{"id":773,"date":"2025-04-09T16:42:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T15:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/?p=773"},"modified":"2025-05-20T10:30:16","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T09:30:16","slug":"a-post-for-prospective-chemistry-phd-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/2025\/04\/09\/a-post-for-prospective-chemistry-phd-students\/","title":{"rendered":"A post for prospective Chemistry PhD students"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Welcome back to my PhDiary (if you\u2019re a returning guest), and well, Hello! If this is your first time <\/strong>\ud83d\ude0a<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I write this, I\u2019m 16.66% through my PhD journey, and it\u2019s wild to think about how I\u2019d encourage someone who isn\u2019t yet in the \u2018post-grad\u2019 mindset. This is a place I was in not too long ago, fresh out of undergrad and figuring out my next steps.<\/p>\n

I connect with post-grad students quite regularly, and from the conversations I\u2019ve had, I\u2019ve created a detailed flow of \u2018stuff\u2019 I believe could be useful for anyone who is either considering doing a post-grad (particularly a PhD) or a scholar who feels they have hit a hard wall. You are not alone!<\/p>\n

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  1. Follow the Arrows<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"\"I get it\u2014the pressure to have everything figured out by the time you finish undergrad is intense. Society often writes out milestones for this stage of life: graduate from college, get a job, know what you want to do forever<\/strong><\/em>!!!<\/strong> But I\u2019m here to tell you (as a friend who\u2019s chatted with many post-grads and is in the same boat myself) that it\u2019s okay not to have the full puzzle figured out right now. Deciding to pursue (or not pursue) a PhD isn\u2019t the be-all and end-all of your life. If an opportunity opens up for you, take it. As author Emily P. Freeman says on her podcast The Next Right Thing<\/em>, follow the \u201clife arrows\u201d that enter the scene of your life. Sometimes we get overly critical of our journeys that we miss out on the golden nuggets that fall on our lot. Arrows can be a safe path\u2014signifying how safe you are to follow it.<\/p>\n

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    1. Ask Questions<\/strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"\"I know it\u2019s tough to ask questions when you don\u2019t even know what you should be asking. But some of the most important questions come from the ones you thought were pointless or a waste of time. If you\u2019re considering a PhD but aren\u2019t sure if it\u2019s the right fit for you, reach out to universities (locally or internationally) about their programs. Ask about what the journey would look like. If you\u2019re in university, connect with post-grads in your faculty, or look for virtual post-grad groups on university websites.<\/p>\n

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      1. Consider Funding Options<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \"\"It\u2019s true that post-grad life can be intellectually stimulating and flexible, but it doesn\u2019t come cheap. Start researching early on the costs of your program, including research materials, consumables, and conference fees. Being proactive has been a game-changer for me\u2014I applied for multiple funding opportunities and bursaries well in advance. Don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to the university or potential supervisors, as they might have studentships or funding options available.<\/p>\n

        I\u2019ll soon be sharing a blog post with some funding options (especially for international students), so stay tuned!<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Demarcate Your WHY in Advance<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Having a clear, tangible reason for why you\u2019re pursuing a PhD has been a huge source of encouragement for me on tough days. Whether it\u2019s in the form of a letter to yourself or a simple list, outlining your motivation is key. It doesn\u2019t have to be perfect\u2014it just has to be yours<\/em><\/strong>. For me, it was about challenging myself in ways I never had before, discovering what I\u2019m truly made of, both academically and personally. This reason keeps me going when the temptation to slack off or give in to anxiety is strong.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Build a Community<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Last but definitely not least\u2014cultivate a community that you can trust to share your struggles and aspirations. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve doubted myself, feeling like I wasn\u2019t smart enough or capable enough to even attempt a PhD. (Yes, anxiety can even convince you that you\u2019re not \u201cfit\u201d for it.) But my friends, family, and academic mentors have been incredible at challenging me, encouraging me, and reminding me of why I started this journey. I\u2019m also part of a book club with brilliant, humble thought leaders (#SpeedReaders), and surrounding myself with these inspiring people has made a world of difference in my journey.<\/p>\n

            I can\u2019t stress this enough\u2014having a supportive community is a game-changer.<\/p>\n

            Here\u2019s an example of mine.<\/p>\n

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            If you\u2019re unsure where to start with any of these steps (especially the community-building part), I\u2019m here to help. Send me a DM on Instagram @jedidiah_pink and we can take it from there \u2014 a hello, and perhaps even a virtual coffee.<\/p>\n

            Until next time.<\/p>\n

            Thanks for following my molecular memoirs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Welcome back to my PhDiary (if you\u2019re a returning guest), and well, Hello! If this is your first time \ud83d\ude0a As I write this, I\u2019m … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37654,"featured_media":780,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[98478,307755,28766,1],"tags":[307759,307757,5349,98478,307756,307758,307761,70,397],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37654"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=773"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":837,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773\/revisions\/837"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/chemfs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}