How to survive a PhD

vexed by jill/txt (btw, this is one of the blogs that have inspired my blog)

Oh, why I felt awful? I’m utterly terrified of finishing my PhD. I’m supposed to have the same opinion for 200 pages! And I’m supposed to defend that opinion staunchly! See, I love blogs (I must be better) because the process and the movement of thoughts shows and is (for me) even encouraged by the format. I’m trying to remember that

a) I will have 30 years as an academic or professional whatever I want to be after this. My PhD thesis is a drop in the ocean in this time frame and will not determine my entire life.

b) Søren Kjørup said that “Your thesis only has to be 150 pages long and it doesn’t even have to be very good.” And even though the lit. professors scowled at that, he’s right.

c) There are more important things in life.

d) I will survive. I even have a manual on How To Survive A PhD.

I’m a weird mix of confidence (of course I can do it) and utter terror.

Nice to know where I’m heading to :)

Archived version of this entry is available at http://blog.mathemagenic.com/2002/09/19.html#a240; comments are here.

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Tagged as: PhD