I got into endurance running while doing my PhD (in social sciences). I don't think it was a coincidence. I felt an urge to move my body and connect with nature in slightly more extreme ways to counterbalance over-reliance on my brain in this period of my life. I achieved physical milestones I never in a million years thought possible (growing up I was the stereotypical great student who was extremely bad and hated sports). Myarathons and half marathons are still some of my proudest achievements - probably more so than my PhD ;)
that’s so interesting to me — i was exactly that person all the way through school and always had a ‘wish my body just didnt exist’ attitude and it’s taken me a really long time to realise i just can’t keep that up forever. i can’t imagine myself running anything much at all rn, i’m very slow and do a lot of walk-run-walk-running but i’d love to think i could achieve something like that one day
I was literally you 10 years ago! Couldn't run for more than 3 min straight. Walk-run-walk is a great way to start, you just progress the run part a little bit each time. But it doesn't have to be running, that are all sorts of ways to move our bodies that bring us health and joy. And I think there's something special in moving and caring for our bodies during such a brain-intensive period.
“I think the PhD is finally the thing I love enough to sort my shit out.”
Gah this is so relatable. I had my own version of this in undergrad when I was ramping up to write my honors thesis. I neglected my body so badly and it reared its ugly head during finals one year. But I’m so glad that happened because if I hadn’t started taking care of myself, I would not have had the fortitude to write that thesis a year later. And I know those experiences will help me as I move on to grad school at some point.
It’s a strange thing to feel proud of a stranger on the internet, but for what it’s worth, I’m very proud of you!
that really does mean so much to read, it’s absolutely lovely to hear from a stranger on the internet! it makes such a difference to me when i write something and worry it’ll be too weird and then people say ‘no that’s relatable to me too’
Starting a PhD this fall (in math) and I loved this! I also love to hear about what humanities PhDs do, it’s a very different world to mine so I find it totally fascinating.
This honestly sounds like the perfect way to prepare for a PhD, Emily!! Because with intellectual work/humanistic inquiry/whatever you want to call it, you really can’t actually prepare. Once you start working on your diss in earnest you’ll need those frameworks and sources of inspiration to keep the momentum going. My usual advice is to start writing from day 1, even if it’s not strictly related to your topic, but with Substack you’re ahead of the game there :)
that’s exactly how i’m trying to approach substack — i might not be writing anything very relevant but i’m pleased to be flexing my ‘type type type press send and people will read it’ muscles. i know a lot of phd students who get paralysed with nerves sending work to anyone
Palaeography is far from compulsory, but it will enrich your life beyond measure. If nothing else, going and listening to people who only study the letter ‘E’ is weirdly exciting— I wish I were that interested in anything
I got into endurance running while doing my PhD (in social sciences). I don't think it was a coincidence. I felt an urge to move my body and connect with nature in slightly more extreme ways to counterbalance over-reliance on my brain in this period of my life. I achieved physical milestones I never in a million years thought possible (growing up I was the stereotypical great student who was extremely bad and hated sports). Myarathons and half marathons are still some of my proudest achievements - probably more so than my PhD ;)
that’s so interesting to me — i was exactly that person all the way through school and always had a ‘wish my body just didnt exist’ attitude and it’s taken me a really long time to realise i just can’t keep that up forever. i can’t imagine myself running anything much at all rn, i’m very slow and do a lot of walk-run-walk-running but i’d love to think i could achieve something like that one day
I was literally you 10 years ago! Couldn't run for more than 3 min straight. Walk-run-walk is a great way to start, you just progress the run part a little bit each time. But it doesn't have to be running, that are all sorts of ways to move our bodies that bring us health and joy. And I think there's something special in moving and caring for our bodies during such a brain-intensive period.
“I think the PhD is finally the thing I love enough to sort my shit out.”
Gah this is so relatable. I had my own version of this in undergrad when I was ramping up to write my honors thesis. I neglected my body so badly and it reared its ugly head during finals one year. But I’m so glad that happened because if I hadn’t started taking care of myself, I would not have had the fortitude to write that thesis a year later. And I know those experiences will help me as I move on to grad school at some point.
It’s a strange thing to feel proud of a stranger on the internet, but for what it’s worth, I’m very proud of you!
that really does mean so much to read, it’s absolutely lovely to hear from a stranger on the internet! it makes such a difference to me when i write something and worry it’ll be too weird and then people say ‘no that’s relatable to me too’
Starting a PhD this fall (in math) and I loved this! I also love to hear about what humanities PhDs do, it’s a very different world to mine so I find it totally fascinating.
i’m so in awe of maths students — my bestie from school did a phd in maths and every time i tried to ask about it i just felt sure she was a wizard
This honestly sounds like the perfect way to prepare for a PhD, Emily!! Because with intellectual work/humanistic inquiry/whatever you want to call it, you really can’t actually prepare. Once you start working on your diss in earnest you’ll need those frameworks and sources of inspiration to keep the momentum going. My usual advice is to start writing from day 1, even if it’s not strictly related to your topic, but with Substack you’re ahead of the game there :)
that’s exactly how i’m trying to approach substack — i might not be writing anything very relevant but i’m pleased to be flexing my ‘type type type press send and people will read it’ muscles. i know a lot of phd students who get paralysed with nerves sending work to anyone
Palaeography is far from compulsory, but it will enrich your life beyond measure. If nothing else, going and listening to people who only study the letter ‘E’ is weirdly exciting— I wish I were that interested in anything