I defended last month. I'm Dr. Helena now. Still getting used to that. Still feels like a prank. 
I promised myself that if I ever finished, I'd write down everything I learned. Here it is.
On structure: Your dissertation is not a book. Don't try to write a book. Write five related papers. It's easier to think that way. Each chapter should be able to stand alone.
On writing: Write every day. Even if it's 50 words. Even if it's garbage. Momentum matters more than quality. You can fix garbage. You can't fix a blank page.
On feedback: Get feedback from multiple people. Your advisor sees things one way. Your peers see things another way. Your partner (if you have one) sees things a third way. All of it is useful. None of it is the final word.
On committee disagreements: Talk to your advisor first. Then talk to the dissenting member. Ask them to prioritize their feedback. "What's essential? What's nice to have?" Most people will be reasonable if you ask directly.
On mental health: This will be the hardest thing you've ever done. Not because the research is hard. Because the loneliness is hard. Find a writing group. See a therapist. Exercise. Eat vegetables. I'm serious. Your brain doesn't work if your body is falling apart.
On impostor syndrome: Everyone feels it. Everyone. Your advisor felt it. Your committee felt it. The Nobel laureates in your field felt it. It never goes away. You just learn to work alongside it.
On finishing: The end feels anticlimactic. You defend. People clap. You go home. The next day, you wake up and the world is the same. But you're different. You did something hard. Something most people can't do. Let yourself feel proud. Even if it's weird.
On what comes next: You'll figure it out. Postdoc. Job. Industry. Whatever. The dissertation taught you how to learn. How to persist. How to finish. Those skills translate.
I promised myself that if I ever finished, I'd write down everything I learned. Here it is.
On structure: Your dissertation is not a book. Don't try to write a book. Write five related papers. It's easier to think that way. Each chapter should be able to stand alone.
On writing: Write every day. Even if it's 50 words. Even if it's garbage. Momentum matters more than quality. You can fix garbage. You can't fix a blank page.
On feedback: Get feedback from multiple people. Your advisor sees things one way. Your peers see things another way. Your partner (if you have one) sees things a third way. All of it is useful. None of it is the final word.
On committee disagreements: Talk to your advisor first. Then talk to the dissenting member. Ask them to prioritize their feedback. "What's essential? What's nice to have?" Most people will be reasonable if you ask directly.
On mental health: This will be the hardest thing you've ever done. Not because the research is hard. Because the loneliness is hard. Find a writing group. See a therapist. Exercise. Eat vegetables. I'm serious. Your brain doesn't work if your body is falling apart.
On impostor syndrome: Everyone feels it. Everyone. Your advisor felt it. Your committee felt it. The Nobel laureates in your field felt it. It never goes away. You just learn to work alongside it.
On finishing: The end feels anticlimactic. You defend. People clap. You go home. The next day, you wake up and the world is the same. But you're different. You did something hard. Something most people can't do. Let yourself feel proud. Even if it's weird.
On what comes next: You'll figure it out. Postdoc. Job. Industry. Whatever. The dissertation taught you how to learn. How to persist. How to finish. Those skills translate.
