Accounting for Humanity

It is just over one month since I passed my viva (1 month, 2 days but no one is counting obviously…) and it felt like a good time for a quick bit of pondering.

It is possible that it was just me, but a large part of the PhD was wondering what it would be like once it is over. I will admit, my thoughts involved a far healthier and prosperous job market (as someone who finished their undergrad as the 2008 credit crunch hit, I should have known better) but putting that aside, it is this immediate aftermath period that I never really considered.

While PhD’s are “self taught” pursuits, there is still some structure around them, that being you are pretty much always working on your thesis thus, you know what you are planning for/working on. Post viva and corrections though, this “freedom” feels suspicious, like being left alone with a box of chocolates, you can technically take whatever you want but, you are waiting for someone to appear and tell you off for doing it (weird analogy yes, but I am currently sitting – unsupervised – with a box of chocolates).

I have a great and growing ideas and to-do list but, at the moment, the discipline to focus on building a plan for them is lacking. I suppose the natural thing in the immediate post-PhD stage should be to stop, relax, take a breath and get ready for the next stage but there is definitely a battle between this sensibility and being a “kid in a candy store” mentality here. I want to rest but I also want “to do all the things”.

So for now I am alternating between relaxing and planning/working on my ideas for publications and projects. But, to prove that I did take some time off, I include exhibit A: Steve the Capybara, who I purchased on holiday. Because, as you know, I am now a very mature post-PhD academic…