Navigating Your First Year of a PhD: Essential Tips for Success

1. What I Wish I’d Known in my First Year

2. Don’t do it! - Run away!

3. The Importance of Peer Networks “I wouldn’t have survived my first year without having people to talk to about my concerns and insecurities. I would have dropped out”.

4. Support • Beg, borrow and steal friends, establish a network • Talk through your problems and concerns with your peers • Take the time to hang out with people, even if you feel fine and on top of things, you’d be surprised • Utilise the support available at Sussex • Even the courses that you think you already know about e.g. creative writing • The skills that you think have accumulated in your previous studies reach a whole new level with the PhD

5. Imposter Syndrome

6. You Can Do It!

7. How long does it take? - officially 3-4 years full time - this is a marathon not a race

8. Easy to get distracted

9. Time Management • Unstructured learning is difficult • Particularly when the more work you do the little you know! • Set yourself realistic goals • Time yourself reading a variety of academic articles so that you have a rough idea of what you can get through in one day and be prepared to modify it • Set yourself small tasks to do tomorrow just before you finish work for the day • Have long term goals as well as short term goals so that have an idea of the bigger picture • Do not beat yourself up if you don’t meet your goal every so often – if you’re regularly missing your target

10. Your Research • It’s yours and no one else’s • Take control of it • It’s yours, be possessive and be wary of other commitments (like teaching) • You are never going to be able to do all the work that you think you have to do • It’s ok to laze in bed occasionally – you are merely taking an alternative perspective on your research • Carry a notebook around with you every where – you get inspiration from the oddest places

12. Know where the best coffee is!