PHOTO: Mary Holzhauer (one of many great doctoral partners-in-crime!)
Amongst the many comments and congratulations received on Facebook (posting news like this is one of the only merits of Facebook, I have come to believe), I received one question. This question was,
"What´s your musical prescription to survive a doctorate sane?”
A very good question.
I started thinking about it.
I reflected upon what kept me going (sometimes there were several things). I reflected upon the very difficult times (moving here, starting the degree, making friends, feeling lonely, pressure, deadlines) and the very happy times (sharing a stage with some amazing people, travel, deepening my abilities, receiving recognition for something hard-earned).
And here, very much in my order, are my thirteen “prescriptions” for surviving a doctorate.
1. Go to bed by midnight.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others.
3. Cultivate relationships with faculty and peers in your program and at your school (or at conferences, festivals, etc.).
4. Cultivate and nurture relationships with family, friends, and significant others outside of your degree, geographical location, and area(s) of interest or study.
5. Schedule your nervous breakdowns.
6. Vent, in moderation, and with great caution and discretion.
7. Kitchen timers are magical.
8. Get an “A” in two things at a time. C’s are fine for the rest.
9. Keep tabs on your savings, checking, student loans, and credit cards.
10. Celebrate when necessary.
11. Find a mentor. Lean in. Check in.
12. Be stubborn. Be flexible. Know when to toggle between the two.
13. Go very, very, far away when you can.
I will be expanding each one of these points into essays all on their own. It's been something I've wanted to do for a long while, and if it can help the next generation of soon-to-be graduates, or even people contemplating their terminal degrees, then it will have served its purpose.
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