By Sarah Charles, PhD Researcher.
Most people go into research because they have a desire to answer a specific question or to understand a specific, incredibly niche topic. However, an MRes or PhD is a serious undertaking. For many, it is an incredibly stressful time, as being the lead on a research project can be daunting, with a high workload. I’ve spoken to many PGRs who have said that, during this time, they become somewhat reclusive. They dedicate more time to their research the further they get into it, often meaning they have less time for hobbies and seeing friends/family. Given the importance of social support to reducing stress and maintaining physical health, it is unsurprising that stress levels among those who are doing postgraduate research is higher than both the general population, and undergraduates. With stress being a major causative factor in mental health issues, it is further unsurprising that PGRs have an abnormally high likelihood of developing a mental health issue. Sadly, for many, these issues lead to further losses in social motivation and can lead to researchers feeling isolated. However, there are ways of avoiding getting trapped in this spiral. This piece will outline a few ways of doing so at Coventry University, with a focus on the PGR REP system.
There are a few ways that I would recommend that you try to avoid getting swept up in this isolation cycle:
- Join a club/group for a hobby that meets at least once per month:
For me it is weekly board gaming group, but for others it can be a running group, a book club, a music genre fan club, or a fantasy football group. Whether this is through the student union (CUSU). Whatever it is you like, CUSU likely has a society for it. This works whether you are in Coventry, or based further afield (some PhD researchers are based as far away as out of the country. This shouldn’t stop you from joining a local club/group there!) - If you are religious, be sure to frequent your religious services as the social support that can be derived from churches/mosques/synagogues/temples is something that should not be discounted.
- Become a REP:
The CUSU REP system is a way for students at the university to have their voices heard by those higher up at the university. I will focus more on the REP system now.
What is a REP?
A REP is a volunteer position for students in each subject/faculty/research centre to act as a representative for other students in the same position. For PGRs, each Faculty (e.g. FAH) or URC (e.g. CAWR) should have at least one. However, there is no limit to the number they can have – the more voices, the more representation. As a REP it is your job to talk to others in your faculty (both staff and students) and to communicate their feedback – both positive and negative – to CUSU and upper-level staff at the university as well as discussing this with REPs from other faculties/URCs. This usually amounts to about 1-2 hours of work per week.
Why would this help?
Being a REP gives you a blank cheque to go up to people in your office and introduce yourself. “Hi, I’m XYZ. I’m the PGR REP for this faculty and just wanted to introduce myself.” Opening the lines of communication for you to meet new people, make new friends and, importantly, will give you a reason to not become isolated. I can tell you that, once I became a REP 4 months after starting my PhD, I went from knowing 1 or 2 other PhD researchers and feeling quite isolated/lonely to knowing almost every staff member and a large share of the PhD students by name after just a few weeks. This meant that I felt far more connected to those working with and around me, and has allowed me to make friends that have lasted for two years, even after I’m no longer a REP.
As I have alluded to, as well as social benefits, being a REP gives you many other benefits. For one, you learn the inner workings of the university system, and get to know staff members who are much higher up in the decision-making process, meaning you get to both understand and inform the changes that take place at the university. Moreover, being a REP is a position of responsibility, which is something that can be added to your CV to help bolster your employability either further in academia or back in industry, as you have demonstrated that, not only can you conduct research at a high level but, you are able to take on positions of responsibility.
Overall, being a REP is absolutely a positive experience and worth the time and work that goes into it. You can be a REP as a part-time or full-time student – in fact, having part-time REPs is vital for getting the concerns that are specific to part-timers addressed. Similarly, PGRs who work from afar can also be REPs, as these represent a large percentage of Coventry University’s PGR community. Your role would be to explain how Coventry University can improve its processes and procedures for distance-learners. Best of all, though, it is a great way to reduce the likelihood of falling into the isolation spiral that I spoke about at the start of this.
Sarah Charles, PhD Researcher Brain, Belief & Behaviour Lab, Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations
HLS PGR REP from Jan 2018-Sept 2018, Senior PGR REP from Sept 2018 to August 2019
Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah_Charles
ORCHID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3559-1141
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjanecharles/
Latest publications: Researcher Degrees of Freedom in the Psychology of Religion (Charles et al., 2019)