During my PhD I am trying to commit to regular reflection as a tool to develop understanding of both myself and the world within which we live. To do this I am going to share a monthly picture that promotes me to reflect on a particular theme. In the first instance the theme is going to be set by a research team at the University of Glasgow who are carrying out some work, evaluating a method for helping PhD students to reflect on their transitions during the PhD process, through the use of photography. Participants are encouraged to take photos that show important aspects of their transition, and to share them with others.
High Hopes
At the start of PhD life, many emotions are present, from the excitement of starting a new project to the many internal questions which lead to the overwhelming emotion of fear. For example, What have I done ? Will I be good enough? However, understanding that there is a structure and framework to support my journey, and that it is most definitely a marathon and not a sprint has allowed me to embrace the emotions and use them as a way to reflect on where I have come from, where I am now and where I would like to be in the future.
