and other students when you see someone working in a field that interests you.

5. Take breaks:

It well is, quite an important period of time for you, but still there’s no point burning yourself out. Short coffee breaks, talking to friends/ colleagues, visiting your friends on weekends and such small things liven you up and make you work with a better focus and energy.

As a final year PhD candidate there is a lot of pressure of meeting deadlines, writing and defending thesis, publishing your research and most importantly securing a job or post-doc position. Having thoughtfully planned through this period and practically thought of whether you want to go down the academic route or not, gives you a very realistic set of expectations. You start to find joy in achievements rather than regret and grief over unfulfilled goals. You have been working hard enough for this and have been on strict timelines for years now; just work consistently through this phase as well, have a look-out for opportunities and make the best of your university years. Perhaps the future is not as bleak as our fear-riddled heads have made it out to be!

Peace out

~ Seerat