The 2021 Love Letter to Your Thesis competition was the biggest yet, with so many incredible entries! Here is the winning letter in the “Saddest” category from Bethany Waddington (@BethanyWadding1) who is a PGR in the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology researching Motor Neurone Disease.

The Lover’s Knot

To the One I Once Loved,

We were young when we first met,

I 21 and you nothing but a notion, yet

You gave me hope and strength and fire,

Something to live for, to want, to desire.

But what could I do for you?

Except pour in my heart and soul?

And from this you drained me,

Vulnerable and longing, you took control

Of my life and thoughts,

Entwined as we are in a Lover’s Knot.

This time together may have drained my colours, but they will light up your pages

And I know my time will soon pass in these dark ages.

I’m sorry I couldn’t give you everything you wanted and needed

But

Maltreated and defeated,

I just need you completed.

Signed,

The One You Never Loved.

By Silvia Renon, the PGR Staff Events intern in the Research Culture and Researcher Development team, who helped run the 3MT in 2025.

Silvia is currently a third-year PhD candidate in biomedical engineering and cardiovascular application. 

Every year, postgraduate researchers from around the world take part in the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Originating from the University of Queensland in Australia, 3MT has brought together more than 900 institutions across more than 85 countries to participate in a challenge that celebrates communication and creativity. The idea is simple, but also very challenging: PhD students have just three minutes to explain their research to a general audience, using only one slide. The University of Glasgow joined this great competition in 2013 and, since then, 3MT has become one of the biggest events for PGRs (Postgraduate Researchers) in the university. For many PGRs, this is an exciting chance to challenge themselves, learn new skills, and present their work in a new way. 

At the centre of this competition is what seems like a simple challenge: present your entire PhD research in just three minutes, using only one slide, and speak in a way that’s clear and engaging for a non-specialist audience. 

But anyone who's ever taken part knows it’s far from simple. The talk only last 3 minutes and it’s a moment of adrenaline and focus, but behind this time are weeks of preparation and repeated practice. Participants rehearse with friends, family, colleagues, or even just in front of the mirror until every word and movement feels just right. 

But while all eyes are on the (virtual) stage during the competition, there’s an equally impressive effort and teamwork happening behind the scenes to make this event possible. This year I led the organising the competition, and so I had the privilege of witnessing the dedication it takes from both sides to bring 3MT to life. 

Planning the Event: A Months-Long Operation 

Organising the 3MT competition starts long before the first speaker “logs in” onto the stage. In fact, planning usually starts as early as late November or early December, even though the main event typically takes place between March and April. One of the first tasks is to determine the final date of the competition. This milestone sets the pace for everything else—from when to open registrations, to scheduling information sessions, coordinating heat rounds, and recruiting both judges and support staff. 

This reverse planning helps us make sure there's enough time to get everything ready for the event. And it’s definitely a team effort! 3MT only works because so many people pitch in with their time, skills, and energy, with behind-the-scenes work like scheduling meetings, sending emails, and keeping track of everyone involved. 

In 2025, we were thrilled to host 33 participants, with 16 advancing to the final. The journey included five heats spread over two weeks, leading to our grand finale on March 27th. It’s a big event, in fact, one of the largest competitions for PGRs at the university! 

The Role of Judges: More Than Just Scoring 

One of the most crucial roles in 3MT is that of the judges. For each heat, we had at least three judges, meaning a total of 20 judges participated across the competition. Their role goes beyond just listening and assigning points as they are active participants in the event. 

According to the official 3MT rules, judging is based on key principles such as comprehension, engagement, and communication. The main points being: 

• How clearly the speaker explains their topic 

• How well they engage the audience 

• How effectively they communicate their research 

Judges must actively listen, fill out score sheets during each presentation, and provide individual feedback to every student. After each session, the judges meet to discuss their scores, combining the numbers with their own insights and impressions. Our judging panel is carefully selected to reflect a diverse range of backgrounds; we rely on research professionals that bring an expertise that is outside academic boundaries. Many have experience in public speaking, science communication, or working with researchers to take research out of the university. Their perspectives help make the judging fair and meaningful. 

For the final round, our judging panel included research and public engagement professionals who are experts in communicating research across academic disciplines, to span over the interdisciplinary nature of the event.  

The judges this year represented a wide range of schools and departments, including Research Support Offices, Communications Managers, Engagement Managers, Effective Learning Advisers, and so many more! This mix brings our university community together to highlight and celebrate the work and talent of PGRs.  

The Unseen Team: Helpers and Support Crew 

Just as crucial as the judges are the helpers, the people you may not see, but without whom the event wouldn’t run. For each heat and the final, we had a support team from the Research Culture and Researcher Development Team (RC&RD) to ensure the events ran smoothly.  

There are four main roles in this behind-the-scenes crew: 

• Host: The face of the session, introducing speakers and keeping the event on track.  

• Co-Host: The backup support, often helping with transitions and timekeeping also in charge of managing the slide deck. 

• Technical Support 1: Back-up timer, coordination and communicating with judges, managing recording presentations and overall smooth delivery of visuals. 

• Technical Support 2: Handles Zoom logistics, troubleshooting, and audience management, chatrooms, waiting rooms and microphones. 

The hard work of the support team at each session makes a big difference and allows the presenters to focus fully on their talks. This year’s team included names like our amazing returning presenters Rachel Lyon and Emma Waters, who brought enthusiasm, precision, and calm to every single session; and new entries such as Sumayya Usmani, Zain Ul Abidin, Joulie Axelithioti and Cole Collings in their role as hosts and co-hosts that kept the conversation engaging in between presenters. On the support team a special mention to Daniel Perry, Danielle Barkley and Fatima Sal for their attention to detail—from adjusting slides to managing breakout rooms and keeping the chatroom active—ensured that each session was a smooth and supportive space for participants to shine. 

