Shine in the Margins

⭐ Academic coach 🎓 Working with higher edu students to create supportive strategies for navigating academia with their mental health intact

[shinekimphd]

My level of petty is after my advisor abused me, I switched dissertation topics to look at power dynamics in PhD advisor-advisee relationships, won multiple dissertation grants, and presented my research at several conferences.

Hell hath no fury like an over-educated woman.

[shinekimphd]

I get so emotional when I see my friends pass their thesis/dissertation defense and graduate bc I know how hard they worked and I'm so proud of them.

[shinekimphd]

During my PhD I thought I was a bad writer, but turns out I just needed a nap.

[phdeducation]

[shinekimphd]

This is also how I slept after I defended my dissertation lol

[katiajewelbox]

I'm planning to save the "what I have been through" since 2017 for my autobiography. Let's just say I've been through Hell and back during the course of my PhD and a lot of it had nothing to do with the research itself.

[shinekimphd]

I had many baby grey hairs grow in after I graduated from my PhD last year. Would not recommend escaping a cult in the middle of a PhD program.

[shinekimphd]

What universities think self-care is: yoga, hosting therapy dogs for an hour, goodie bags with stress ball and candy

The self-care we actually need: regular sleep routine, work-life boundaries, a safe space to build camaraderie with other students

[thesargasmicgoddess]

PhD Advisor: So tell me about your research aims

Me: I aim to solve ALL the problems

PhD Advisor: .....NO.

🤣

[dustineverypage]

Academia tumblr, how do you find your phd topic?

[shinekimphd]

I had a topic going into my program, but then I met my abusive advisor and changed topics to look at power dynamics in PhD advisor-advisee relationships. Research is ME-search

[shinekimphd]

During my PhD program I learned the hard way that there are three types of people:

1. Those who use knowledge to lift others up 2. Those who use knowledge to use others as stepping stones 3. Those who silently watch others be stepped on

May you be surrounded by people who want nothing but success for you with no strings attached.

[made-to-divinize]

“i’m afflicted by the not knowing” -every PhD student

[phdeducation]

[shinekimphd]

The hardest part about doing my PhD wasn't the research. It was balancing navigating department politics, research, applying to grants, working part-time, trying to have some semblance of a social life, maintaining health, and escaping my abusive advisor. Pursuing a PhD means you're signing up to be a student, employee, researcher, coordinator, mediator, etc. all for pennies. There's not enough compensation in the world for everything we go through.

[theprophetingrid]

Grad school is wild because you'll spend 5 straight months minding your own business and trying to fix a very specific problem, and then someone will come up to you one day and just drop the most feral departmental drama. What do you mean one professor probably murdered another? That girl you don't like is getting fired for drinking ultrapure lab water? There's a guy stealing toxic chemicals from other labs "to banish demons?" I'm over here trying to improve my standard deviation for months on end and across the hall there's a whole HBO show going on, apparently.

[shitacademicswrite]

Going to grad school, I see

[shitacademicswrite]

[shinekimphd]

Needed this for my sanity during grad school.

[shinekimphd]

In my dissertation dedication I wrote,

"To myself, despite silent bystanders and power-hungry authority figures, I finished this PhD. To every woman out there who aspires to be educated: I hope nothing stands in your way."

Take this as a sign to finish your degree. Don't let the haters claim credit for you not finishing your degree. That degree is yours. Take it.

[shinekimphd]

Are you a graduate student? You need to hear this. I'm so glad you're alive. I'm so glad you exist. You're on an incredibly difficult journey that not many can understand. But here you are, still going. I'm proud of you. Read the rest of the encouragement post here: https://shinekim.substack.com/p/im-glad-you-exist Do you want to receive an encouragement note every Friday as you make academic progress? Subscribe to shinekim.substack.com and get it delivered straight to your inbox! The next one comes out this Friday and you don't want to miss it!!  .  .  . Hi, I'm Shine and I'm your academic coach! I work with higher education students to create supportive strategies for navigating academia with their mental health intact.