Its like one of those moments in life where it feels like you’re standing at the peak of a mountain, looking at the wide world ahead, knowing the summit was hard-earned, but the hardest part still lies beyond.
Just a few months ago, I was living in South Africa, finishing up my Master’s degree. The journey to the degree had been anything but smooth—full of bumps, detours, and challenges that tested both my patience and resilience. But somehow, I had emerged triumphant. Two first-authored papers in high-impact journals, conference awards, invitations for visiting fellowships in the UK, Ghana, and Japan, and to top it all off, graduating at the top of my class with distinction. I had every reason to feel like I was on top of the world. I had won. I had arrived.
Naturally, the next step was to accept the opportunity for a PhD abroad. A scholarship. A new adventure. A whole new world waiting for me.
I packed up, took a deep breath, and along with my husband of one year in tow, we set off for England. The excitement was palpable, but I soon realized this journey was unlike anything I had ever embarked on before.
A PhD is not just a degree; it’s a crucible. It’s a constant process of stretching, expanding, and transforming. The skills and experiences I had gathered during my Master’s were valuable, no doubt. They gave me the confidence to dive in. But I quickly learned that they only took me so far. Like Poppy, the overexcitable princess character from the movie Trolls, who often times overestimated her abilities, and yet, because of her optimism, was able to stretch and grow into who each new adventure beckoned her to be. I can relate!!!
Most of the time, I had to set my past achievements aside and embrace a new posture of learning—of being a novice once again, even in areas I thought I had mastered.
Four months into this monumental journey, I’ve begun to distil some key lessons. My goal is to share these insights over the next three years as I chart this course, reflecting on how the journey changes me and what I learn along the way. So, come along!
My 4 lessons from 4 months of a PhD are:
- Humility is NOT the Same as Humiliation
Academia has a way of putting you under the spotlight. Research meetings, seminars, and even casual conversations with peers can sometimes feel like a gauntlet, testing your knowledge and your confidence. And in those moments, it’s easy to confuse humility with humiliation.
You’ll stumble. You’ll make mistakes. But I’ve learned that embracing humility doesn’t mean accepting defeat; it means approaching each moment with curiosity and grace, learning from errors, and growing stronger with every misstep. The key is to allow yourself to be a learner. Mistakes aren’t failures—they’re lessons in disguise.
- Make Connections with Other Academic Personnel
One of the unexpected joys of this journey has been building relationships with people outside my immediate research group. During my time as a sessional demonstrator for undergrad Chemistry students, I met the technicians and lab staff. These interactions have been invaluable.
They’re the behind-the-scenes heroes, the ones who know where everything is, from obscure tools to essential equipment. And beyond that, they’ve become incredible sounding boards for my research ideas. They help me troubleshoot, solve problems, and offer perspectives that I wouldn’t have considered on my own. Sometimes, it’s the people you least expect who end up making the most significant impact.
- Glean All You Can
At the start, I told myself I would treat my first year as an intensive learning period. I wasn’t just after the degree—I wanted to equip myself with every tool I could. I dove into the literature, devoured articles, asked countless questions, and spent hours interacting with more senior PhD students.
I’ve attended workshops and trainings, soaking up every bit of information I could get my hands on. And the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually know. But I embrace it, because each new piece of knowledge brings me one step closer to understanding my field—and the bigger picture.
- Attention to Detail is Key
There’s a lesson that’s drilled into you during every single data analysis meeting: the devil is in the details.
A tiny mistake—an overlooked number, an incorrect assumption, a missed variable—can derail everything. As I’ve seen firsthand, these small oversights can be costly. In the early stages of your research career, it’s easy to think that the big ideas are what matter most, but it’s the attention to the little things that will make or break your work. Every detail counts, and learning to catch them is one of the most valuable skills I’m honing.
As I reflect on these early months, I realize that this journey is about so much more than just earning a degree. It’s about becoming an all-rounded academic, someone who can contribute to the field in meaningful ways. There’s something incredibly reassuring about knowing that every challenge, every bit of ‘school fees’ I pay, is shaping me into the scholar I aspire to be.
This journey is just beginning, and already I know that it will change me in ways I can’t predict. But one thing is for certain: I’m learning to enjoy the ride.