I've been accepted on a PhD program in History and I will be self-funding.
I know that, unlike those who work in scientific research and require lab contact, all a history researcher needs to physically do is access library archives. Yet, as someone who is aiming to penetrate a competitive market (academia) later on, I'm afraid that starting a PhD in the times of coronavirus will not add anything to my competitiveness but will subtract from it. In other words, I will not be able to give/attend conference talks, I will not be able to properly interact with and benefit from my supervisor, I will not be able to meet people along the 1st year PhD journey who could potentially influence my future and who could serve as a great addition to my network, etc.
In the end, the decision is mine but I'm here seeking different opinions on the matter that would shed light on things that I'm oblivious to or that would modify my sense of direction after critically taking your views into consideration.
What would you do if you were faced with a similar predicament?