April 26, 2016, by Lisa Chin
Transitioning from a PhD student to an academic staff
This post is written by Dr Suganti Ramarad, University Teacher, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering.
Nowadays, every time I glance at my mug, it reminds me of the quote that was haunting the finishing of my PhD life. “Keep calm and finish the PhD”. In my life context, the finishing of PhD life has its own beauty. I love it so much that I cherish every pitch of it, yet I hate it so much that I am so relieved it’s done and dusted now.
The most relinquished moments of PhD life came hitting me after the first submission of thesis to the office. It was a bizarre moment of celebration externally, but a cold fiery feel within. Once the celebration settled down, the preparation for the VIVA voce begun. Again, things seemed to fall back into the PhD life pattern (reading the thesis, looking through papers, reanalysing results and etc.), but yet the cold fiery feel followed me like a shadow. I brushed it off and went on with the PhD life. Then the dreaded VIVA voce took place. I passed the VIVA with minor correction (YEY! Celebration again!). The flurry of celebration settled down even sooner this time around and the internal fear rooted even deeper. I kept asking myself “What is wrong with me?” and then it hit me! Doing this PhD has turned into a lifestyle over this three years journey. I have been perfecting the juggling of PhD, family and personal developments all the while. It was a way of life now. The finishing/completion of PhD just meant that all this is changing. Another new life waits ahead and the process of perfecting the new life is about to start soon. I realized I feared the change. I didn’t want to let go.
Like the saying “Life goes on”, I had to move on, embracing the fear. I started applying for academic positions all around Malaysia. Resumes were sent flying around, tailored to every job applied. Months passed by with no answer from any employers. I call this phase as moments of uncertainty and self-doubts (all the negativity of being an expert of a field and accomplishing the PhD was self-proclaimed in this phase).
Fortunately, I was offered a temporary university teacher position, assigned to a module in place of a professor on sabbatical leave. I leaped at the opportunity and started to prepare for the teaching experience. Altogether, the teaching experience was delighting; once again I started to cherish life. There was definitely more money now that brought more smiles. I also enrolled into Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), to enhance the skills of the teacher in me (You aren’t really a PhD holder if you stopped learning right?). The discipline in managing time from the PhD life came handy. I knew what, when and how will I prioritise my tasks at hand. As I deliver the classes every week and share my past experiences as real life examples with my student, life seemed to fall in place. The uncertainty and self-doubts has evaporated being replaced with euphoria of accomplishment. I know now for sure that the PhD journey has enriched my life in more ways than I could ever explain.
Living the life,
Suganti
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