How I Get Organised for a New Academic Semester as a PhD Student

TL;DR

Learn how to effectively plan and organize for a new academic semester as a PhD student, including setting up calendars, marking important dates, and scheduling personal appointments.

Transcript

hello everyone and welcome back to my channel in today's video i'm going to be sharing with you how i get set up sort of and organized for a new academic semester as a phd student if you are new here my name is kira and i'm a third year phd student based in dublin ireland and i'm studying machine learning so i'm going to be sharing how i get set up... Read More

Key Insights

• 📅 Marking important dates and deadlines on a calendar helps in organizing and planning upcoming projects and tasks.
• 😨 Prioritizing personal appointments and breaks is crucial for self-care and overall well-being during an academic semester.
• 💦 Aligning work with conference and journal publication deadlines helps in focusing research efforts.
• 🌱 Planning a time-blocked weekly schedule can enhance productivity and ensure a balance between academic and personal commitments.
• ❓ Developing transferable skills is essential for personal and professional growth during a PhD program.
• 🧑‍🎓 Effective planning and organization contribute to overall success and well-being as a PhD student.
• 🔨 Utilizing digital tools, such as Notion, can assist in implementing efficient planning and organization strategies.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the key elements the speaker suggests marking on a "year at a glance" calendar?

The speaker suggests marking important dates related to the academic semester, such as class start dates, breaks, assignments, assessments, conferences, and annual meetings. These dates help in organizing and planning upcoming projects and tasks.

Q: How does the speaker recommend planning for conference and journal publication deadlines?

The speaker recommends identifying conferences that align with one's research focus and marking their submission deadlines on the calendar. It is important to plan accordingly and prioritize work based on these deadlines. For journal publications, she suggests considering the timing of conference deadlines and using the time in between to work on journal papers or thesis-related tasks.

Q: How does the speaker approach scheduling personal appointments and breaks?

The speaker advises considering personal appointments, such as birthdays, medical and dental check-ups, and self-care appointments, when planning a new semester. She suggests booking these appointments in advance to ensure self-care is prioritized. Additionally, she recommends identifying pockets of time for breaks and holidays, aligning them with natural breaks in the academic semester and conference deadlines.

Q: How does the speaker plan her weekly schedule?

The speaker uses a time-blocked schedule, starting with fixed commitments like demonstrating for classes and attending meetings. She then allocates larger blocks of time for focused work, such as thesis writing. She further includes self-care activities, morning routines, and breaks in her schedule. Finally, she identifies days specifically dedicated to developing transferable skills.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker shares her methods for planning and organizing a new academic semester as a PhD student, using a combination of digital tools (Notion) and bullet journaling techniques.

• She starts by marking important dates on a "year at a glance" calendar, including classes, breaks, assignments, assessments, conferences, and annual meetings.

• She emphasizes the importance of scheduling personal appointments, such as birthdays, medical and dental check-ups, and self-care appointments, as well as planning for holidays and breaks.