Experience of studying a PhD

How’s it like going study PhD, and how it is different from studying a master or bachelor? Academically and socially speaking,

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Original post by Top_statement

How’s it like going study PhD, and how it is different from studying a master or bachelor? Academically and socially speaking,

Hi there 😊

I started my PhD by moving to the UK in September of 2020, and am now in my 3rd (final) year.

Academically, the most similar thing I had experienced previously was my thesis project. Having said that, they are worlds apart. My thesis project was only a couple of months and very rushed to get to a clear aim. A PhD is years (generally 3-4) so you have a lot more scope to explore side projects, but also within the much larger plan there is always a few things that end up having to change.
I really liked having a structured project, with clear aims and objectives, but not being completely chained to them. I was free to explore other areas, shape the direction of the project, come up with my own methods as well as optimise existing ones, and a lot more.
That independence is also a hard part about doing a PhD. Often there is nobody to ‘hold your hand’ and show you how to do something – because the research you are doing is new. You should receive training and guidance from supervisors, other academics, technicians, etc. particularly at the start of your PhD, but the expectation is that you will become a lot more independent quite quickly.
In terms of workload, it’s definitely not a 9-5. You’ll probably end up working at least some evenings and weekends, and many people structure it differently. I prefer to put in a few weekend hours to keep my evenings more free, others do the opposite. I know some people (who worked on computational projects so didn’t need labs or anything) who even preferred to work nights and sleep during the day! You often have more flexibility, but sometimes experiments mean you have NO flexibility… For example if you are doing a 12 hour treatment on some cells, and you apply the treatment at 9am, guess who’s staying until 9pm? You! But in the end, you need to find a structure that works for you, your project, and your supervisors.
Don’t underestimate the amount of time the background reading, and admin takes. Reading is completely necessary to identify the research gaps, and design sensible experiments to address them. You also are never ‘caught up’ to the research, as new things are always coming out. Consistency is key!!! Admin, particularly at the start, can feel overwhelming. I felt quite guilty that I wasn’t doing enough work in the lab (and reading) because I was doing so many different safety forms, H&S training, getting set up on the payroll (for funded students), but I spoke to my supervisors and they laughed, reassuring me that this is always expected. I saw a really nice quote once, I can’t remember where, but it resonated with me. “No matter what your job is, your job is mostly emails.”

As for the social side of things, my experience was a bit weird as I started in the middle of a pandemic, with many lockdowns and remote working. Assuming that that DOESN’T happen for you, I’ll describe more of the social dynamic now!
I started in the end of September, when most other PhDs started too (this is usually the start date for funding bodies). There were a few ‘welcome’ events, but only one was in person (yay COVID) and honestly the friends I made on that first day have helped keep me sane every day since! Not everyone knows what it’s like to do a PhD, so it’s great to have friends who can really understand.
I am part of a really amazing lab group, the Plant Science Lab, who actively cultivate a supportive environment both between staff and students and amongst the students themselves. We try to help each other out, have lunches and catch up regularly, welcome new members, it’s a great place to work. Not every lab group is so supportive and welcoming, so pick carefully. It makes all the difference.
Of course, you can have a social life outside of your PhD too, join clubs and societies in the uni, or go elsewhere for workout classes to meet new people, join sports clubs, whatever you like. Use the flexibility in your schedule wisely!

I don’t think I’ve covered every aspect of my life, but hopefully this has given an insight into my experience.
I’m sure others will have had many different experiences too, so looking forward to hearing all of those too!

Ciara
3rd year Agrifood PhD student
Cranfield Student Ambassador