I started reading this book the other day, “How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors.” The director of my program actually loaned me the book a long time ago, when I was still an undergrad (yeah, I’ve had her book for about 4 years, but I plan to give it back). I don’t know why I haven’t started reading it until now. Maybe it was because I was afraid to even start thinking about the process. Maybe I didn’t think the book would be relevant to me because I wasn’t yet in a PhD program. Maybe I was too busy with other things. Either way, I wish I had read it earlier. It’s very helpful and informative. By “helpful and informative,” I don’t just mean that it’s a good reference book, or that I’m getting kickbacks from the editors. I mean the book is really good.
There’s a section in the book about the psychology of a graduate student. I remember when I first started grad school. I thought I was completely incompetent, an imposter, a schmuck, and lucky to have even been accepted into any program, let alone SLU’s PhD psychology program. To my surprise, that segment of the book outlined exactly how I was feeling and informed me that everyone feels that way. Now, if I had known that all new grad students feel stupid 4 years ago, I wouldn’t have experienced the self-doubt to the extent that I did. Maybe I would have, but at least I wouldn’tve felt alone in it.
So here’s a word of advice: when department directors loan you books, READ THEM! They clearly know something that you don’t know and can probably help you.