For the final, we also had a special guest host: Helen Arney. Helen is a comedian, science presenter, and songwriter, known for mixing facts and fun in a creative way. Helen has appeared on BBC’s You Have Been Warned and has performed everywhere from science festivals to the Royal Institution. Her warm, witty presence brought an extra spark to the event, creating an atmosphere that was both professional and entertaining. We’re incredibly grateful for her contribution to making the final such a memorable experience. 

👉 You can find out more about Helen and her work at www.helenarney.com 

A True Celebration of Research and Community 

What makes the 3MT competition so special is that it’s more than just a contest, it’s a celebration of the amazing work done by postgraduate researchers. This is an event that celebrates and highlight the community that surrounds PGRs, from the participants working to achieve the perfect 3-minute presentation, to judges giving constructive feedback and to the organisers and helpers coming together and working for months to create such unique and passionate event. 

It’s a team effort all the way and is a celebration of the diversity, creativity, and impact of postgraduate research. 

It’s a space where researchers learn how to practice public speaking, boost confidence, and learn how to talk about complex ideas in simple, effective ways. Engaging in 3MT is a valuable experience for a researcher, the skills learnt during the competition are transferable to other areas of activity for researchers. For example, being able to simply explain one’s research in a succinct way can translate into an effective elevator pitch for future interviews. Gaining confidence to talk in front of an audience can ease future public presentations and inspire participating to future events. Learning how to synthetise, summarise research while keeping clear the aims and the substance of the work is a fundamental skill to be used in both research and a diverse range of potential careers. There are so many reasons to participate and to celebrate the effort of all PGRs taking place in this competition across the university! 

This year’s competition was full of inspiring talks, great questions, and strong community spirit. 

Thank you to everyone who took part, helped, or watched the event. And of course, if you haven’t yet, make sure to check out this year’s 3MT videos on YouTube! 

 
🎥 Watch the 3MT 2025 Playlist 

 NOTE:

If you require counselling and wellbeing at UofG provides a range of support to help you manage you mental health and build strategies that will help you successfully complete your course of study. Support is provided for a range of issues and severity, to ensure that you feel supported in a way that works for you. You can learn more about the various support offerings available and how to access them below. Please reach out below with you require any support:

A PhD is tough. There’s no doubt about that. Add a long-standing chronic health condition into the mix, and you have a lot on your plate.  

I’ve had Crohn’s Disease for over twenty years, and each day brings new challenges, but I’ve found strategies that have helped sustain momentum as I begin my PhD journey. I hope that these tips can help you prepare for this exciting next stage in your academic career.  

1. Put yourself first. Yes, you.  

You are the wonderful, clever machine that keeps this entire project afloat. Without you, there would be no PhD! When you have a chronic illness or health condition, it can be an understandable impulse to work extra hard to prove yourself, or ‘make up’ for times when you have been too sick to engage with your PhD. It often feels like you’re tiptoeing around your illness, it’s not sustainable! A PhD, or life in general, is not a stress-free endeavor, but you must learn to value yourself and your health above all else. Especially when you have a condition that flares up due to stress.  

When you find things beginning to get too much, take a step back. Do not ignore all the signs your body is giving you. Reach out to your doctor to keep them updated on your health, ask for help from your support network, and don’t be afraid to rest. My chronic illness comes with an array of symptoms like chronic fatigue and brain fog. Rest, for me, is necessary medicine. Whatever that looks like for you is completely valid. I like to draw a bath, listen to (non-PhD related!) audiobooks, and nap!   

2. Ask for help. 

Experiencing life with a chronic illness can come with a lot of guilt and baggage, but you don’t have to experience it alone. Your PhD will also come with a great support network that you can reach out to when things feel overwhelming. I have been very lucky to have a great supervisory team who understand my illness and how it affects my day-to-day PhD work. Communication is key. You are a team, and you are in this together. It’s important to remember that they want you to succeed and will be understanding when you are faced with these hurdles during your PhD.  

The Disability Service at the University of Glasgow has great resources that can and want to help you. Having a chronic illness can also be an incredibly mentally painful experience. Reaching out and talking to someone who understands is a great way to get things off your chest and can provide helpful coping mechanisms for the future. You can find out more here.  

3. Set realistic goals and stick to them! 

The first year of my PhD has been filled with very high highs and (some!) low lows. To say I have enjoyed every second of it would be a lie. At first, the prospect of undergoing this project seemed like a gigantic, daunting mountain to climb. Looking around me on induction day as fellow students took out planners and calendars, which already seemed brimming with project ideas and events and deadlines, was extremely overwhelming. I already felt behind on my first day! What helped me was understanding and accepting that I could not start my PhD like that; it wasn’t realistic or achievable when I already had an illness I had to consider. So, on my first day, I took a deep breath, I took notes in my notebook, and I smiled and struck up conversations with my fellow first-year PhD students. And it turned out they were just as nervous as me!  

Learning to accept my illness and limitations has been difficult, but getting into the habit of setting realistic goals has helped me compartmentalise my goals and understand how to achieve them. I have made my PhD work for me. I did end up buying my own planner and calendar, though it’s a little emptier than some of my peers, and that’s okay. I take each day as it comes, but most importantly, each day is so exciting. The projects that I can/do commit to are the ones that I am most passionate about. Because that is what a PhD should be about.   

