Hello all,

I'm not sure when the last time I posted was, but it is probably a long time ago (well, definitely!). I just wanted to let everyone know what life can end up like post-PhD and it's not all that bad really. After I got my PhD, I ended up working for a consultancy for around a year and a bit. I made some really great friends during this time and and I loved it. There's kind of a shortage of certain academics in Australia and this brings me to the next stage of my post-PhD adventure...
I ended up getting an academic job in Australia and in the space of 4 years became the program leader for what I teach in at the university I work at. Oh...my...god is all I can say. I am a social worker, a mental health support specialist and I help an awful lot of students. I sort of thing I've grown up doing the job because I see them as really important responsibilities - almost like having 248 children which is about the size of my program. Research is almost a sideline now but my PhD skills come in handy - it just puts everything into context really.
I hope everyone at the Post-Graduate forum is doing well, and regular posters I remember like Sneaks, Eska, Sylvester and Chrisrolinski. I got such valuable support and help here and I'll always remember my time as a fully signed up member!
If I have anmy advice to new members of the forum about doing a PhD or managing it, it's the following really. Enjoy it, it's the most self-indulgent part of your research career ever! Persevere, support each other through the ups and downs, and be prepared should you become an academic. It's kind of more of the same (so hopefully it's you passions) and be prepared for managing students! It's so unpredictable and you can never know what one day is like from the next. Thank you for all the support Postgraduateforum!


Best wishes,



Walminskipeasucker


P..s. Some posters may remember my embarrassing case of erectile dysfunction that I posted about many years back (blushes!). Well, I not so long ago got to the bottom of the mystery (like some kind of bad soap opera). Flipping muliple sclerosis! Many dots in my life were joined! I guess the moral of the story is to protect your health everyone!

Wow Wally!!!
So great to hear about your life post-PhD! You were a great source of help to me on this forum as I know you were for so many others.
As for me - I had a long and complicated journey but finally submitted my thesis last year, passed the viva and am working on some minor corrections right now.