With A Level results due this week amidst the rather peculiar back drop of the New Way, it felt timely to begin the welcome of the new PGRs. During my stint as a PGR mentor, many issues used to arise in conversation, one being about the best ways to keep in touch with colleagues within what could be a fairly isolated setting.
Firstly, upon starting, you may well feel like a fish out of water, and even more so as we won’t actually be able to meet in 3D for quite some time. But welcome none-the-less 😊. Transitions can be difficult. I remember the move from school to music college was particularly hard. Not only was there a change in location and circumstances as I moved away from home, but there was also a huge shift in my identity.
At school I had been considered to be one of the better musicians. I attended every group possible, and would play at the odd assembly. I was sailing in an imaginary yacht on a slightly larger than normal lake. However, with the move to music college, my yacht turned into a rather small orange inflatable dinghy, and the lake opened out into a channel of muddy rivers leading to the ocean. I was lost and in awe as I watched my identity ride past rather quickly on the back of a worryingly jubilant dolphin. I was now a nearly average musician in a sea of incredible talent!
The move from Masters to PhD may not be quite so daunting, but it does bring with it, many shifts. Classes where you have sat side-by-side with friends and colleagues become a fond memory as you embark on the often lonely route of being a PGR. It is here that activities which have been put in place to help us meet up, have become really important. Things are different now with the New Way, and more of these activities have been rather ingeniously moved online. My little Question Guy decided to set off atop his paddle board to go out and investigate.
One of the activities that he reported back with was the inaugural Coventry University Twitter Conference. This will offer the opportunity for new and established colleagues to share their research, and re-visit some of the events that have appeared online earlier in the year. Follow the #CovUniTweCon to join in. At the risk of shamelessly turning this into an advert, there will also be the first Tweet Your Thesis competition at Cov Uni. I am particularly proud to be involved with this as it aims to offer current and joining PGRs the opportunity to share their research within the confines of 3 tweets. It is always interesting to find out what colleagues are studying. There is also a PGR WhatsApp group that welcomes you should you wish to discuss issues, ask questions, or just say hello. This has been a great support during the times of the New Way. To join the PGRs Virtual Coffee Break, just click on the link and introduce yourself. We look forward to meeting you https://chat.whatsapp.com/EVLwY5nZRVtCFUxmlPLMH8
I hope that you don’t feel too isolated upon arrival. My PGR colleagues and I look forward to welcoming you.
Lara Carballo
PhD Research Student
Institute for Future Transport and Cities