Everyone’s PhD journey is unique, but everyone should prioritise their mental and physical well-being as they undertake this immense challenge. Take it one step at a time.  

Before starting my PhD, I had done various courses on research methods as part of both my undergraduate and master’s degrees. I began considering the importance of qualitative research (or QR as it is sometimes referred to) - including people’s voices in academic work. I did quantitative research courses and appreciated the use of quants, but this did not excite me the same way the idea of qualitative research did, that is talking to people and getting to the heart of the human experience.  

When I applied to do my PhD there was no doubt that I would use qualitative methods. I was excited to get to do such a large project, which included research concerning health inequalities and disadvantaged women in Scotland. I knew that my research must include the voices of the women themselves and well as the affected communities. 

As I settled into my team, I realised that I had joined a largely quantitative, computational methods group. I soon found myself thinking about my own work as ‘just quals.’ I have always been more of a word's person rather than a numbers person, and this is something I reflected on a lot at the start of my PhD. Being good at writing turned into ‘just’ being a ‘words person’, which I regarded as less valuable during this time of insecurity. Despite there being global recognition of the importance of qualitative research methods and the inclusion of lived experience in public health research, I still felt as though there was less value placed on the type of research I wanted to do. I was told by other researchers, both staff and PGRs, that I should develop my quantitative skills to improve my employability and help me get a job at the end of my PhD. I worried I wouldn’t be able to publish papers from my thesis and would struggle to remain in academia due to my qualitative background. This filled me with fear and created even more ‘qual anxiety’. 

One of my reviewers asked me during the annual review if I was experiencing ‘qual anxiety’. I laughed out loud when she said it- there was finally a term for what I had been feeling for nine months. She described it as the anxiety faced by qualitative researchers that their work is not as valuable or as high quality as quantitative research. I learned that feeling like my work is less scientific and requires less skill is not uncommon and is felt by other qualitative researchers in social science, public health and beyond.  

Denny and Weckesser (2022) write that qualitative research has traditionally been undervalued in the medical sciences despite leading to knowledge that can improve patient experience and outcomes. Common misconceptions include that qualitative research has little value because it is not generalisable or that it cannot claim validity or reliability, leading to scepticism. This leads to it being misconceived as ‘easier to do’ than quantitative work (Agius, 2013; Denny and Weckesser, 2022; Khankeh et al., 2015.)  

I cannot blame myself for feeling insecure about my choice of methods and their worth within a quantitative dominated field. However, the fact is that qualitative research can explore nuances and complex phenomena. The experience of people who are underrepresented in experimental studies are a valuable addition to medical research (Agius, 2013.) In fact, QR is so valuable that research funders and organisations such as UK Research and Innovation and the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland emphasise, encourage and facilitate in-depth qualitative research. On the UKRI website, it states clearly that “qualitative methods are scientific” (UKRI, 2022.) 

Anyone who has conducted qualitative research can attest that it is not ‘easy’ and that there are several methodologies, processes and approaches involved with producing rich qualitative data. This data often captures the social context and human emotion that quantitative data cannot measure.  Qualitative research allows community voices to be included in academic works, which is particularly important for health inequalities research, where socio-economically deprived groups and individuals have been traditionally left out of research concerning their own lives and health.  

This need for qualitative methods in scientific research is demonstrated by the demand for lived experience in research. Spending some time with this research helped to reduce my ‘qual anxiety’. The power of qualitative research in including marginalised voices in health research is clear. As aforementioned, it is needed in medical science to understand experiences of health and the complex nature of people’s lives (Denny and Weckesser, 2022).   

Health policies and phenomena should not be researched or enacted without meaningful insight from those affected. Qualitative research provides this insight and is therefore a crucial part of scientific research which strengthens evidence and understanding.  

We should all care about the importance of qualitative research, especially with the communities we are researching. I hope that my experience of ‘qual anxiety’ and subsequent reinforcement of my passion for these methods can help another qualitative researcher snap out of the self-doubt. We are needed; our work is valuable and extremely important- shout it from the rooftops! 

References:

Agius, S.J., 2013. Qualitative research: its value and applicability. Psychiatrist 37, 204–206. https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.bp.113.042770 

Denny, E., Weckesser, A., 2022. Quality not quantity: The value of qualitative research. BJOG 129, 1799–1800. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17149 

Khankeh, H., Ranjbar, M., Khorasani-Zavareh, D., Zargham-Boroujeni, A., Johansson, E., 2015. Challenges in conducting qualitative research in health: A conceptual paper. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res 20, 635–641. https://doi.org/10.4103/1735-9066.170010 

UKRI. 2022. What is social science? Qualitative research. Online at (https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/esrc/what-is-social-science/qualitative-research/) Accessed on 05/09/2025. 

This is a collective blog post written by a group of second and third-year PGRs based at the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability (SoSES):

Helena Fornells Nadal is a poet and researcher currently working towards an interdisciplinary practice-based PhD on Ecopoetics and Land Politics.

 Ted Palenski is an educator and researcher working on a PhD within the ESRC project Teaching for Digital Citizenship: Data Ethics in the Classroom and Beyond.

 Charlotte Hunt is an interdisciplinary researcher working on a practice-based PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies which focuses on queer narratives in the peatlands.

 Maria Izzo is a PhD candidate in Health and Social Policy researching older Ukrainian care workers in Italy. Her work focuses on care, ageing, migration, and multilingual fieldwork.

