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Happy #HumpDay ! 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙃" title="Upside-down face" aria-label="Emoji: Upside-down face"> This tweet by @BWiSNetwork has inspired me to chat about my PhD experience, beside the research itself. The pros and cons. Let& #39;s start with pros! https://twitter.com/BWiSNetwork/status/1248588867814526976">https://twitter.com/BWiSNetwo...
Pro #1: independence! My project is my own and I choose where my research goes. My supervisors guide and advise me but I make the final decision on what I want to focus on. It& #39;s intellectually stimulating and fuelled by my own interests!
Pro #2: variety of work! Because of the multidisciplinary nature of my PhD, no two days are the same. One day I& #39;m running a computer model, the next I& #39;m in the lab. I also help with undergrad teaching - helping others to learn is slowly becoming a passion of mine https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes">
As Postgraduate Outreach Rep for @LivUniEarthSci I& #39;ve been able to support and run outreach activities ranging from running a Spooky Science event with undergrads to inspiring girls to take Maths A-Level #scicomm
Pro #3: training/travel opportunities! My funder @EAO_DTP provide me with a grant which I can use to travel to conferences, do training and much more. Since the start of my PhD I& #39;ve travelled to France, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands (for work, of course!)
Though Rona (https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙄" title="Face with rolling eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Face with rolling eyes">) curbed my travel plans this I cannot complain! But now, onto things I can complain about - the cons!
Con #1: PhDs are personal. Contrary to pro #1, I know. As my "success" is tied to my own work, which I& #39;m personally connected to, every mistake feels perpetuated which makes things feel worse.
I put a lot of pressure on myself and at times feel like I can& #39;t separate myself, Louisa, from my PhD. Impostor Syndrome is something I struggle with and feel like I always will.
Con #2: loneliness. I alone know what& #39;s really going on in my project. Though I have an amazing department with lots of support, it& #39;s still a lonely place. This loneliness is made worse by the fact that I am one of only a few black people in geoscience academia in the UK.
As with all STEM subjects, numbers of black geoscience PhDs are VERY low. I actually don& #39;t know anyone else in the UK, shout to @scarlett_jazmin a recent grad! and @seis_matters who was the first black professor I& #39;ve ever seen, honestly made my day seeing you give a talk! https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😊" title="Smiling face with smiling eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with smiling eyes">
I& #39;ll discuss reasons for that and things we could do about it later. But as someone experiencing this right now, constantly being the only (or one of a few) PoC at a conference right now, it doesn& #39;t help things!
Con #3: academia. The nature of academia itself, the result-driven publish-or-perish high-pressure atmosphere can make it a hostile environment. Throw in the additions of short-term contracts, competition for tenure and poor pay, I& #39;m not sure if I& #39;ll stay once I& #39;ve finished https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😬" title="Grimacing face" aria-label="Emoji: Grimacing face">
*Please note this list is non-exhaustive* there are so many other pros and cons I could have mentioned but these are my top 3 for both. If you& #39;re doing/done a PhD what are your highs and lows?
