# Doing Ph.D?



## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

This is my first semester in a Ph.D program and I would appreciate it if I can get some advice here. 

For example, what do you do to increase concentration? I can't drink coffee or tea for obvious reasons. Also how do you deal with the politics in the department? To get involved in better projects I have to build good relationships with my teachers. 

I need also some advice about teaching but I have one more year to worry about that.


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## anonymid (Oct 16, 2005)

I was in a PhD program (for English lit.) a few years ago, but I only lasted a couple years, and didn't get beyond the coursework phase of things. I had major concentration problems myself--in fact, that's where it finally became clear to me that I probably have ADHD. For that matter, it was the also where I was finally forced to confront my issues with depression and anxiety. All my life I'd just barely been getting by without having to deal with my mental problems, but in my doctoral program, I just found myself completely in over my head. I was taking incompletes in most of my courses (something I'd never had to do even once at any level of my education). I also didn't feel that I quite fit in with the other students in my program. There were enough people whom I got along with, and who were friendly to me and all, but I just never felt that I had the same sense of purpose or direction that everyone else seemed to have. As for professors, I got along with them as well, and some were very supportive of and patient with me--but none of that patience or support ended up doing me much good.

I guess, in short, my PhD program was where I realized how screwed up I truly am, and how far away I am from being able to function in a challenging, grown-up, real-world environment.

So, I guess I don't really have much advice about how to succeed in a doctoral program. All I can do is wish you luck.


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## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

anonymid said:


> I was in a PhD program (for English lit.) a few years ago, but I only lasted a couple years, and didn't get beyond the coursework phase of things. I had major concentration problems myself--in fact, that's where it finally became clear to me that I probably have ADHD. For that matter, it was the also where I was finally forced to confront my issues with depression and anxiety. All my life I'd just barely been getting by without having to deal with my mental problems, but in my doctoral program, I just found myself completely in over my head. I was taking incompletes in most of my courses (something I'd never had to do even once at any level of my education). I also didn't feel that I quite fit in with the other students in my program. There were enough people whom I got along with, and who were friendly to me and all, but I just never felt that I had the same sense of purpose or direction that everyone else seemed to have. As for professors, I got along with them as well, and some were very supportive of and patient with me--but none of that patience or support ended up doing me much good.
> 
> I guess, in short, my PhD program was where I realized how screwed up I truly am, and how far away I am from being able to function in a challenging, grown-up, real-world environment.
> 
> So, I guess I don't really have much advice about how to succeed in a doctoral program. All I can do is wish you luck.


That was really useful and encouraging. Good luck to u too.


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## anonymid (Oct 16, 2005)

Sorry; didn't mean to be a downer. I'm sure you'll be fine, and others will have some useful advice.


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## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

That is ok, I know you just wanted to share your experience. Thanks anyway.


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## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

Have you tried gingko biloba? Its supposed to help concentration so is meditating as well.


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## STKinTHEmud (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm in my second year of my PhD program, and, like anonym (my experience has been almost exactly like his) I had to confront my depression and anxiety issues. I'm still working on them, but at least the therapy is free.

As far as concentration goes, I too have problems concentrating. My mind wanders to dark places when I read, and so it hasn't really been easy. I don't think I can offer you any good advice about that, but I can say that therapy has been helping me quite a bit.


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## farleyknight (Oct 29, 2009)

Keith said:


> Have you tried gingko biloba? Its supposed to help concentration so is meditating as well.


+1 Mediating..


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## isis (Apr 30, 2008)

Try Zazen meditation (http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php). It has helped with concentration, at least for me.


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## Tenaciousd (Feb 19, 2015)

I currently have the same problem. I am doing my phd (1st year) and it is becoming really hard, especially when dealing with a difficult course. I have communication with anybody in my class and therapy doesnt seem to work. So I have no idea what I am gonna do, because if I quit my phd I will have to go back to Turkey, which is worse. Got any advise? And were you able to finish your phd s?


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## shyshisho (Apr 19, 2009)

I found it extremely difficult. I managed to scrape by and get the degree (Ph.D. in philosophy) but because I couldn't speak up in seminars I didn't have very stellar letters of recommendation and so failed in a competitive job market. I was largely left out of the social scene as well. I wish I had sought therapy, if indeed therapy does any good.


