But then I got a bit of a culture shocked.
I knew doing a PhD can be hard but I didn't knew it was that hard. It's nothing like an undergraduate nor like a master degree. Nothing like it even for a bit. The working hours is like having a job. 8 hours in the office, 7 days a week and no summer holidays. Sometimes if you want more you need to do more. And PhD varies depends on the individual. I can't say any PhD is the same because each of it is unique in it's own way based on the unique individual.
But what makes a PhD different from a job it that it's your own research where the outcome is what you gave your time in. And because you have a time frame, you must have something you've gained that you can show and then put it in writing where you can published the work. Something of your own. Something that no one have done it in this world. It's creativity, hard work and thinking skills all in one.
I've done mine for 2 years now and I found that it's not just a degree that you're going for. It is more than that. It's a discipline camp. Learning to find your own motivations and managing your own time and life to achieved something. This, in a long run will benefits you in your own life and career. Because no one will tell you what to do and what work to execute. No timetable, no job description and moreover nobody have done the work that you wanted to do in the first place. Just deadlines, supervisor and something that you believe in that can bring a good the world.
Though a PhD can sounds like a thing that not all can do here's how you can find out if it suit you or not. And it can also help for those who wants to do a PhD later in life.
1. To have a research experiences like becoming a research associate or doing a master degree by
research for 2 years. Trust me this one really help a lot in the future. It's worth the effort.
2. To have a great working experiences where while working, you found out that something is missing
and you decided that it's a research worth doing for.
3. To really love what you want to do or really love your research.
4. To know a really great supervisor that you can work with.
5. And to really be well prepared and know that you want a PhD, not just living overseas.
My dad always says that if you want to do something or you want to go on a journey. It is always best to be well prepared and well planned. Because throughout the journey you can learn something, make mistakes and corrected it based on your plan.
So that not only you can win the battle but also win the war.
Good luck!
31 comments:
kakak,may i know how old are you?
i am actually continue my study in master,MBA.parents desire wanted me to become a lecturer,i dont know whether i love to be a lecturer or i am just follow what they want,yeah sometimes a bit hard if we din fulfill what they want after all what have they done to us.
graduated in chemistry,MBA and pHd will be a long journey and mesti kena ade passion if continue in pHD kan?but i din have any experience in research field.
so lucky dpt further PhD mse muda.huhu
anyway can i know u doin research in wat area?
i heard that people who go straight to doing master and PhD after finishing their degree often face hard time landing on jobs related to their course of study. From what I understand, employer afraid to hire people who has high qualification but lack in industrial experience. I think it is quite logic since high qualification (such as master and PhD) mean high salary, but lack of working experience in industry could also mean you can not deliver your job efficiently. The job scope for these people merely limited to becoming a lecturer and or researcher (mostly working for the government). I might be wrong but I still want to hear your opinion regarding this. By the way, I am final year mechanical student from UiTM shah alam and enjoy reading you blog.
hana,u are so lucky to get this oppurtunites..
Salam Hana,
Thank you for sharing all this. PhD is the highest degree one can earn. I believe that to get until this level,someone must have a passion and determination. By d way, what is your plan after this?
salam hana. ur so lucky to be able to do ur PhD at such a young age! gosh, i can't imagine if im able to even go there! just about to graduate in a month, insyaAllah, with my first degree at the age of 25! dearie me.. long way to go for me! hehe.. good luck dear! an inspirational post this is though.. :)
Experiences can be acquinted. All you need is some effort and time. :)
I'm in electrical electronics field. specifically communication and signal processing. To be exact, speech :)
indeed I am. Alhamdulillah :)
At the moment I have a lot of plans in my mind. One that can't be type here in fear that I'll waste a good space :)
Thank you and Good luck to us and all the best in our future undertakings. Amin :)
aaaa....this is an interesting topic. Another post that I might look or write into :)
Although I'm not one to pursue a PhD, I have a lot of respect for those who do! It's great that you're able to do it at such a young age. Good luck in all of your endeavors :)
I agree with justwant2know yg high qualification Susah dpt keja..I don't have phd but I earn my master at a young age too, i don't know la klu apply keja dkt msia mcmne tp here in Australia mmg payah sbb they rather want experiences than a piece of paper...
I was devastated for a long time but you..yes you....bring out the best in me...u make me feel I can actually do it...
I'm not working yet sbb I have a tod to look after.
thank you, i really have not make up my mind yet whether to further my study or working for the industry upon graduation. Both have the pros and contras. I am very anxious for your next entry regarding this topic.
waaaa..sis..im proud with u......=.)
Good luck to you and your future undertakings too.. Here's to us strong girls :)
awww... thank you and I'm glad that I help you in any way. Know that everyone is strong..especially mothers like you.. I've never knew anyone as strong as a mother.. God gave the strengths to them so use them up :).
You know...looking after a tod is a very very hard job. It's like an intensive care career unit. You'll need to be alert 24/7. So imagine you're applying all the things you learn (like discipline, hard work, alert etc) in that unit to the real world out there I'm sure you'll succeed!
