Preparing for my PhD confirmation with the added stress associated with physical distancing and working from home, was made easier by my supervisors who have been super supportive since day one, my friends and family who have been constantly checking in on me, and my aunt and uncle who have taken me under their wing. This blog post is about navigating my PhD during a pandemic. The Climate Change Research Centre had its Annual Postgrad Review round last week. There are three types of reviews that take place at each round: the PhD confirmation, the formal review and the informal. The PhD confirmation takes place within one year of the start of your candidature. For their confirmation, each student prepares a confirmation report (~ PhD research proposal), delivers a 15-minute talk and faces an hour-long meeting with their designated panel. After the confirmation, a candidate’s progress is reviewed (informally) every six months and (formally) every twelve months, until the end of the candidature. Being eleven months into my PhD, I had my confirmation during last week’s round of reviews On the day of my review, I was feeling quite nervous. Instead of facing a packed seminar room, I sat comfortably at my desk and gave my talk via Zoom. It was a strange experience because it felt like I was talking to my screen. Every now and then I had to remind myself that there were 30+ people listening in. Except for a few technical glitches, everyone’s talks went smoothly. A few hours later I had my panel meeting which was also on Zoom. I was asked a lot of questions and there was some interesting discussion around my proposed work on terrestrial and marine heatwaves. When it was finally over, I felt a huge sense of relief. As soon as my meeting finished, I called my parents and then I went for a run and it felt very liberating. I decided to relax during the next few days. I used this time to catch up with friends and family as well as to get back into reading. COVID-19 did get in the way of my initial post-confirmation plans but it still could not take away the sense of relief and happiness I now feel, having achieved my first milestone. The last few weeks were rather stressful because there were days when I had writer's block and I could not get any words on paper. I was also stuck with a bit of analysis I wanted to get done in time for my review. On such days, I just had to tell myself that I would eventually get the work done. I made sure I went outdoors everyday for either a walk or a run. Staying physically active helped maintain my mental energy levels. As did my morning yoga/meditation and evening Netflix sessions. This past year has a been a steep learning curve for me (as it is for most PhD students). I have learnt so much and I have come to understand my project even more. I have also learnt a few things about myself. While it’s okay to be self-critical to a certain extent it is also important to know when to pat yourself on the back. The right dose of self-confidence can help you navigate around your PhD (and anything else in life). A PhD is tough; steering through it during a pandemic is tougher. I’ve learnt that it’s easier to take things one day at a time. It’s okay if you can’t see the light at the end of the (PhD or COVID-19) tunnel, as long as you have a bit of light wherever you are now, to get you through the day :)
21 Comments
Damithri
5/13/2020 09:16:42 pm
Very nice
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Charuni
5/14/2020 02:41:48 am
Thank you Damithri
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Nisa
5/13/2020 10:17:27 pm
Thank you so much akki for these inspiring words. Im gonna read this over and over again ❤️
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Charuni
5/14/2020 02:47:57 am
I am so happy to hear that nanga, you’ve got this!🤗
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Chamikara
5/13/2020 10:24:04 pm
Great Cha and congrats for ur confirmation
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Charuni
5/14/2020 02:48:46 am
Thanks Chamikara😊
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Fadil
5/14/2020 02:40:03 am
Wonderful!! Congratulations Chai!
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Charuni
5/14/2020 02:53:37 am
Thanks Fadil😊
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Addy
5/14/2020 04:13:00 am
Chaiii!
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Charuni
5/14/2020 05:07:35 pm
Thank you so much Addy!! I'm glad I got to talk to you about it :) <3
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Lushanya
5/14/2020 06:39:19 am
Congratulations Chai akki. I am so glad I read this. This is so beautifully written and quite encouraging
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Charuni
5/14/2020 05:08:13 pm
Thanks so much Lushy, I'm very happy to hear that :)
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Methmi
5/14/2020 07:24:14 am
Hi Akki. Nice reading. Inspiring and motivating. Stay safe and healthy. I miss you😘
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Charuni
5/14/2020 05:09:18 pm
Hi Methmi, it's so nice to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words. I hope you're well and staying safe. I miss you too and I hope to see you some time :)
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Jeewantha
5/14/2020 07:55:39 am
Always a pleasure to read your words, Chai. Well done. Godak sathutui.
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Charuni
5/14/2020 05:10:01 pm
Thanks so much Jeews, I am happy to hear that!
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Sanda
5/26/2020 08:43:07 am
As I said to you yesterday, proud of your achievements so far but also proud of your outlook on it all. Keep inspiring Chai. All the very best!
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Charuni
5/26/2020 04:59:04 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words Sanda :)
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7/26/2020 11:33:56 pm
I checked the Alumni section of the FOS blog today and seen you haven't written since a long time. Then I check your profile and found the way here.
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Charuni
7/26/2020 11:38:06 pm
Hi Nipuna aiya! Thank you so much for your kind words :) I finally decided to start my own blog, and I would like to keep writing whenever I can. FOS Blog laid the foundation for this and I will always be grateful for that. Hope you are well and thanks again for taking the time to read my writing :)
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Nipuna Dodantenna
7/29/2020 04:16:13 pm
I always been a fan of your writings. They are so easy, well structured and very interesting to read. Keep writing :) Leave a Reply. |
AuthorBudding climate scientist from Sri Lanka, currently pursuing a PhD on heatwaves, at the Climate Change Research Centre (CCRC) at UNSW, Sydney. Believes in using effective science communication to bridge the gap between science and society :) Archives
June 2021
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