Grad Students Drowning in Thesis Stress
Many graduate students are experiencing significant stress related to thesis writing, including perfectionism, time constraints, and self-doubt. Some are even considering using AI tools for assistance, highlighting the pressure they feel.
SOURCES (60)
“I'm honestly really struggling right now, and I need to know if anyone here has ever been in a similar position and, if so, what you did. My life outside the PhD is a mess right now. I'm living with an abusive parent and another…”
“I've always been kind of curious as to how long it should realistically take to write a dissertation. I started writing mine a month after coming back from the field (which was way too soon) and had to do most of the interview transcription and data analysis in that time. I wrote must over 200 pages and got an almost final draft sent out to my committee in just a year. For me, that was way too much. Even if I had done all of my transcription and data analysis before, my advisor was incredibl”
“So I'm coming into final year and other than of course finishing my project, writing thesis, and viva prep what other things should I be doing? I want to do some prep for life after PhD. CV will be getting an update but what other things can I do to get ready. Planning to stay in academia submitted by /u/LividHealth5643 [link] [comments]”
“I’m talking about a healthy amount of advanced academic work stress, not the absoluetly-losing-my-mind and my hair-is-falling-out stress. I feel like I hear a lot of experiences of the latter, not so much of the former. If any PhD students on here felt like they were able to find a healthy balance of research and their personal life or felt like their PhD wasn’t all-consuming in their life, I would love to hear about your experience and your advice for how you managed it. Best advice I’ve heard”
“Sorry for the dumb question, my advisor has been very slow to respond and I’m in a bit of a spiral lately. I have some questions about the thesis by publication format. When adding preliminary work to the appendix, does this need to be in a publishable format as well? Like does it need the full traditional abstract, intro, methods, results/discussion, conclusion? I did a lot of method development and preliminary data collection for a collaborator, and this project is meant to continue after I gr”
“I wanted to try and get my work published, but the past two years out of grad school have been brutal in terms of starting a business, getting licensed, etc. I've never published any research before, so I'm not sure if attempting to publish something done a couple years ago would be pointless. My advisor wanted to publish. The manuscript for it is almost done, I just needed to condense the stats analysis and conclusion. submitted by /u/Comfortable-Cap8380 [link] [commen”
“Hello everyone. For anyone who has considered and actually dropped out of their Ph.D. program for work, did you apply when you were still in the Ph.D. program or you dropped out and applied for work after? Were you totally transparent about your situation in front of recruiter, even though the reason they approached your might be because you are in a Ph.D. program (even though the job doesn't require Ph.D. level)? submitted by /u/Organic_Swordfish421 [link] [comments]”
“I'm incredibly excited but also quite nervous submitted by /u/Easy_Mousse5167 [link] [comments]”
“So I applied for a post doc at one of the high ranking universities in the states recently (I'm just finishing writing up my thesis). Love the work the group are doing & would genuinely love to work with them, but I honestly had 0 expectations that I'd realistically hear back. Fast forward 2 weeks & the PI has contacted me to arrange a call. I'm based in the UK & have only had "official" interviews for post docs, so honestly I have no idea what to expect here. I”
“I have to rewrite my humanities PhD introduction as the final version. Well, I was supposed to submit it to my supervisors (to begin editing chapter-by-chapter) around a month ago and this month has just dragged on completely. I have written exactly 2200 of 11,000 words. I generally have a roadmap but my mind feels like mush and I hate logic (it’s a very creative field). I think I overthought the intro too much (I have ADHD and OCD lol) and tricked my mind into thinking it was done when it wasn’”
“Looking at getting a life outside of the lab, but it’s tougher than I expected. Wondering if anyone else wish they had started a new hobby or did start one during their PhD. submitted by /u/_1Complex-Entendre_ [link] [comments]”
“Is it normal to feel like I could do better when reading my final thesis draft? I feel stressed about it and can only see the gaps or places that can have more improvements submitted by /u/Vermeer527 [link] [comments]”
“Hi all, I am in my final semester of grad school, and I am finally starting on my thesis. I have been working with my professor about what my topic should be and so far it’s not going so well (what I was moving toward was shut down completely so I have to take a different path) I’m a few days away from having to submit my proposal, and my nerves are sky high. My entire graduate career seems to be on the line with one semester-long project and I feel at such a loss. How have you all managed to wo”
“Hi reddit, I had a chat with my advisor today about graduation requirements. I’m doing my PhD in Neuropathology, and he expects me to publish at least one first-author paper with an IF > 5 (ideally > 10) within 5 to 6 years. Given how slow and risky bench work and tissue analysis can be in this field, I’m trying to gauge if this is standard or a high bar. How realistic is this target in neuropathology/neuroscience? What strategies worked for you to hit a high-impact journal during your PhD”
“I am in a somewhat good and horrible situation at the same time. I am finishing my PhD in Physics. The actual end date (final deadline) of my programme is in about a year from now; so plenty of time on paper. The "bulk" of the work is really behind me, and the results we wanted to achieve with my supervisors have been achieved; and both are very happy with my work. However, I have been given an offer for a different job just after my PhD (same field), and my future supervisor told me t”