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## Bargeld (Feb 17, 2015)

Recommended reading: Some Modest Advice for Graduate Students

>>For example, what do you do to increase concentration? I can't drink coffee or tea for obvious reasons. 

Coffee and tea. Also, modafinil. Craving the attention and approval of my advisor is a significant motivating force too.

>>Also how do you deal with the politics in the department? To get involved in better projects I have to build good relationships with my teachers. 

First year: 
1) Said things during seminar that I actually got from YouTube lectures, looked insightful af. Got a guy on my committee that way. 
2) Capitalized on image of being an ingénue in a hard place. My advisor has a reputation for being difficult and emotionally taxing, so other professors were ready to feel sorry for me.

Second year: Showing up. Establishing a reputation for having decent ideas.

>>I need also some advice about teaching but I have one more year to worry about that.

I started teaching right out of the gate, which was pretty taxing the first two quarters. I'd take half a vicodin before class to be more sociable, then feel nauseous and tired the rest of the day. One time I put whisky in my coffee cup and drank every slide when I had to give a full-on presentation during a lab meeting. I do not recommend any of this, but would enjoy it if you posted your experiences doing so.

It gets easier with more experience. Ironically, the less I care about doing a good job, the better my classroom presence. Just know your material before the day's lab and don't volunteer labor beyond your TA contract - don't let other professors use you as a serf; you already get enough of that from your research advisor.


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## whodareswins (Jul 9, 2014)

Bargeld said:


> Recommended reading: Some Modest Advice for Graduate Students
> 
> It gets easier with more experience. Ironically, the less I care about doing a good job, the better my classroom presence. Just know your material before the day's lab and don't volunteer labor beyond your TA contract - don't let other professors use you as a serf; you already get enough of that from your research advisor.


That is good advice, thank you.

What kind of research were you performing? if you don't mind me asking.


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## Bargeld (Feb 17, 2015)

whodareswins said:


> What kind of research were you performing? if you don't mind me asking.


Not at all. That's the best opening line for schmoozing professors because you can mask your anxiety and script your next sentence while they gush about their research. If all goes well, pauses will only come every ten minutes and you can keep it rolling with "yuh-huh".

I'm in an experimental evolution / population genetics lab (_Drosophila_ master race).

I study *sexual dimorphism* (how the sexes differ from one another and to what extent), *sexual conflict *(think of males and females as co-evolving competitors who continually try to gain the upper edge), and *mating tactics* (sperm competition, coercive mating strategies, mate choice, tradeoffs in mate acquisition, etc.).

The kind of stuff I like (although it's not really representative of what I do)

Promiscuous mating systems feature high degrees of remating and low paternal certainty. In response to female infidelity, males are compelled to invest in large testes that can produce massive amounts of ejaculate, increasing their chances of paternity by drowning out the competition. Following this pattern, promiscuous bonobos have large testes.

However, in polygynous systems a single dominant male can successfully exclude other males and monopolize a group of females - the male in charge therefore experiences little risk of competition inside the female reproductive tract. Species with harem systems, such as gorillas, have small testes; there is little point investing in expensive genetic weaponry one never uses.

Because humans have a relative testes size intermediate that of bonobos and gorillas, ancestral human females were probably fairly promiscuous (but not as much as other hominids).

*Tl;dr - Testes size scales with promiscuity.*


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## RedRight88 (Jan 7, 2013)

One of the reasons I decided to delay pursuing a Ph.D was because of my anxiety issues and dealing with constructive feedback. I just finished my MA, and It wasn't just public speaking that was hard for me, but I found myself extremely self-critical when I was writing to the point where I would procrastinate a lot. I echo the sentiment about seminars. Being surrounded by people in that format where you can't leave is frankly terrifying. I wish I had sought help at the time, but I was terrified to accept that I was struggling in this way and it affected my performance. I was in a smaller department so I had impostor syndrome in a major way that I never really got over.


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## Remnant of Dawn (Feb 22, 2012)

I really wanted to do this for a while, because I thought getting involved in research would be a ton of fun and I wanted to help discover new technology and advance the world and all that.

But I'm too terrified to approach a professor looking for undergraduate research, takes too much social skill, and since you apparently need that experience to get into a PhD program, I'll just go get a normal job.


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