What I (un)learnt during my PhD

12 May, 2021

Image Credit: Author’s own

This is me at my Alma Mater in the year 2011. It has been more than nine years. A full-time PhD in the management department of one of the top technical institutions in India was a great learning for me. In this article, I am sharing my experience that might be useful for those planning to pursue PhD.

I have divided the experience into three broad categories - academic life, life on the campus and life beyond the campus.

Reading and writing were a very essential part of the PhD journey. There was learning, but there was also an equal amount of unlearning. Writing academic papers was very different from writing articles or reports. One may be very good at opinionated pieces, like I was, but may not be good at writing a critical literature review. Interestingly, most of the learning was from committing mistakes; failing and then trying again.

During PhD, I learnt to spend time with myself. Initially, it took me a lot of time in figuring out “where do I start”, “how will this work”, “will my work be incredible?” and so on. Gradually, the process unfolded. The irony is that each one has to go through her own journey. My first two years were mostly spent reading text-books, literature survey, problem identification, attending classes and teaching assistance. Many a times, I felt that I am here to conduct "research" and not read "strategic management" again or "compere at a department conference". But looking back, each of these activities made me a better teacher. Eventually by the third year, I was deeply engrossed in my work and spending more than 12 hours in the computer laboratory. It was exhausting, but addictive. I remember that time clearly when neither Friday generated any excitement nor Monday created any hopelessness. It was also overwhelming to create meaning out of volumes of data. I used to wonder why I didn’t work this way in my first year. But now I understand that growth is an outcome that cannot be forced and there are no short-cuts here.

Living within the campus was a wonderful exposure. I met some really intelligent and some really hard working people, from different parts of the country. Each one had her own worldview, life-story, and challenges. I spent a lot of time in the gymnasium, regularly, day after day. With very few girls on campus and even fewer interested in the gym, it was almost like my personal space. Most of my time beyond academic life was spent in having conversations with friends and colleagues over tea in the most sought after "under the tree" canteen, attending parties, get togethers, festivals, guest lectures of academicians and watching "Friends". Good infrastructure, may not be the priority, but it definitely makes the experience quite fascinating.

As far as life beyond campus is concerned, this was a time when I could visit the best educational institutions in the country. If one plans, one can secure funding for most of the travel. I visited all the IIMs during my PhD, as well as many other premier business schools. In some cases, my father sponsored me; but the experience was worth it. Coming from a small city, to me, travelling alone and exploring different cities was very liberating. The conferences were mostly about networking and meeting different people including professors whose work I admired, potential future collaborators, people working in my area of interest and so on. It was a good medium to get some visibility in the academic fraternity. The world of academia is very small, and one can always find connections, near or distant, with a lot of people. Also, I experienced that the "best" in the field were always the "most helpful" and the "kindest"; that was very inspiring.

Some other important realizations are as follows. There is no match between a full-time and a part-time PhD, the former is a far more enriching experience. There are very few strict deadlines in this program unlike a UG/PG degree. So, the onus largely rests upon you to plan and structure your progress. It is a wonderful feeling to get paid for reading and writing, even if you have to do certain additional tasks. There is a lot more to a PhD than just "thesis writing". Every individual has her own journey. Some are good writers, some are good speakers, some are good at data analysis, some are lucky, some are liars, and some have it all. Comparisons, though inevitable, can create a lot of frustration. It is important to make choices for one's journey and enjoy the journey. With the support of my supervisors, I got the opportunity to interview some very renowned professors in the field of management during my PhD. That was the high point for me; it also fulfilled my childhood ambition of being a journalist/interviewer. Finally, the supervisor's role is that of a parent of a teenage child. It begins with resistance, and snowballs into unmatched reverence when the child eventually becomes a parent.

Finally, but most interestingly, if you are as lucky as me, you can also meet the love of your life during your PhD. This picture was then clicked by a friend, who is now my husband.