It has been 4 days since I attended my graduation celebratory walk at the University of Cape Town. It was not an ordinary day. 13 December 2021 is, and will probably remain the best day of my life. Getting a PhD was a childhood dream. Getting a PhD by 30 was a goal I set when I turned 20. I have a calling to become a thought leader and the essence of my being is to smash through the barriers of gender, nationality, race, class … to achieve many accolades.
I have received so many congratulatory messages. There’s people who have been asking me what I am doing next. And, I am expected to publish and engage more publicly on the matters that I research and write about. I honestly believe that it is unkind to ask someone the “What’s next?” question during such a celebratory phase. Of course this is not the end. For me, this is just the beginning. Attaining the title of Doctor of Philosophy means a lot more than being an expert. I definitely mastered my topic by contributing to existing knowledge, filing in some gaps and acknowledging the limitations.
I decided to jot down this post as a means of reflection and a response to the many questions coming my way. Please read and let me know what you think.
What’s next?: I honestly don’t know. I am mentally exhausted, physically drained and intellectually confused. I need a break but a “complete break” is not possible. I definitely want to work. Actually, I have to work. I am not a staunch believer in PhDs should stay in academia so I am applying for many opportunities in many sectors. I am still figuring out where I want to go in line with my life plans. It is ideal to move in silence and tell people about the results so the world should not expect a detailed 10 point plan or something along those lines. It should be sufficient for them to know that I will have a plan. Secondly, how one responds to such a question depends on who is asking. If a potential employer or business partner asks me the same I have a relevant response. If fellow academics ask me that question I will gladly respond accordingly. To everyone else, just know that I plan to continue excelling.
Is it necessary to get a PhD?: I believe that you should pursue a PhD if you want one and whatever reason you have should be considered valid, as long as you are causing no harm to another person. Wanting to do a PhD for self actualisation purposes is a valid reason. Going for a PhD for an intellectual challenge is a good reason. Studying towards a PhD to build your CV and shoot your shot at academia is a good reason. Getting a PhD because it is the only option you have is also sufficient. At the end of the day, regardless of their reasons, people with PhDs contribute to the academic purpose of knowledge production. That for me is a major benefit, both for the doc and for the world. I don’t think doctoral candidates and graduates need to over explain the “Why a PhD”.
Do you know that PhDs are likely to die poor and miserable?: I personally believe that this is a myth. That said, I am not denying that there are PhDs who die poor and miserable. Anyone can die poor and miserable. You should not let the fear of such hold you back from pursuing a PhD. The best way to live life is to pursue what you love, find different ways of sustaining your livelihood, have hobbies you enjoy partaking in and pursue a deliberate personal health plan to ensure that your stress levels are close to normal and not guided by anxious feelings.
You missed out on a lot of social and professional pursuits: This is one of the most irritating remarks. One that I feel most attacked by. There is no one formula to life and sacrifice is a key ingredient in whatever pursuit. As an adult your duty is to choose what to pursue, which sacrifices to make, and how best to achieve your set goals within a defined time frame and space. I do not regret forgoing or postponing certain things in my life. I do not regret prioritising academics over “work”. I did not forget that I had other challenges to face and many more races to run. I chose strategically. If doing my degrees in my 20s was a mistake it was a beautiful one and I have more years to come to learn and do other things.
Message to anyone who wants to further their studies: Find what you love and run with it. Do a lot of background research on potential supervisors and on your topic. Identify sources of support, both online and offline. I benefitted from supportive family, friends and colleagues, as well as academic YouTubers and Twitters (is that a word? 🙃). There is a growing perception that university education is no longer relevant for the world we live in and where we are going. There are so many things which seem to be turning archaic and irrelevant. I believe that evolution is facilitated by innovation and reforms. Learning and research will always exist. The onus is upon us to redefine, rework and adjust to the pace of technology and innovation. However, we can never be fully divorced from the past. Do a PhD for the love of your topic and as a method of knowledge production. There is room in academia to fuse your interests and present academic work which is accompanied by artistic illustrations, technical innovation, new theoretical perspectives, participatory action research, etc. The only down side I think is that the typical format (Background, Theory, Concepts, Methodology, Report on findings …) is a framework you have to work with. Yes, you should reference, cite and quote. Yes you should repeat, read, reread, write, rewrite … It is not easy but it is doable.
I have a YouTube channel dedicated to discussions about “Academics, Career and Adulting”. You can check that out for more insightful content.
https://www.youtube.com/c/PrimroseZJBimha/featured
Cheers for now. Keep watching this space for more blog posts.
Dr. PZJ Bimha 