 The PhD journey can, at times, be an isolating experience, especially in times of austerity and precarity. As a group of second and third-year PGRs based at the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability (SoSES), we also contend with an academic community that is dispersed between Dumfries and Glasgow, a two-hour train journey. In SoSES, every spring, our first year PGRs present their research to the wider school. This year, in order to forge deeper links with the wider university, we hosted a PGR Conference on 1st  May 2025, which was for the first time student-led and open to PGRs outside of the school and outside of the college. The conference was organised by a PGR committee (Charlotte Hunt, Ted Palenski, Maria Izzo and Helena Fornells Nadal) with support from the school’s PGR staff, who secured CoSS PGR Opportunities Hub staff-led funding.

The idea for the conference came from thinking about the many links between the interdisciplinary research taking place in our school around a broad range of issues within social and environmental sustainability, and the research taking place in other schools and colleges on the same topics from various disciplinary lenses. The conference committee was keen to start conversations and exchange ideas with PGRs beyond our school, and to showcase the relevance of the work done in SoSES to those in other departments who may be less familiar with the Dumfries campus.

The conference title was Exploring Social and Environmental Sustainability through the Lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Innovations, Contributions, and Interdisciplinary Approaches. 15 abstracts were presented by PGRs from SoSES and from schools in other colleges across the University, including the School of Education, the School of Social & Political Sciences, the School of Health & Wellbeing, and School of Geographical & Earth Sciences. The aim of the conference was to welcome external students to the Dumfries Campus to allow for the fostering of collegiality between the university’s campuses and to spark new conversations between PGRs across disciplines, through the common link of social and environmental sustainability.

The conference’s panels explored the following topics: Education: Tools, Stories, Methods; Cultural Heritage & Peacebuilding; Urban & Rural Land Use & Sustainability; Intersectionality & Climate Justice; Water-based Social-Ecological Systems. Additionally, the committee facilitated two workshops: ‘Creativity in Research’ and ‘Generative AI for Social and Environmental Sustainability?’, both designed for a multidisciplinary audience. The development of the workshops was supported by the CoSS PGR Opportunities Hub Peer to Peer Workshops scheme.

The ‘Creativity in Research’ workshop explored the value that creative practice and thinking can bring to research projects in any academic discipline, both during the research process (for example, contributing to increased awareness of researcher reflexivity and positionality, and the exploration of affective, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of research and knowledge) and at the time of sharing research outputs with a wider audience within and outwith academia (providing an additional set of tools for effective Knowledge Exchange with non-specialist audiences). The workshop was attended by researchers from diverse disciplines, many of whom had not had the chance to think creatively about their projects before. In the feedback we received from our post-conference questionnaire, we heard that the workshop had been useful in helping to think differently about project planning and how to communicate complex ideas to wider audiences.

The second workshop, on generative artificial intelligence in the space of higher education, was a critical introduction to how generative AI works from a critical perspective: both as a technology of probabilistic text transformation and as a technology of extraction, whether through the material resources of land and water use or the labour required for model training. We felt it important to move beyond more instrumental approaches (e.g. how to use generative AI in research) and discussions of ethics vis-à-vis academic integrity. Instead, the workshop provided a space for discussion around the implications of generative AI on teaching and learning in higher education and provided participants the opportunity to reflect on what’s at stake.

An audience of over 50 staff and students attended the conference, and the committee received very positive feedback after the event: attendees highlighted the quality of the presentations, the diversity of speakers, and the benefits of building connections between the Dumfries and Gilmorehill campuses, all in the service of research on sustainability. The school hopes to host their interdisciplinary PGR conference again in 2026, extending it to two days to allow for more presentations and additional networking opportunities.

If you’re a part-time student too, you don’t need me to tell you how hard it is! The past nine months have not been without their challenges, but these five strategies have helped me to negotiate this tricky balancing act without completely falling off the metaphorical tightrope.  

I hope that these tips resonate with you, and that you can apply some of them to your own research practice.  

1. Get comfortable saying ‘no’ 

Opportunities that seem too good to miss will come your way, but being realistic about your time and prioritising your workload is key. Whether it’s training, a speaking opportunity, or an exciting project, you need to remember you are just one person. Wearing yourself too thin will come back to haunt you when you’re burnt out and wishing you had one less plate to spin.    

Sometimes the ‘no’ is not a flat-out refusal. Sometimes it’s ‘Thank you for thinking of me, I would love to be involved in this project, but I cannot commit to it at this time. Please consider me for future opportunities.’ By saying ‘no’ to the occasional opportunity you will free yourself up to excel with the work that you do say ‘yes’ to.  

2. Set expectations, and stick to them  

Navigating relationships with your supervisors and your employer is a tricky element of the part-time experience. Your work and your research will be vying for your attention and undivided focus, so you need to agree clear expectations, communicate your boundaries, and share your preferences early on.  

Setting this precedent at the start of your journey, and reiterating your position if your boundaries are tested, will protect your time and your wellbeing. I have been lucky in this respect, as both my employer and supervisors are very supportive and understanding of my split focus, but having these frank conversations early on has allowed me to maintain these positive relationships.  

3. Start a reflective PhD diary  

When you are studying part-time, the wins are small, and your progress is slow and hard won. Staying motivated is a struggle when it feels like your peers are racing on ahead while you trail behind. But you’d be surprised by how much you really achieve, even in just one week!  

Keeping a weekly reflective diary gives you the opportunity to track your progress, however small that is, and celebrate everything you have accomplished. You can also use this space to plan realistic short-term goals for each week and stay on top of your to do list. The easiest framework to use for reflective diaries is ‘What? So What? Now What?’. First, describe what you have done. Next, reflect on why this is significant to your research. Finish the entry by making a plan for what to do next.  