“I’ve been on this sub for a pretty long time, and it still blows my mind that so many people have different procedures when it comes to graduating and/or their defense. So I’m curious what your guys process was like? For me personally, I just kept sending my dissertation drafts to my committee for comments. When they finally thought it was good enough, I scheduled my defense. After my defense, they gave me a few more comments, mostly about the figures. After I fixed whatever they had, I submitte”
“I think you should absolutely talk with people who live that life before you dive in. While it seems like you have thought it through here are some questions you should answer before you do this: What original research do I want to contribute to man-kind's understanding of? Given the chosen field above, who would be the best person to study under and how could that person help my research goals? What journals would this be appropriate to publish in? After I get my degree am I okay with takin”
“thank you! the posts i’ve seen with the gentleman i believe you’re talking about were a bit older but I’ll see if i can reach out”
“Have any of you given birth while doing your PhD? Were you able to finish your degree? I’ve just started my 4th year and likely won’t defend until my 6th and I might be pregnant. I‘m married and we are doing fine financially - I am mainly curious about how people have managed their time and physical fatigue after giving birth and raising a newborn while still in their PhD program. Edit: I’m located in the United States submitted by /u/audpad [link] [comments]”
“Hi, I recently started graduate school and have my first major assignment due soon. It has been years since I was last in school. I have used the writing center, but are there any online tools to help grade my paper so to speak or offer grammar help. Also, it seems graduate writing involves paraphrasing and synthesizing quotes, so there will be citations in nearly every sentence. Is all of this true? submitted by /u/PollutionNorth9983 [link] [comments]”
Hi everyone, I’m doing a Engineering PhD in Europe and have my defense coming up soon. I’m feeling stressed about how to prepare, especially after rushing to finish my thesis, i already…
“Hi everyone, I’m a PhD student in cognitive neuroscience in the US and expect to defend my PhD in approximately 8-9 months. I’m terribly scared to start applying, and so would appreciate advice from fellow grad students, particularly on the practical aspects. Timing: Are there particular times of year when most positions are advertised? Finding positions: Do people generally approach PIs directly, or mainly apply to advertised positions? Choosing labs: How do you evaluate whether a lab/PI is a g”
“Hi everyone, 2nd-year PhD candidate here staring down my first A* submission deadline (AAMAS 2027). I could really use some perspective on theory expectations, especially since I think I’ve methodologically painted myself into a corner. The setup My project started with a clean hypothesis: if architecture X is more robust than Y to perturbation A, and B is a strictly harder version of A, then the X > Y ordering should hold under B as well. I isolated three variables I suspected were driving t”
“Hi folks! I've been lurking this sub for a few months as I start a History PhD next week (ahh!). Since finishing my honors undergrad, I've had starry-eyed visions of completing a PhD and getting into academia. I know the difficulties, I know many of the drawbacks, and I know its not the most financially smart thing to do. I just cant see myself doing anything else practical as a career. I worked for several years after my masters and it made me miserable. I hated going to work everyday k”
“Two weeks ago, I successfully passed my PhD proposal defense, which was obviously a huge and happy milestone. But honestly, I keep thinking about how much easier that day would have been if I could have focused only on preparing my presentation. I had to handle almost everything myself, including bringing refreshments for the audience, ordering coffee, carrying water and food, and setting up the room. In my previous department at the same university, I had seen administrators handle these things”
“With the competitiveness of PhD applications now, I'm really considering the route of applying to a masters with thesis, finishing it and continuing to a PhD. Would this be possible? I really want to attend UC Berkeley. I don't think my profile is competitive enough for a direct PhD admission, so even if it's expensive, I kinda want to go the masters+Phd route. Background: International student from Singapore, Civil engineering, 4.2/5.0 Gpa, currently doing my undergrad thesis Would”
“hi everyone, So I recently got a grad school offer for a thesis-based master's. After months of finding a supervisor, I finally found one who accepted me. However, I also started a job 3 months ago. I am now not sure if I should quit my job and pursue the master's. With the master's, I'm not sure if I would be able to find a job afterward since research is hard. What would you do? submitted by /u/Reasonable_Top9581 [link] [comments]”
“Here is a link to a post about being a PhD student being a dealbreaker in dating: https://www.reddit.com/r/hingeapp/comments/1f5j9ju/is_being_a_phd_student_in_your_30s_a_deal_breaker/ I feel so freaking lost and confused right now. I always held the PhD in such high regard. At least in my family it was always seen as a major achievement, something to truly be proud of, something respectable. But from this post, at least in the context of dating, it sounds like pursuing a PhD just makes you some”
“Hello. My dissertation is due next week, and I'm currently in the process of completing it. It's been a stressful year, and I've been catching myself daydreaming about not having deadlines anymore. It's gotten more intense as the days count down to submission day. Although a part of me feels absolute bliss about the neighboring end, a significant part of me is petrified. I am twenty-four. The last six years were spent in education. It's been constant deadlines, back-to-back.”
