The real skill of a PhD is learning how to continue without clarity

“When will you finish your PhD?” is such a violent question.

Everyone else also sounded confident while figuring it out, too

It’s Sunday. Your thesis deserves some time away from you, you obsessive little scholar.

I’ve read enough to know I haven’t read enough

The hardest part of a PhD is realising no one is coming to tell you you’re doing it right

Why does every academic breakthrough start with “wait, that can’t be right”

Me: I just published a paper in a very prestigious journal Friend: Congratulations! How much did they pay you? Me:

just reread something I wrote yesterday don’t remember writing it, don’t understand it either

I thought I was bad at writing turns out writing is just bad

Describe your PhD in 3 words. No explanations.

This wasn’t even a small win. Understanding these pictures was a monumental win that took a year of lowkey Herculean effort.

What’s a piece of feedback that changed how you think about your work?

I’ve been “about to start working” for like 3 hours now

What’s a “small win” in your PhD that non-academics would never appreciate?

I finally sit down to write and suddenly cleaning feels urgent

saved something as “final” again it is not final

My supervisor says “be critical” I’ve been critical of myself ever since

Writing tip - backup your work and then make backups of your backups. Back these up too.

You were selected for your PhD for a reason.

This is your weekly reminder to back up your research

“This is one of the best courses on academic writing and publishing… It’s the kind of course I wish I had when I was starting out on my PhD” — Mushtaq Bilal, PhD How to Write and Publish a Successful Academic Paper: A Comprehensive Guide thephdplace.com/course/publi...

You should be really proud of how far you’ve come.

Currently downloading more papers I’ll never have time to read

Do NOT feel guilty for taking a day off at the weekend

Proud of you ❤️

Congratulate yourself on getting this far.

During a PhD, weekends are for… 👇

Our latest paper on procrastination has been postponed. Again.

I wish more supervisors would encourage researchers not to work on the weekend

You should reward yourself this weekend.

The thrill of attending a conference and geeking out with fellow researchers who actually understand your work.

Are you ready to get your PhD? 😎

If you had to start your PhD again on another topic, what would it be?

We’re going to get our PhDs 🙏

In academia we don’t say ‘I love you’ we say ‘no corrections required’, and I think that’s beautiful. 😍

Don’t forget to eat regularly. Look after yourself please 🥺

A PhD is weird because: You can work all day and still feel like you’ve done nothing.

Trying to finish my writing but my writing is trying to finish me.

Did they seriously make an AI tool that makes your writing sound more human? 😭

A PhD can be one of the most challenging intellectual and emotional experiences you go through. In this video, I talk through what it’s actually like, the things I underestimated, and the practical strategies that helped me navigate it. youtu.be/LwrSCg7fmBM?...

I feel sometimes that academic circles on social media have fizzled a bit. Let me know if you’re still here, introduce yourself and your field! 👇

Your PhD is important.

You’re in her DMs? I’m in her acknowledgements. We are not the same.

A PhD can be one of the most challenging intellectual and emotional experiences you go through. In this video, I talk through what it’s actually like, the things I underestimated, and the practical strategies that helped me navigate it. youtu.be/LwrSCg7fmBM?...

Change your environment. If you're always writing in the same place, a change of scenery can be refreshing.

It’s Sunday. Take a break. Go for a walk. Get yourself a hot drink. Watch your favourite show. Make sure you are looking after yourself.

PhDs are a lot of work, but they're also a lot of fun. They're the beginning of an exciting journey that will lead you to new friendships and new opportunities.

The best thing about doing a PhD is

You are not alone in your PhD struggles.