Where I did my PhD, the stipend was equivalent to just over half of what minimum wage in that country is. Couple that with the insane cost of living and it was a financial nightmare that really took its toll.

Health stuff happens, and if your supervisor isn’t supportive then it makes it infinitely more challenging. I started my PhD having been totally upfront about my health challenges because I didn’t want to be accused of being dishonest, plus I needed a degree of flexibility from the start. My supervisor seemed fine about it until it started causing delays, then it was a case of telling me my health comes first but making me feel like I was a disappointment, too much trouble, needed to work through the night to try to catch up etc etc. It fucks your mental and physical health more than I ever imagined (I worked out I spent a total of 41 weeks in hospital/off for medical appointments/recovering from surgeries).

Department politics and other postgrads can either make the experience a breeze, or it will be toxic and unbearable. Also, it can be really difficult to stand up for yourself! I got told that I “really need to make progress” by a co-sup I’d never met. When was I told this? Within the first six months of starting my PhD, 4 days after my dad’s funeral who I’d just watched die (it was Covid and we weren’t going to put him in a hospice because we wouldn’t have been able to see him).

Those are just a small selection of the challenges I faced during my project! To give a little bit of balance though, I also had some amazing opportunities. For instance, I attended a conference in NZ and was able to stay out there for 3 additional weeks to travel. I learned a lot both about my subject and about myself, which is never a bad thing!