The Hardest Parts of My PhD (so far)

I’m about to enter the fourth and final year of my PhD! What have been the hardest parts of my PhD, and why? Are these normal problems PhD students face, or are there ways to avoid them? I hope this video will be helpful to people at earlier stages of the PhD, and please do comment with your own experiences!

The five hardest times of my PhD involved the following, and I’ve more or less got a video or two to cover them:

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New video every other Wednesday (ish). Please comment to suggest a topic relating to postgraduate life that you’d like to see covered, or get in touch:

Twitter: @LeKissick

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My name is Lucy Kissick, I’m a third year PhD student at the University of Oxford, and like I said, I’m sorry for being cryptic about this side project… I’ll tell all in my next video.

[stefimcmaster]

I’m a final year psychology PhD student and even though we’re in completely different subjects, I identified SO MUCH with everything you’ve said in this video. Thank you, your videos are helping to keep me sane in the final few weeks of writing up.

[AbigailAlviz-gycj]

Thank you for making me feel better. I feel the same way you do. It's nice to 'grow with your paper' along with the difficulties and emotions of doing a PhD. Thank you for making me feel that these are normal emotions.

[Aemilindore]

Whow, just watched this video start to end and realised that I must, as a starting PhD student, watch this repeatedly untill I am sure to have gotton every word you said into my thick skull.

It's very nice what you said about balancing with a side project. Suddenly my feelings explained. I just knew this but.. just didn't know it in words. You are so good at being an academic. I would love to hear more of your advices like these...

You will change the world.

[karenk]

Fourth year in here. I'm in the first of four comprehensive exam courses required before I start my history PhD dissertation, and I began panicking the first week. It was the imposter syndrome you described, otherwise known as "YIKES!!" I'm wrestling myself back into calmness, but it is a LOT of work. You are very right that you need to clear your plate as much as possible so you can give yourself the time and mental clarity to function well. Early on, I thought I'd hurry the process by doubling up on my classes - bad, bad mistake. I couldn't perform well, and decided to withdraw from one of them and take it over later. This stage is like climbing Mt Everest and realizing that the hardest part is the last mile.

[MrMishra]

I've always wondered how some people always excelled in academics and still been good at other things. Your ship analogy makes a lot of sense.
Good luck with your 4th year!

[rowanwalker]

This channel is amazing thank you! I'm starting my PhD in Chemistry at Oxford next week and these videos are invaluable :)

[surendrapadamata]

That big side project is a great idea and was trying to think if it's only me that's thinking of doing it that way.. Thanks for putting it into words and calming my nerves..

[DrPreetiSahu]

The ship analogy is great!! Thanks for sharing

[lloydthrall]

Thank you for this; like all your videos that I've seen, it's very helpful. I would suggest that, for many, the hardest period may be the initial search for a question.
I'm a first year defence studies phd student. For me, this first year has been dominated by the difficult and vital task of figuring out my phd question. This included trying to understand where there are unanswered questions in the literature, what a good phd question is, how I might answer it, what constitutes evidence in the field, what scope and scale are manageable. These have necessitated multiple rounds of reading heaps of literature and writing trial sketches, just to throw it all away and start large sections again. Alongside this, the first year you're setting up your habits, getting to know your supervisor and department, etc., and acutely aware that this is just the beginning--the vast majority of the mountain lies ahead of you. Despite having earned a distinction in my masters, the entire time as a phd student has felt like being lost at sea, wandering around, this way and that, trying not to feel like an imposter, painfully deleting lots of work. In my own case, I've done this alongside co-raising our two young children with my wife, and holding a full time job--not the best conditions for doctoral study!--but we're making it.
In any case, I offer this as solace to any first year phd students searching for their question--you are far from alone. People tell me it gets easier--or at least less angst-inducing--once you have clarity on your project. Here's hoping so.

[waratinadwichajaroen]

Love your contents and all from you
Thank you for sharing
Wish you the best

[twosounds]

Lucy this was so great! Thank you so much for sharing. That ship analogy was extremely useful. Since lockdown by myself I've really burned out recently in always feeling guilty that I'm not working all day, every day (incl weekends) since all other activities have fallen away dramatically. The inner critic has had full reign! Plus some academic jobs that have left me feeling quite the impostor! Your videos really help in knowing I'm not alone in this experience xx

[alizzem]

I am few months away from submitting mh Ph.D. thesis and have found your channel. As a geochemist PhD candidate, it is good to see the books in the background :D♥ cheerz!

[vinnyvincelive]

You're so amazing Lucy, I'm so glad I found your channel. You're helping me get through a difficult part of my own Ph.D. journey. I am in my second year in an aerospace engineering program and currently going through that phase of just paper reading.

[Gabby-dumc]

Imposter syndrome... Thermodynamics... Sound like me!!!! You're amazing. Binging your videos. Can you go into detail how you rid your imposter syndrome/good resources to study thermodynamics? Thank youuuu!!! You're amazing ❤️

[kimlombard]

Hi Lucy! I'm just finished my second year masters waiting to do a confirmation assessment to move onto the PhD register. Hardest moment I've had so far and you mentioned it yourself is worrying about my research when I'm not occupied elsewhere, I work full time and study part time which means I've a full on schedule, but I found myself trying to fill every extra minute doing something for the research. I know now that this is counterproductive, and now I purposely plan several outings a week to see friends or to do something fun like baking, and I don't feel guilty about it. And at the end of the day, it's quality over quantity!

[maderaverdes]

I just finished the first year of a master's in biology. My first year was a lot like yours! It makes me feel a lot better to know I'm not the only one who struggled with all of that (imposter syndrome was the most challenging thing I've dealt with mentally). I'm doing better now, but am busy busy busy....I'm hoping it all pays off and I get INTO a PhD program for 2020-2021! :D

[qyzihqv]

I'm going to join Ph.D in water resource engineering this year .Honestly I have mixed feelings, I am excited and also nervous at the same time .
So I am watching your channel to get some confidence.

[gamalmohamedashraf]

Your videos are very helpful..
As you always say; you are a case study.
I wish you happiness and success in your career and life and thank you very mich for sharing us that great tough journey.

[clairdeluret]

Hi Lucy, Thanks a lot for sharing and your videos are very encouraging. it gives me hope!

[sazanm.mandalawi]

Love your videos- I'm so behind on my research so this is motivating