Sunday 10 November 2013

Getting on the roller coaster

I'm two months into my PhD studies and I feel like I've opened 50 cans of worms.  In order to complete, I have to simultaneously put the lids back on in 4 years time with not too many bits sticking out the tops. I'm strangely enjoying this sensation though, I'm feeling uneasy, unsettled and for most of the time not quite sure where I am going but I'm still excited! 

For the first time in my life my task is all a bit blurry, I'm a busy labour ward midwife and mum, I pride myself in being a whizzy person and getting a job done. I've run 4 marathons and can set myself to a task but it helps when you have a tick list or training plan to follow..... My PhD training plan seems to look a bit like this:

Start
Chat to supervisors
Read
Think
Write.... A lot
Chat to scary people in 4 years time
Party

I confided to a uni lecturer a few weeks ago about 'thinking time', I'm doing heaps of reading  and trying to make sense of the scrambled egg status of my brain. She stated that I needed time.... That's doable I thought... Where do I sign up to the thinking time class? Not sure I know how to do that, I'm more of an action girl type. Her wise words were; "you need to read a couple of articles then spend the afternoon in a coffee shop just thinking about them".......... WHAT???? Sitting on my derrière, and just contemplating where that information should be stored in my head? Surely that's an utter indulgence? Or skiving?

So this is my first real PhD challenge. Changing my entire mindset from go go go to pause and reflect.  Can't be too difficult? 

On that note, I'm off for a run!




2 comments:

  1. *sucks teeth* Good luck. I'll keep my distance in case this PhD virus is contagious.

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    1. Thank you, will try not to 'infect' you.... Extra hand washing may be required ;-)

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