I'll make it as soon as I can find the time!
You should be proud of yourself too :)
u are an inspiration!
I like you already..lol
Owh Hana, you've really inspired me!
I love reading your blog since the first time I've encountered it. Can't remember where I found the link but somehow I did. :D
What I like most and why I've looked high on you is that you did your masters in Digital Signal Processing! (Hee. well I kinda read most of your blog entries from previous years :p). OMG DSP is soo hard. And now, you're proceeding with your PhD in that subject as well! I tabik you ok! :D. Yes, I've always looked high at my lecturers back in uni who've had PhDs in EE subjects. I wish to have their brain, and of course, yours too! :P
I came from EE background as well but my undergrad degree is not really that good. I mean really not that good that I find it's hard for me to get a job in well known companies and industry. Yeah, dulu tak study betul2 and now I'm regretting it. I did went to work at a local medium-sized company but I'm still not happy with it. I still want to find a better job but it's still hard. Ye lah, who doesn't dream big right? Dream big tapi tak belajar betul2 macam mana ni? Heheh.
At some point, I did think that I didn't want to proceed with technical part of engineering anymore. I might as well go into management. But at times, I do feel like I want to do technical stuffs, especially at work. I believe I can learn better at work if I'm more involved with it. But yeah, to get into those kind of jobs requires a basic excellent cert.
So now, I've decided to further with MEng locally. Just started my class last week. I know that might sound crazy for me coz I dont have a really good foundation for my undergrad but I really wanted to try again. Somehow, some of your entries related to postgrad studies did inspire me to really go and have a second chance. I did out options of furthering in UK universities but of course lah I'm not eligible to enroll King's College like you. Hee.
By the way, any tips for me to graduate on time? I did have a first class bestfriend back at my uni but I couldnt cope with the way she studies back then coz she's a genius, she did not study much after class, sometimes sleep in class, spent more time watching tv series after class but somehow she understands everything! I stress. Heheh. I mean, how do you people actually study? From your entries, I know you have an excellent first degree which lands you a scholarship to King's College, and you said that masters degree is just like first degree, isn't? I wish not to repeat the same mistake I had in undergrad years.
Oh, just curious, is your PhD affiliated with any university in Msia?
Hello!!! And thank you. It's 8.30am and you've just made my day! This is a long comment it's like an email. hahaha
Anyway, No my PhD isn't an affiliates with any univ in msia. It's a fully London based. :)
My most best tips I can give you is to really understands what is being taught in class. I never slept through classes and if I can I arrived early and sits at the upmost front :) It's easier to understands the lecturer and to concentrate believe me. And you can simply asked questions if you don't understands it. My dads says it's important to be prepared before if you have the time.
You know what you yourself inspired me and maybe anyone out there. I believed in a second chance too and I believed anyone can be successful.. All you need to do is to want it and a lot of du'a. And remember, (if you're a muslim), you must do it because of Allah.
Here's a quotes to ponder on
Persistance takes discipline. Discipline is simply doing what you know you need to do, eventhough you don't feel like doing it.
Here's to a second chance :)
Phd is expensive, how do you fund the fees?
wow..very inspiring.. U are such a great Fighter as I know how hard it was to be engineering student. PhD student some more.. All the best on your research ;)
thank you :)
I know! I felt the same way. Asking stupid questions is embarrassing. But the thing about me is I read first. If then I still don't understand then I'll ask. So to me that is not stupid question. And I have read, so it's not my fault I can't understand it..hehe
A person simply asked without reading or researching it first is simply lazy. So if you're lazy why at the first place you took PhD right?
Haha I felt like writing my own blog entry while writing it. :P.
Thanks for the tips! Those are what I find difficult to do - to ask question. Huhu, too shy to ask because I'm afraid those questions I might wanna ask is something very basic. I mean like, stupid question heheh. Oh well, like what you said, better to be prepared right? Owkies will keep that in mind.
Oh that means you're not going to be a lecturer at any specific universities in Msia lah once you've finished your PhD? I mean most people who went for PhD are mostly sponsored by university and then once they finished they'll serve as a lecturer there. Oh wait, are you going to be a lecturer at Imperial then? Hehe.
Haha I felt like writing my own blog entry while writing it. :P.
Thanks for the tips! Those are what I find difficult to do - to ask question. Huhu, too shy to ask because I'm afraid those questions I might wanna ask is something very basic. I mean like, stupid question heheh. Oh well, like what you said, better to be prepared right? Owkies will keep that in mind.
Oh that means you're not going to be a lecturer at any specific universities in Msia lah once you've finished your PhD? I mean most people who went for PhD are mostly sponsored by university and then once they finished they'll serve as a lecturer there. Oh wait, are you going to be a lecturer at Imperial then? Hehe.
Thanx for the spirit. I'm gonna pursue my phd next year, in the middle of searching the right supervisor and research area. All the best to you.
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