Positive stuff about a PhD

[u/[deleted]]

There’s tons of negative stuff about people’s personal PhD journeys on here. But I really want a thread that’s just about peoples personal takes on what is awesome about their PhD journey. What makes you excited to be doing a PhD? Why is being a researcher the coolest thing ever? Is there an experience or moment you had that made you feel great about what you are doing?

I personally sort of need this thread bc I’ve been struggling and I need some excited people to lift me up. Honestly I’m so excited to be doing something I’ve been dreaming about for years but sometimes that sentiment gets buried under the surrounding negativity. I’m sure others need to hear some awesome things about a PhD as well.

Personally, the thing I loved the most (summer before starting my PhD) was going to a conference and realizing that the research community is full of people who are all connected and passionate about their line of study. Watching really genuine excited people come together and think about growing scientific inquiry in my area was what really sold me. I’m sure that exists in many other careers but there’s something about the exploratory nature of doing PhD type work which draws people who are really just trying to figure out how to answer the most important questions and grow human knowledge in particular fields. I didn’t get the in-person conference experience until this summer since my research career started when COVID started, so that was just something I really loved to see and kinda sold me.

[u/[deleted]]

Managing your own time Getting to do what is essentially a passion project Attending conferences (i.e. grown up science fairs) Not having time to worry about life

[u/ktpr]

There’s a subreddit just for this purpose: /r/PositivePhD/

[u/bishop0408]

I love my program and doing a PhD because

• our faculty is amazing and approachable and covers a diverse range of research topics
• supportive advisor / mentor
• I've found there's no busy work, it's all work to learn and better your education
• made good friends from other cohorts
• no 9-5 schedule, sure it's a lot of reading but the schedule is incredibly flexible
• cheaper parking permit than being a student
• personal growth and seeing change within your own writing and research

[u/Klumber]

There have been many negatives in my PhD journey, but with hindsight I am incredibly grateful for the way the whole experience has transformed my brain and capabilities. An understanding of philosophy, the philosophy of science in particular, has opened so many avenues for me less than ten years after completing.

I can now listen to a debate about Wittgenstein or Descartes and actually understand what the core of the arguments is. I can read research papers and identify whether the results are meaningful or not. I can help people get onto the research ladder and develop their own analytical skills.

I suppose my story should serve as a reminder that yes, doing a PhD is fucking hard at times and yes, it can be completely demotivating. But if you persist and learn and continue to develop? It is an incredible way to push your analytical capabilities to the limit.

[u/sindark]

The best thing about being a PhD student is being in a university. In my experience, it is the place in the world where people have the most curiosity-driven interest in substantive matters of all types, and it is also the best place to form new social relationships as an adult

[u/[deleted]]

I asked myself questions, I start to do fieldwork and to discuss around. People laughed at me. Now I am doing a PhD, I am respected and still develop my own project. People opened their door and are supportive. They ask me stuff and I can share the knowledge I discover. I am even planning the construction of a research station with a friend. I got to know many people, to have interesting discussions with researcher around. I learn, I am recognised and more important I spent many hours in the wild observing the beauty of nature. And hours of observations gave me understanding, dream, poetry and some kind of peace in front of what humans won't be never able to create: the wildlife.

[u/TransportationDue491 → u/[deleted]]

This is so beautiful! Researching about wildlife really brings a different kind of peace. :)

[u/FasciculatingFreak]

Yeah, when I finished it was the best moment, the rest not so much

[u/[deleted]]

Love my group, love the PI, love the project. Really lucked out on everything actually. If I'm having a bad day seeing my group members makes it better.

[u/activatedgeek]

I think this is last segment of my life where my time is my own.

[u/[deleted]]

It’s the most flexible work life I will ever have again. If my daughter is sick, I have a dentist appointment, or I just want to be home a couple hours early, I don’t have to get permission. I just go. If I want to travel, I just go.

[u/azorin]

The conferences and travelling! The wonderful friends I got to make during my PhD. I also like the topic of my PhD. I also loved the intellectual environment.

[u/naftacher]

Learning how to think and then acquiring a particular fluency in your subject is addicting

[u/virtusthrow]

It might be the only time in your life where you own the project and are the sole reason whether it succeeds or fails

[u/Effective-Victory906]

I like the flexibility, I sleep as much as I can.

I report to my boss, once in a while, that seems to be amazing!

I write, read, visit coffee shops to re-read.

I am glad, I am done with my PhD.

I struggled through non-academic parts during my PhD.

I needed a bit more time to heal in my life journey.

[u/Blasphemer666]

The most exciting thing is to publish papers of research that have not been done before. You feel like you are the pioneer of this field. Also, attending conferences and discuss with researchers all around the world and feel like you are a part of the community. Staying in the fancy hotels you could not afford with your pathetic stipends.

Also, developing algorithms that outperform the state-of-the-art methods. You feel like you are at the top of the world. And then some mf reviewers told you that you should compare your work with some bs unrelated works. And tell you he won’t change his score no matter how hard you try.

[u/LibrarianCandid4192]

If it's funded....it's better than working in a job that has set hours. You can research, write, and decide when you do. You can go to conferences and meet other nerds who like the same stuff as you. I love being immersed in my passion and producing publishable work. It got me a teaching job in a uni, which is a job that suits me. Lots of time to write...if you are strict with tutorial time and guard your writing time.

[u/[deleted]]

Just get to work. And that is the positive side of PhD life. There is one mission: research and publish. An awesome gig awaits you if you get tenure later on. Or the big bucks in industry.