4. Create digital boundaries  

Picture this. You receive an email notification from work while you’re editing a chapter draft. You glance at it briefly and your muscle memory pushes you to open it. Suddenly, your brain isn’t focused on your thesis anymore, it's a million miles away and you’ve been completely derailed. Good luck getting back to your chapter now! 

This was me at the start of my thesis. It was unsustainable and something had to change. I turned off all Outlook and MS Teams notifications on my phone and created two separate accounts on my PC, one for my student login and one for my work login. Creating these hard digital boundaries makes it harder for me to slip back and forth between these different spheres of my life and reduces potential distractions which threaten to pull my focus.  

5. Make time for community  

When you’re short on time, and have scattered priorities, making new friends feels like a ‘nice to have’. Something you’ll get around to if you can find the time. But finding community as a part-time PGR is not a ‘nice to have’ it’s non-negotiable. Working on a thesis is an isolating experience, and loneliness is even more pronounced for part-time students who spend less time on campus. You need to make the time, carve it out of your schedule, and then protect it!  

Show up to the community events, join the group chats and ask that new person you met out for a coffee and a chat. If you’ve not made any connections yet, be brave and make the first move. Remember, everyone else is hoping to make friends too, and they’ll be so grateful that you reached out.   

No one prepares you for the immense force of emotions you undergo during the final months of your PhD journey. Even though people warn you that it won’t be easy – that you will go through physical, mental and emotional turmoil - nothing can quite prepare you for the final push.

In my experience, the symptoms of being in the final months of my PhD includes migraines, sore eyes, constant sweats, muscle soreness, back pain, mental fatigue, stress, worry, lack of patience and lack of sleep due to long hours sitting behind a computer screen. In addition, I have found myself out of touch with my social life. When I do speak to someone, there is this inability to construct proper sentences.  

Throughout these months, I have been challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally. There are times when I want to cry. There are times when I receive supervisors comments and instead of looking at them professionally, I begin to take them personally. I allow the words to tug on my self-doubt, and self-confidence. Everything around me seems unclear and unstable and it makes me wonder where my passion for my research has gone.  

I know I have reached my tipping point when:

1. I am no longer enjoying more than two cups of coffee a day (major coffee-addict),  

2. I fall into a deep sleep only to be woken up by thoughts of whether I have saved my most recent draft of my conclusion chapter, 

3. My love for reading novels has faded,  

4. I am nearing total exhaustion and have spotted signs I am about to burn out, and 

5. I’m not feeling hungry and start to skip meals.  

Yes, something is amiss … 

 From one PhD researcher to another, if you start to feel as if everything has gone a little awry, then please do not panic. I repeat do not panic. Here are some of the things I find useful  to help ease the stress and mental strain: 

If you are a student and you are struggling to manage your stress or are feeling overwhelmed, get in touch with one of our counselling and wellbeing services:

Take a walk  

Walking is known to be a healing remedy for stress, anxiety and allow one’s mind to seep into nothingness. Walking can also help ease those sore muscles that have been cramped in place by sitting in the same chair behind the same desk for long periods of time. Scotland is filled with places to walk and lose yourself in nature.  

As a way of combating my own stress, worry and anxiety, I go on long walks taking different routes every time to relax and switch off my mind. This is a wonderful way to step away from your work and immerse yourself in nature.   

Recently, I took a four hour walk around Mugdock Country Park with my guide dog Mitch and my friend as a way of relaxing my mind when I found myself unable to put words onto paper. The sounds and smells around me helped  ease my nerves while I took in all the positive energy from nature around me.  

Fall asleep to the lullaby of an audiobook:

As PhD researchers we are thrust towards reading countless journal articles, books, academic and lab reports and massive data sets. You start to see words blend into one another.  

As an avid book collector and passionate reader, I began to lose that fire and love for reading fantasy novels. They used to be my haven where I would get swept away by the characters, plot and adventures aiding me to fall into blissful sleep. Since edging closer to that finish line of my thesis, I’ve begun to dread opening any book! This is where I turned to audiobooks.  

My joy for reading returned, as all I had to do was close my eyes, listen to the narrators and get swept away into the tale. Within minutes I found myself falling asleep, forgetting to pause the story or even close my phone. If audiobooks are not your style, there is always the option to listen to music or a podcast.  

Hello, free to jump onto a quick call? 

We all know the path to becoming an academic and earning the title of Dr. can be a lonely and tedious one. Some days you feel you are lost and alone even when there are loads of family and friends surrounding you.  

Not everyone understands the stress, and mental strain on your body, the sleepless nights and the sacrifices you must make to get to that finishing line. Loneliness becomes your invisible best friend.  

This is why I look forward to speaking to a close friend even if it is just for a couple of minutes to ease the loneliness. . This can be anyone you feel safe to open to just hearing someone else talk and listen to you does wonders.  

This can also help if you wish to brainstorm ideas or just want to blow off steam. Whenever you feel alone or need someone just call or text that person as it will make you feel better. 

Decluttering a hoarder’s nest:

After long days of editing behind my computer screen, I have found that one way to ease my mind is decluttering the amount of items I have collected throughout the four years I have been living in Glasgow. We all have these moments where we buy things that are either spontaneous buy, junk or stuff we thought we needed at the time . 

I used to hate doing chores when I was younger, but now, I yearn to organise and reacquaint myself with all the hidden treasures around my flat. By working with my hands and not thinking, I declutter my mind.  Anything I don’t need I give to charity. This has become a weekend routine after returning from working on campus. 

