{"id":2525,"date":"2019-05-06T07:11:05","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T07:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-i-spent-my-very-first-month-as-a-phd-student\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T06:35:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T06:35:23","slug":"how-i-spent-my-very-first-month-as-a-phd-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-i-spent-my-very-first-month-as-a-phd-student","title":{"rendered":"How I spent my very first month as a PhD student"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">So, exactly one month ago today, I was on my way to my very first day as a PhD-er. I was a bundle of nerves, terrified I was going to get lost in the roundabouts of Milton Keynes and full of imposter syndrome-itis (it\u2019s a real thing, look it up!). Here\u2019s what I got up to in my first month as a PhD student:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin: 0in 0in 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">WEEK #1:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Default Alt text\" class=\"center\" data-file_info=\"%7B%22fid%22:%228044%22,%22view_mode%22:%22default%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22default%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Default%20Alt%20text%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Default%20Title%20Text%22,%22field_image_tags%5Bund%5D%5Btextfield%5D%22:%22%22,%22field_image_tags%5Bund%5D%5Bvalue_field%5D%22:%22%5C%22%5C%22%5C%22%5C%22%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D\" src=\"http:\/\/insights.cactusglobal.com\/sites\/default\/files\/How%20I%20spent%20my%20first%20month%20as%20a%20PhD%20student%20image%201.jpg\" style=\"\" title=\"Default Title Text\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I registered, and got my fancy ID card.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I also attended the induction conference, which was fabulous. We were basically bombarded with important info over two days, like using the library services and who to contact, and dates for probation and\u2026 just EVERYTHING we needed to know. It was fun and overwhelming and a great start to my studies. Also, it was fab meeting all the other PhD students, studying some fabulous subjects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I also re-familarised myself with some important books in my areas of study.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">AND I brought a lot of post-it notes (a student-essential).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"margin: 0in 0in 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">WEEK #2:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I went to a great seminar on the \u2018parity of esteem\u2019 by Professor Simon Lee.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I also had my first meeting with my supervisor, Dr Caroline Derry, where I set a provisional date for myself, to send over a draft of my literature review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I completed some online modules, on starting my research and on my literature review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I booked future training courses, did a lot more reading, and started tentatively typing up notes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"margin: 0in 0in 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">WEEK #3:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I started this blog!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I also dislocated my knee (boo!), but did more reading and tentatively started on my lit review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I went to a meeting with a PhD study group, which was fun.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">This week was probably the most challenging so far. I think the initial high of starting my PhD had worn off, and I felt a little overwhelmed with everything I had to do, whilst at the same time not being 100% sure of my direction. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\" style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt;\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\" xml:lang=\"en\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">Read about suffragettes all day, editing alllllllll night <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/amwriting?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#amwriting<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/friyay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#friyay<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/74MiHfRFXj\">pic.twitter.com\/74MiHfRFXj<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">\u2014 Laura Noakes (@lauranoakes) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lauranoakes\/status\/921412977592500224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 20, 2017<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h4 style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">WEEK #4:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Default Alt text\" class=\"center\" data-file_info=\"%7B%22fid%22:%228045%22,%22view_mode%22:%22default%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22default%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Default%20Alt%20text%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Default%20Title%20Text%22,%22field_image_tags%5Bund%5D%5Btextfield%5D%22:%22%22,%22field_image_tags%5Bund%5D%5Bvalue_field%5D%22:%22%5C%22%5C%22%5C%22%5C%22%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D\" src=\"http:\/\/insights.cactusglobal.com\/sites\/default\/files\/How%20I%20spent%20my%20first%20month%20as%20a%20PhD%20student%20image%202.jpg\" style=\"\" title=\"Default Title Text\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I read some more (I know, shocker!).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I went to a seminar on methodology. I understood some of it, which I was pretty darn proud of.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I continued working on my lit review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I felt a bit more secure in myself, in what I was doing, and where I was going.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"tab-stops:list .5in\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">My knee finally felt better, so I took my dog to the park!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><i>Okay, so what have I learnt?<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><b>(1) IT\u2019S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">The start of a PhD is a massively confusing time. Not only are you grappling with (potentially) a new campus, new colleagues, and a new supervisor, but you\u2019re also trying to get your head around your project, and at the start it sometimes feels a bit much. Take a deep breath, and continue plowing on (also, chocolate helps).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><b>(2) BE OPEN<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">This point is a little bit more personal for me. I have a disability, and that has an impact on my life. I knew I\u2019d struggle with balancing, making sure I was able to get to campus on a regular basis, and actually doing the work I needed to. I\u2019m not sure I\u2019m quite there yet with making this balance work, but I think being open with my supervisor about my disability has really helped in my first month.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><b>(3) GET INVOLVED<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I joined the PhD study book club with some fellow law students, and I\u2019m hoping to sign up for some more extra-curricular activities in the near future. I want to be involved in the uni community \u2013 that\u2019s hopefully going to happen in the next month.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><b>(4) IT\u2019S OKAY TO HAVE A DAY OFF<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">I\u2019m a bit of a workaholic. I tend to work myself till I\u2019m ill, and beat myself up for having a day off. This month, I\u2019ve tried to go easy on myself, and enjoy days with my friends and family, without thinking about work. Setting my alarm early and getting myself into a \u2018working day\u2019 routine has really helped with this goal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0in 0in 10pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:115%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\">So there you have it. That\u2019s what I did in my first month as a PhD student. It\u2019s been a hectic and stressful, and simultaneously exciting &amp; fulfilling month. It\u2019s everything I dreamed of and more, and I count myself as lucky since I get to do something so fun. I will update this blog on what I get up to in November in a month\u2019s time.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i>Laura Noakes (<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lauranoakes\" style=\"color:blue; text-decoration:underline\"><i>@lauranoakes<\/i><\/a><span class=\"MsoHyperlink\" style=\"color:blue\"><span style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><i>)<\/i><\/span><\/span><i> is a PhD student at the Open University School of Law. This story was published on November 2, 2017 on Laura\u2019s blog, \u2018<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/theportiapost.wordpress.com\/\" style=\"color:blue; text-decoration:underline\"><i>The Portia Post<\/i><\/a><i>\u2019 (available\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/theportiapost.wordpress.com\/2017\/11\/02\/a-month-in-the-life-of-a-phd-student-1\/\" style=\"color:blue; text-decoration:underline\"><i>here<\/i><\/a><i>) and has been republished here with her permission.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, exactly one month ago today, I was on my way to my very first day as a PhD-er. I was a bundle of nerves, terrified I was going to get lost in the roundabouts of Milton Keynes and full of imposter syndrome-itis (it\u2019s a real thing, look it up!). Here\u2019s what I got up [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1424,"featured_media":33313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2414],"tags":[2666,2454],"new_categories":[],"new_tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiring-researcher-stories","tag-phd-life","tag-researcher-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How I spent my very first month as a PhD student<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, exactly one month ago today, I was on my way to my very first day as a PhD-er. 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