Things to know when you start your PhD

At the beginning of your PhD a lot of things sound difficult and can make you feel reluctant, probably including reading this article... But please don’t let yourself be held back by these feelings. You will have loads of fun during this journey! In this article, we share some of the things we have learned during our years as PhD candidates.

1. YOU are the boss of your project. This gives you a lot of freedom and responsibility. It is extremely helpful to figure out what motivates you, without self-motivation you will struggle to complete everything within the given timeframe.

2. Take good care of your health, especially your mental health. Eat healthy, exercise and take enough long brakes throughout your PhD journey. You are more than just a PhD candidate. Use this time to enjoy and explore the other parts of your being. 

3. Be honest and open about your struggles, or at least try to be. Sometimes showing a bit of vulnerability can help establish a genuine conversation between you and other people like your supervisors and colleagues. This will help them to know how much to expect from you, when to encourage you and when to support you.  

4. Let others help you. It is your project but you should not be fighting alone. 

5. The world is bigger than just work. Doing a PhD offers extraordinary opportunities to experience diverse cultures as you are working with the most brilliant minds from all over the world. 

6. It is always fun to learn something different and gain transferable skills. Have a taste of various aspects of academia, as giving and receiving education is also part of your Training and Supervision Plan (TSP). Join a student council like WAPS or WIAS magazine and get to know how these committee's function. On top of that you will meet many new friends while exploring your talents outside your project.  

Make the best of your PhD journey, gain as much experience as you can and remember to look after yourself.