Academic Coaching Blog — Stress

Has your professor ever written a margin note in your dissertation that says, "This writing is too dense.  Fix it"? There are some professors that explain what they mean. But more often than not, you're expected to think it through on your own and try to do what they want. Often the problem is you're using sesquipedalian words--and you didn't even know it.  So,  first, let's understand "dense" academic writing?    Sometimes, when you're reviewing the literature for your research topic, you may come across a journal article that is difficult to read.  The sentences are long and you struggle to...

   That's what a Master's student said to me a couple of days ago.  He said that, as he was working on his thesis, he was thinking about what might come next. But when he talked to the PhD students who were ahead of him on the academic ladder, he realized what horrendous experiences they were having. Noxious is a good word to describe the experiences of many doctoral candidates. I hear about them daily. The environment in some graduate schools is truly poisonous. And it's not necessarily the fault of the professors, but rather of the system that...

On International Women's Day, I sent a message to all women PhD candidates who are pulled in so many ways as they manage their studies.  But it's not just women, of course.  Juggling studies, work and home is something that all grad students have to do.   I know that the stresses and challenges of completing a PhD program are experienced by everyone who starts the journey.  I’d like to send a few words of encouragement to you too, with one or two suggestions for making it to the end. First, some of the happiest students are just focused on their...

.I just heard from one of my most hard-working and successful PhD students that she got a “B” on her last course paper.  Wonderful! We were both very happy about that, and I want to explain why. First, she's a part-time student, and working full time at a job that requires a lot of travel, and she also has a family.  She had recently been promoted, and was also taking some skill-development courses. But then she applied for a C-Suite job for fun in another city—and got it! That meant she had to move. In the middle of this she...

That’s one of the most difficult challenges facing graduate students.  In other words, being pulled in several different directions at the same time. It’s near to being a lose-lose situation. One example of that is the situation faced by mature PhD students.  Often they have reached quite a high rung on the corporate ladder and have lots of responsibilities, have a hefty mortgage, children, and ageing parents.  And layered on that are the demands of conducting research and completing a thesis. And many younger students don’t fare much better, facing many demands on their time as they try and build...