Finding a way through the storm:

The final months of a PhD are undoubtedly among the most challenging periods you'll face in your academic journey. While the physical symptoms, emotional turbulence, and mental exhaustion can feel overwhelming, remember that these experiences are temporary markers of how far you've come, not indicators of your worth or capability as a researcher. The strategies that work—whether it's losing yourself in nature walks, rediscovering stories through audiobooks, connecting with understanding friends, or finding peace in simple tasks like decluttering—are deeply personal remedies that remind us we are more than our research. Your passion may feel buried under layers of stress and fatigue, but it's still there, waiting to resurface once you've crossed that finish line. Trust in your journey, be gentle with yourself, and know that every PhD candidate who has walked this path before you has felt exactly what you're feeling now. You're not alone in this struggle, and you're closer to the end than you think.

I cannot think of a better way to live and embody my own reflective writing practice than to share an entry from my own journal where I reflected on the experience of facilitating Dear Diary.

Here, I have applied the What? So What? Now What? framework to move through the reflection process towards self-development and action.  

What? (Describe)  

Last week I ran a workshop on how to keep a reflective journal as a PGR. I worked with the Researcher Development team to develop upon and refine my initial concept. The workshop explored the benefits of reflective writing and the approaches and frameworks available to PGRs as they navigate their uncertain and challenging journeys. I drew heavily on my own experience of keeping a reflective journal, because nothing beats lived experience, but I also consulted research to reinforce the reliability of my recommendations. 

It was a glorious day when I woke up on Friday morning and I started my day by rehearsing my workshop presentation, fine tuning my timing and delivery. My workshop was in the afternoon, so I headed on to campus to get set up. Considering the sunshine and clear skies, I was frankly a bit shocked when so many of my peers arrived to take part!  

Together, we worked through a reflective icebreaker, my presentation content and a facilitated reflective writing session, with a much-needed break for tea and cake in the middle of proceedings.  Everyone was very engaged and enthusiastic, and I was grateful to them for making it such a positive experience for me and for their peers. I couldn’t have asked for better attendees!  

So What? (Reflect)  

Facilitating workshops used to be second nature to me, but on the lead up to my session I admit I was feeling uneasy. The thought of hosting a workshop suddenly felt intimidating and a bit foreign – something old me used to do with ease, that was now a bit beyond me and my current abilities.  

Much like writing, facilitation is a muscle you need to strengthen through sustained and regular practice. I had allowed my facilitation skills to atrophy through years of neglect and work behind a desk. With no guarantee that my muscle memory would kick in and save the day, I spent *tonnes* of time preparing my workshop, until I knew my materials back to front. 

I reminded myself that I was running this workshop because I had something valuable to share, something I believed my peers would find useful. Since starting my reflective journal last October, I have enjoyed countless benefits. I applied to host this workshop because I wanted the opportunity to share what I had learned with my peers, so that they could experience those benefits, too. The materials I had produced were useful, my advice was useful, and this session was going to be useful, at least that is what I told myself.  

When I began the workshop, those familiar feelings of uncertainty came over me like a wave, but I persevered through the initial jitters. As the minutes passed, I fell into a familiar rhythm and shifted comfortably back into the role of facilitator. By the end of the two hours, I was sad that it was over, wondering when I would next get my facilitation fix. After receiving encouraging and positive feedback from the attendees, I walked out into the sun on cloud nine, feeling confident that I had run a good workshop that they had found useful. Success!  

Now What? (Plan)  

Moving forward, I am committed to three key areas of development;  

• Actively seeking out more facilitation opportunities. I want to focus on this aspect of my academic and professional development, so that running these events continues to feel like second nature.  

• Integrating what my peers shared during the session into my own reflective writing practice and the workshop’s design. I hope to run this session again in the future and want it to be a dynamic resource which is improved and refined each time I run it.  

• Exploring what value my reflective journal holds as a resource for my thesis itself. Recently, I have been looking into the role of case study logs, and I believe my journal could be incorporated into this chain of evidence.  

If you consider attending the in-person workshop at the ARC on May 27th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. More details are available in the link below:

As a researcher, you’ve probably encountered situations where conveying the essence of your work to those outside your field is challenging. You can sense their confusion through their awkward smiles and nods, and despite your best efforts, you know deep down that they didn’t grasp the terminology you used to explain your extensive research. You might think, “Well, that was about as clear as I could make it,” yet you can’t shake off the look of sheer perplexity on their faces. Neither of you is at fault. As a researcher immersed in your field day after day, you’re well-acquainted with its intricacies and nuances. You understand the specialized language and assume others do too, or at least wish they would. You hope that when you elaborate on the jargon, it becomes clearer. Perhaps it does to some extent. However, there are ways to simplify your explanations, benefiting both you and non-academics in understanding your research field. That’s what the Readable Research: Using Sensory Writing to Make Academic Research Engaging workshop aims to facilitate. This workshop is part of the University of Glasgow’s Write of Spring Festival running from 15th – 29th May 2025. 

Regardless of your research topic—no matter how niche or carefully selected—it fundamentally revolves around human experiences. It involves solving problems, offering solutions, and helping people with the challenges in their everyday lives. It also encompasses knowledge about the world, including the past, present, and especially the future. I am confident that if you explore your research topic thoroughly, you can discover connections to human experiences and emotions and identify why the public would be interested in your work. Ultimately, as PGRs, we all want our hard work to be recognized and to contribute meaningfully. What better way to share this knowledge than to publish it, allowing others to benefit and possibly express silent gratitude for the solutions we might have provided. 

