Applying to jobs as a PhD Candidate is really fun because you can either get an email that will change your life or an invitation to a predatory journal. The subject line is the same.

I am so so glad I wrote a robust proposal and explored the data as I was writing aims to make sure analysis would be feasible.

And gave a firm no to other commitments. I love my project but it really did become the least of my worries this year 🫠

Some advice I didn’t believe, but took anyway- don’t plan to spend much time writing your dissertation when dissertating.

You will be applying to jobs, interviewing, planning a career dev. grant, finishing other papers, reallocating grant funds… & keeping it all together.

Cleaning data for my dissertation. What is one thing that immigrants don’t have access to in the US, but ate all the time in their home country?

Fresh fruits and veggies ☹️

I asked my committee how much detail they want in my dissertation methods (sensitivity analysis, coding decisions, etc. ) and they said:

- Be comprehensive! We want your logic!
- Wait how long is it? 🫠 (my answer was apparently too long)
- …maybe you can add another appendix

Did anyone else’s at home hobbies get a little out of hand over the past 2 years? 🫣

Thanks to Teachers College for hosting a workshop series on cost effectiveness and program evaluation. It is beautiful here (and the NYC education system so complex!)

On a related note IES has opened a ton of opportunities to me and I’d love to talk to folks about applying 🤗

Occasional reminder to early career folks submitting abstracts/grants/manuscripts/job applications for the first time:

Do NOT start by reading instructions. Ex: NIH guidelines are 150+ pages and you will get overwhelmed.

Ask for examples from friends and google, google, google.

A local arts community hosts a ‘fun-a-day’ in January. We pick a project to do for 30 days and share in February!

I’m learning/cooking/drawing something about fungi every day. So it is far delicious and fascinating! I’m enjoying this resolution alternative. 🤗

According to my job practice partner I need to work on nodding my head 20% less excitedly during interviews 😅🙃

Highly recommend creating a landing spot for code and writing that you don’t use. Never delete!! You may need it later and ‘graveyards’ help you see progress.

I'm new here! I am a registered nurse and PhD candidate at Penn. My scholarship centers on immigration, mental health, pediatrics, and social inequity. I also write about life as an early career academic and some goofiness on dogs, tango dancing, and urban jungles!