“Hey i’m currently doing my PhD in ComSci, I was wondering what what tools or products do you all use to make your day-to-day PhD life easier? submitted by /u/Suspicious-Solid6618 [link] [comments]”
“i’m currently in the last year, and we already need to submit our final work idea which i’m not confident in at all. it’s the only idea i could think of, which is incredibly complex and because of that it gives me so much anxiety every day. i study arts and we don’t just have to do write a thesis, but also come up with conceptual idea, do experiments and submit a physical work, that we worked on by ourselves. im scared i wont be able to take the pressure. how do you deal with this? is it normal”
“Hello everyone, I have to submit my manuscript in a month and a half to finish my PhD in three years. I'm more or less on track for now. I'm currently writing my very last chapter (and I still have to proofread and correct the others a bit). However, for the past few days, I've been feeling nauseous, there's a lump in my throat; I've been having episodes of dizziness (without losing consciousness) and I'm constantly exhausted. It hit me suddenly and I don't know what”
“Got my first progress report coming up for my PhD and although I know what topics I want to cover theres too many tabs open in my computer and brain. Help! submitted by /u/SnowflakeSeaBreeze [link] [comments]”
“I'm officially scheduled to defend my dissertation for my Rhet Comp/Cultural Studies PhD on September 10th. Part of me is super excited and just ready to be done, but I'm also (probably unnecessarily) terrified because of who is on my committee. Basically I created a design based research study based on a concept that I then turned into a pedagogical practice. Back when I was looking for outside readers for my committee, my chair suggested that I ask the premier scholar of that concept t”
“hi! I'm looking to apply for my masters or phd not 100% sure yet but leaning more towards phd. has anyone applied and willing to share their stats and schools they got into? I'm having a lot of difficulty understanding where I stand for applications and what schools might be reasonable to get into. Also, any suggestions for getting my phd? Thank you submitted by /u/Funny-Flan-6305 [link] [comments]”
“It was my Masters thesis defense, but it's relevant because I want to do a PhD and wanting everything to end on a good note, with a good CGPA and all. Everything went well, I did my practice, I was in a good mood and high spirits, there weren't even many people in the committee. I had some physiological response, which I cannot explain. But 1. The HOD asked me to wrap it up quickly even before I started (we had another thesis defense presentation before mine), 2. they started interruptin”
“Looking for any tips regarding the PhD defense! How many times would you recommend re-reading the thesis? I already did a thorough re-read a few weeks ago shortly after submitting it. Should I focus primarily on preparing for possible questions? Is it best to take the day before the defense completely off from preparation? Also, what kinds of questions can one typically expect? Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated! Edit to add that I'm in the Humanities. submitted by”
“Being an M.Phil in International Relations and Nuclear Diplomacy myself, I’m curious to know how you all make up for studying (or manage your day) after all the high-pressure academic hours at your alma mater? submitted by /u/giantretardmf [link] [comments]”
“Humanities master's student from Europe here, at a university where your master's thesis has to be 85 pages. I had amazing grades in high school, absolutely despised undergrad from the first second but still managed to get the same grades, and started the master's because I need it for my career. I've finished all my courses and still have two big oral exams and my master's thesis ahead of me. I struggle hugely with working memory issues and academic writing in general. I fee”
“My MA thesis is soon to be finished. I would love to do an in-depth plagiarism check on my thesis before I submit it. What software would you recommend to screen my thesis? submitted by /u/paloma_paloma [link] [comments]”
“I’m at the dissertation-writing stage of my PhD, and I’ve decided to start a Non-Zero Dissertation Days challenge. The rule is simple: Every single day, do something that moves the dissertation forward. It doesn’t have to be a perfect writing day. It doesn’t even have to be a good writing day. 300 words? ✅ One paragraph? ✅ Fix a figure? ✅ Edit a section? ✅ Read and add one reference? ✅ On a terrible day, write one sentence? Still counts. ✅ The goal is simply: NO ZERO DAYS. I’m tired of waiting f”
“Conditions are awful right now doing a PhD: low wages, stress etc. But isn't this place supposed to be "supportive?" There is still so much elitism, so many condescending comments looking down on folks interested in doing a project. We don't know someone's situation, life history etc even from the few lines they might describe about themselves. For many, a PhD is something which brings us out of working shitty dehumanising minimum wage jobs, even if it's just for four y”