One practical way to make an impact is by writing articles that are much easier to understand than conventional academic papers. The goal is to create content that non-experts can read during their coffee breaks, without the need to look up complex terms and phrases. These articles should showcase your research and resonate with non-experts on a deeper level. Nowadays, we all seek out pieces that reflect our experiences; we want to make sense of our lives, of our problems. We are searching for solutions to the issues that may or may not affect us in the future. In short, we want to read relatable articles that offer insights into ourselves and our experiences. This workshop aims to support this objective through sensory writing, which involves using your senses to make your writing more tangible, accessible, and human.  

In this workshop, we will explore articles from The Conversation that effectively illustrate how to reach a wider audience. We will discuss the importance of a compelling title and a strong opening sentence and aim to understand the benefits of sensory writing to create engaging and relatable content. This doesn’t mean simplifying your research. Instead, catering to the public involves using various strategies to convert technical, jargon-heavy topics into engaging and easy-to-understand pieces. 

If you think this could help you as a researcher in the future, consider attending the in-person workshop at the ARC on May 27th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

I am a second year PGR in the School of Education. The first year of my PhD was like a race against an imaginary enemy. I rushed between reading articles, writing drafts, attending courses, and doing part-time jobs. I tried to put all my efforts into engaging with my PhD studies.  I made my thesis longer, at the expense of my health. One day when my friends asked me to hang out, I was sick – a cold had kept me in bed for seven days.  

My advice to PhD candidates is don’t push yourself to be productive at all costs. I’ve learnt the hard way that our wellbeing truly matters during our academic studies! In this blog, I’m going to share with you three ways that work for me to unwind, relax and take time for yourself. 

Make time to enjoy nature 

PGRs with many commitments might find it hard to travel to another city for a break. Going to a park is an alternative way to get out in nature. (when it’s not rainy). Luckily, the University is right next to Kelvingrove Park, which is a nice place for a short walk. I often pick a spot in the park and settle down alone to appreciate the colours of the sky and the shapes of the clouds. Walking around, I imagine myself as a nature explorer. I touch the bark of trees, feeling the textures left by time. I watch dogs running around playing and socialising with other dogs. I hear children’s laughter, giggles, and chuckles. I read plaques on memorial benches, imagining the stories, the grief and love behind the words. Spending 10-20 minutes taking in this sensory experience within natural surroundings brings me a lot of peace, and it’s completely free! 

Listening to audio stories 

Listening to stories has a magical power to reduce my stress and alleviate loneliness, and audiobooks or podcasts are possibly the most efficient way to do this. As PGRs, we often spend quite a lot of time sitting in front of a screen. When I feel anxious or have trouble focusing, I stop writing, stand up, and walk around a bit while playing an audio story on Audible or Spotify. Stories can help you get out of your head and add a bit of fun to your routine (reading too many scholarly articles can be a bit boring!). Listening to horror stories feels like riding a roller coaster. The suspense and sudden shocks created by music and sound effects provide an adrenaline rush. Listening to children’s books brings back happy childhood memories. Listening to travelogues about places I have never been to unfolds the culture and history of a new spot and helps me imagine my next trip. Listening to a storyteller protects our eyes, and the presence of another voice in the same space gives us a sense of companionship! Listening to stories, for me, is a way to connect with my own heart. It might work for you as well! 

Below is a screenshots of my listening history on Audible. 

Keeping a visual journal 

Academic pressure can lead to burnout or fatigue. Sometimes it is hard to complain to someone, which is why keeping a visual journal is a great idea! Studies (e.g. Al-Rasheed & Al-Rasheed, 2023; Lyon & Scott, 2025) have shown that thinking visually is great for creativity and relaxation. When I find myself overthinking, I start doodling. Drawing helps my own thoughts become calmer and I begin to think with a more rational mind. This helps me to separate my ‘real self’ from my ‘anxious self’. With just a pen and a piece of paper, you can doodle in any shape and form you like. No need to worry about formatting or language errors, just playing around with shapes and colours is a carefree experience.  When you try it, please don’t set high expectations on your artistic skills (as you do in academics) instead give yourself permission to create bad drawings. Drawing, in my experience, helps my thoughts become clearer  and more organised.

Studies on the benefits of drawing: 

Al-Rasheed, E. S., & Al-Rasheed, M. S. (2023). The value of painting as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of anxiety/depression mental disorders. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 32, 100636. 

Lyon, P., & Scott, C. (Eds.). (2025). Drawing in Health and Wellbeing: Marks, Signs and Traces. Bloomsbury Publishing. 

Rong Zhang is a PGR student in the School of Education.

Pursuing a PhD in English Literature as an international student

Hedieh Gharrat is a fiction writer based in Glasgow, Scotland. She is currently pursuing a PhD in researching the dark academia genre while crafting short stories inspired by Iranian folklore, fantasy, and gothic genres. When not writing, Hedieh enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching TV shows and films. An aspiring author, she looks forward to publishing her work in the future. 

Undertaking a PhD is a tremendous and demanding feat. It is expensive, isolating and offers no guaranteed route to a prominent career. Adding the complexities of being an international student—coming from a country halfway across the world, separated from family, living alone while navigating academic discourse in a second language creates a rather daunting picture. 

Mastering a language takes time—perhaps even a lifetime. Many native speakers often joke about how they don’t even know everything about their mother tongue, so how can one be expected to become fluent in a second language quickly and efficiently? These challenges become even more significant if you study English Literature.  

Years ago, when I first decided to take an academic approach to learning English Literature, I had no concrete plans to apply to a university in the UK. While studying abroad was without a doubt, an exciting prospect, my primary motivation was the love of literature itself—the idea of reading, analysing and discussing books in depth was thrilling. However, back home professors would in rare instances, slip into the native language to help us understand the topics better. After all, we were learning about the histories, stories and people with whom we had little in common. Despite our passion for the subject, at the core there was always a gap, which only widened during my first year as a Masters (PGT) student at the University of Glasgow. 

