Blog: The reality of being a postgraduate researcher

I’m Katrina, a part-time PhD student in English Literature, and I’ve been here for a few years now, so believe me when I say that no year has ever been the same.

If you’re starting or thinking about the perilous journey that is postgrad researcher (PGR) life, then you’ve come to the right place. But fear not, it’s not all sleepless nights and coffee addiction, some of it’s actually quite fun!  

So why UoB? As a local Brummie, where we fight over whether a bread roll is called a cob or bap (it’s a bap!), the University of Birmingham has always felt like home to me, long before I was a student here. It’s a staple of the city and represents our lively and vibrant community. 

There’s always so much going on at the University that it’s impossible to get bored. Whether that’s in your department, school and college, the Guild of Students and wider postgraduate community events, there’s something for everyone. And if you find something is lacking, you could always start your own society, like I did when I set up an online reading group.  

But be careful! When you first enrol at UoB, with all its charm and lovely outdoor green spaces, you may find a burning desire to be involved in everything. This is something I’ve tried to simmer down this year to have a better work/life balance.  

Things can become quickly overwhelming during your time as a postgraduate researcher; suddenly you’re adapting to a new way of working, there’s usually no lectures, a lot of independent study time, discipline and stress. I don’t know anyone who has completed a PhD and not felt some form of stress, whether that's gaining a grey hair (or two!), high caffeine consumption, or if you’re like me, you’ll find anything to do other than write your thesis.  

Running away from your research is very common, but thankfully, UoB has recognised this and has helpfully put together the below measures to keep you on track: 

1. The Main Library offers ‘Shut up and Work’ sessions to help you do just that. A great one if you sometimes struggle to structure and plan your day on your own.  
2. Look out for the University Graduate School events: from PhD chat to the Postgraduate Research Festival, you’ll be able to meet other researchers in similar boats, exchange tips and offer one another support.  
3. The Graduate School also offers online coaching specifically for researchers to help you develop coping strategies to manage through those challenging times and stumbling roadblocks.  
4. The University also has a wide range of support services for when the going gets tough. You can speak to a Wellbeing Officer, visit the Student Hub or if you prefer external support, Samaritans is a great one if you’re in need of a friendly independent chat.  

Being a postgraduate researcher is a journey, it’s not always smooth, but it’s definitely very rewarding. So, make the most of it; network, pop along to the Welcome events (there’s often free goodies!), join a society, look out for the Graduate School parties (I’ve met some of my best friends here), check out the researcher suite in the library (it’s pretty cool and surprisingly a great space to make friends as well).  

Best of luck, take it steady, you’ve got this.  

Would you like to share your PGR experience with other students through videos and blogs? Find out how you can also become a Student Content Shaper like our PhD students Katrina and Robin.