“Hey all. I’m doing a master’s in linguistics right now. I’m a year in, and am supposed to start my final year next month, but I am absolutely dreading it. I don’t feel super prepared with my thesis topic, and I got SO burned out last year that I about had a psychotic break lol. I’m a chronic procrastinator and have been struggling a lot with my mental health, and I’m worried that if I just bite the bullet and finish this year, I’ll crash and burn. I do think I want to finish, but maybe I want to”
“As many have experienced, there are tough and difficult times that come with completing and submitting a PhD, especially during the final two years. I isolated myself way too much, to the point that I lost touch with current affairs, be it music, rising pop stars, trending social spaces and you name it. It’s really hard to get back to my social life. Old friends got jobs and moved to new cities, and some are now married. Where do I even start? How long will this feeling of isolation last? I went”
“I've been spending my past few weeks really stressed about the application process. I know stressing about this gets you nowhere but I just keeping falling into this endless loop of "oh I have a lot of research experience I should be able to get a position somewhere, atleast, hopefully" to "oh professors are gonna take one look at your canadian 85% and decide you're stupid and don't deserve to get admission" or "oh maybe I should tell them about the context o”
“My partner has spent the last 4.5 yrs completing her PhD. In that time, we've bought our first home, had our first kid and she's gone through a whirlwind mentally all while holding down a part-time job too. Next week is her final submission and I want to mark the occasion. I've read do something small now (help her unwind & finally relax) with some big later when she's up for it. What would you have loved from your partner being here? Side question: I'd love to have her t”
“My partner has spent the last 4.5 yrs completing her PhD. In that time, we've bought our first home, had our first kid and she's gone through a whirlwind mentally all while holding down a part-time job too. Next week is her final submission and I want to mark the occasion. I've read do something small now (help her unwind & finally relax) with some big later when she's up for it. What would you have loved from your partner being here? Side question: I'd love to have her t”
“Hi all, I’m starting a comp bio phd this fall after working full-time in research for the past two years. during that time, my off hours were eaten up by working on an unrelated previous paper, and then immediately pivoting to grad apps. sustaining that level of intensity was not great, and I want to avoid repeating it. however, there are still topics I’m genuinely interested in that may or may not help my future research. for the senior students here: is it worth trying to maintain a low-stakes”
“Hello, I am a third year physics PhD in low-medium energy nuclear physics, but I am trying to do either experimental plasma or computational plasma physics. I am wondering if anyone has advice on shifting between these fields? submitted by /u/DylanTheSon123 [link] [comments]”
“I'm writing a theoretical dissertation in the social sciences and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good writer's guide for theoretical dissertations. As a side project, I'm also writing my first middle-grade novel, and I'm using Jessica Brody's Save the Cat Writes a Novel. The beat sheets have been tremendously helpful for structuring the story, which got me wondering: is there anything similar for academic writing? Specifically, I'm looking for something like an”
“Hello ! Did anyone here manage to balance the weight and isolation of a PhD with loneliness, lack of friendship? A thesis already takes so much time and energy that, by the end of the day, I barely have enough left for hobbies, let any effort to socialize and make friends and connections. And being a foreigner, starting from zero in a country where you already need so much energy just to adapt, makes the whole thing feel so heavy. the PhD being ultra complicatde, the nature of research makes it”
“Hello, I have a defence for my masters thesis coming up and am concerned as I have never done anything like this before. I will be both presenting my work and commenting on another thesis. Does anyone have any tips of things to include/questions to ask as a commentator? It is graded both on my defence and on engagement with the discussions of another thesis. for reference this is a social science/econ discipline submitted by /u/bbswondering [link] [comments]”
“Oh, yes you can. It is called co-authoring. You are expected to do this, and heavily encouraged at masters level as well. I myself is a Masters graduate, and learning all this before I actually apply. I learned a great deal about do's and don'ts because, PhD is a massive energy sink. Just like what other person said, if your goal is teaching, masters degree + CPA is ok. If you want to get serious, you must be ready to research like scholars. Your job is to expand the boundaries, so don&#”