I was not entirely helpless but often during classes I found myself becoming acutely aware of how different my history was from that of my classmates. Most of them shared cultural anecdotes and had read the same books as a child, whereas I had not. These differences became particularly evident when writing assignments even though no one explicitly criticised the lack of sophisticated vocabulary or complex sentences, I was my own harshest critic. I expected myself to write publication-worthy essays, make great critical insights and keep pace with English speakers who had grown up with the language since childhood. All the while I was adjusting to a new country, a new academic system and a new way of thinking, which created an immense pressure to be on par with my peers. I expected myself to swiftly achieve the same level of fluency and comprehension. And when that didn’t happen, I started to feel discouraged.  

However, things didn’t get as bad as I thought they would because they often don’t. As an overthinker, I was quick to jump to the worst conclusions, but over time I started to recognise the areas that most needed improving. My tutors provided constructive feedback on the aspects of my work that truly mattered and not my unsophisticated vocabulary, as I had suspected. 

I did not finish at the top of my class, but neither did I fail. Looking back, I take immense pride in what I have achieved because to me it was nothing short of amazing. Those challenges I was able to overcome gave me the confidence to apply for a PhD. Had I not completed my PGT with reasonable grades, I might never have found the courage to pursue a higher degree. 

Now, barely three months into my PhD, I still experience moments of doubt. Countless times I question my capabilities, wonder if my research topic holds any value, or whether I will be able to create something I’m proud of by the end of it. 

Whenever these doubts arise, I take a step back and remind myself of where I was and how far I’ve come. I remind myself of how terrified I was to receive my first-ever grade for an assignment submitted to a foreign university. I recall the first time I stepped into a country I had never been to, one that I felt I needed to conquer in some sense. It is in these moments that I realise what a tremendous feat it has been to overcome those challenges—one that should never be taken lightly. And if I have conquered all that, I know I can do anything.   

 Blog post by Hedieh Gharrat  MINI BIO student at the University of Glasgow

Glass Half Full: The Part-time PhD and Wellbeing 

Hannah Speed is in her third year of a part-time PhD in history, researching ‘Women’s life-writing and the suffrage campaign in Scotland c.1890s-1990s.’ Hannah is keen to hear ideas about wellbeing as a part time PGR in the comments. She is also interested in setting up an informal part-time students’ group. If that’s of interest to you, please get in touch with Hannah directly at h.speed.1@research.gla.ac.uk. 

I enjoy being a part time  PhD student , but it has meant that I’ve had to prioritise my wellbeing. Many part-time PhD students  juggle  multiple commitments; from caring responsibilities, to managing a health condition or disability, to working and building a career. Everyone’s experience will be different, but I want to share three wellbeing tips which have worked for me,and hope that they also resonate with you. .  

1. Accepting that you have less time in the short term 

 As a part-time student,you have less time in any given week or month to devote to your research. You need to manage your time, and even more importantly your energy, to reflect this. I like to plan at least a semester ahead so I can see where the peaks and troughs of work in both sides of my life are going to be. If I know I’m going to have a busy period to hit a big deadline for my job, I aim to plan my research so that I’m not trying to write my annual progress review submission at the same time!  

Your PhD is usually something you’re personally passionate about and love to work on, and since  the PhD structure is fluid, it can be tempting to constantly be working on it. I’ve been trying to set some boundaries around my work to give myself proper breaks.  

How you take these breaks can be totally flexible and personal to you – it’s not realistic for me to treat my PhD like a 9 to 5 job. I sometimes work on weekday evenings or weekend mornings, but never on weekend afternoons which are my protected time. I use my email signature to explain that I’m part time, and which days people can expect me to be working. It doesn’t matter what your personal schedule is, so long as it works for you, has regular breaks carved out, and the people you’re working with understand it.  

2. Making the most of the long term  

On the flip side, one of the real luxuries of the part-time PhD is that you have several more years to do your research compared to full-time students. This is great for managing your time and energy. I know that personally I struggle to say ‘no’ to opportunities because I’m just so interested in everything academia has to offer – conferences, writing PGR blog posts (!),  volunteering, training and more. I try to remind myself that I have many years to play with, and that if I’m too busy now , I can just add opportunities to my list of things to try out next year.  

Many part-timers also relish being able to think about the PhD in slower time. I enjoy having space to reflect and mull things over, and I plan my weeks to take advantage of that. I might write something on a Monday then leave it until Friday to edit with fresh eyes, or let thoughts and ideas evolve in the back of my mind during my non-study days. On that note, it’s also worth saying: try not to compare your progress to full-time students; you’re never going to win that race! Learning to enjoy the process and the slow pace of study has really improved my relationship with the PhD. 

3. Building your community   

Finally, it’s important to acknowledge that studying part-time can be lonely. Part-time students are in the minority and might not have lots of time to spend on campus enjoying office camaraderie or all the usual research events and seminars. One thing which has really helped me is meeting other part-time students. Once I started asking around, I’ve been able to find plenty of part-time researchers in my school and my funding body. It’s lovely to share experiences and be reassured that other people are going through the same thing.  

As work commitments limit how much time I have available, I try to prioritise when I want to be on campus. For me, the Centre for Gender History is my main research community, so I try to flex my work hours to make sure I can attend their postgraduate events and research seminars and see my fellow gender historians. Having a university support network like this is great for when you need a bit of a boost.  

I hope that these tips  help you make the most of your part time PhD.   

 Blog post by Hannah Speed a third year of a part-time PhD in history student at the University of Glasgow