I submitted my PhD thesis last night 🥹😅 3 years and 4 months of work in a neat little 306 page document 👩🏻‍💻 #phdlife

The PhD journey isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about:

☕️ Showing up.
🌱 Growing through setbacks.
🧘🏻‍♀️ Learning to trust yourself.

You’ve got this. Keep going. 💪

Which stage of the learning curve are you at? 📈

#phdjourney #phdlife

Stop 4: Reaching the end

Mastery doesn’t mean perfection—it’s feeling at home in the unknown. 💭

• Knowing when to say “I don’t know.”
• Asking better questions.
• Spotting patterns others don’t see.

💡 Tip: Reflect on how far you’ve come. Your expertise grows every day—even when it feels slow.

Stop 3: Hitting Roadblocks

Mid-PhD? A struggle. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Experiments fail.
Feedback stings.
Imposter syndrome is LOUD.

💡 Tip: Celebrate small wins (finishing a section, organizing data) and remember that everyone struggles at this stage. You’re not alone.

Stop 2: Learning the Ropes

As you settle in, things start to make sense.

You’ve read papers and written drafts. You’ve maybe taught or presented. It’s messy but less terrifying.

💡 Tip: Build routines and keep experimenting with what works for you. Mastery begins with good habits.

Stop 1: Overwhelmed but Excited

Remember those first weeks? 🥹

Everyone's speaking a language you don't know. Expectations are vague and feel impossible. Structuring your time a major challenge.

💡 Tip: Focus on small wins—like figuring out library systems or joining your first seminar. Baby steps!

L is for - learning curve 🎢 (part of the ABCs of PhDs series)

Doing a PhD is a wild ride. You’re balancing new expectations, unfamiliar concepts, and your own self-doubt. Here's what one view of the learning curve might look like:

Challenging you to add 100 words to your writing goal for the week each time you hear All I Want for Christmas is You (until December 31st) 😅😂

Are you up to it? 🎄🎅🏼

When he says he's researching Roman benefactresses, I start talking to him about gladiators and womansplain the history of Rome. 🏛️

Then I ask, "shouldn't you know about this if you're researching the Roman Empire?" 🤔

#womeninmalefields

Happy to be here! If you're looking for Roman archaeology (particularly looking at benefactresses), research communications, PhD mental well-being, or anything in those realms - please say hi and follow along 🫶

#archaeology #phdlife #phdresearch #academia

(do people use hashtags here? 😅)