Anxieties as a PGR
May 17, 2023
Yesterday we shared The Wellbeing Thesis, an online resource for postgraduate research students to support their wellbeing, learning and research. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety, so we wanted to look at the things PGRs have expressed anxiety over and what can help.
We’ve gathered up just some of the things that PGRs have expressed concerns about, such as loneliness, imposter syndrome and finance, and sharesome resources to help deal with those concerns.
We’ve also included some ideas that might help those of you who are international students or distance learners.
Imposter syndrome is defined as ‘the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.’ Many PGRs have expressed that they don’t feel like they belong on their programme or that they don’t deserve to be there. However, it’s important to remember that you do belong there. You are good enough to be where you are.
The Wellbeing Thesis discusses imposter syndrome in more detail, specifically building your identity as a researcher and taking control of imposter syndrome during your research degree. You can find it here:
Postgraduate Research Myths Debunked
There’s a range of myths surrounding postgraduate research. The Wellbeing Thesis explores some common misconceptions that can have a negative impact on your wellbeing and performance.
View them all here: https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/postgraduate-research-myths-debunked/
Maintaining a good work/life balance can be difficult and burnout can happen easily. The Wellbeing Thesis details some techniques to help you achieve a healthy balance between research and other areas of your life.
View The Wellbeing Thesis’ page on ‘Finding a Balance Under Pressure’: https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/foundations-for-success/finding-a-balance-even-under-pressure/
‘The Importance of Taking Breaks’: https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/foundations-for-success/importance-of-taking-breaks-and-having-other-interests/ Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Rethinking Rest Guide’:
Academia can be a tricky place to navigate, and feeling uncertain about what to do after you finish your research degree is completely normal.
The Wellbeing Thesis has a section just for ‘Planning for the World After’ which can help you to explore your skills and where to go next. Find it here: https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/planning-for-the-world-after/
Vitae have a page dedicated to planning your career after your doctorate: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/after-your-doctorate
They also have a page for if you’re planning a career as Research Staff: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/research-staff
The YSJ Careers and Placements team can help provide guidance on your career and have free drop-in-sessions available to YSJ students, including PGRs. Find out more here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/careers-and-placements/student-careers-support-and-opportunities/ or here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/careers-and-placements/
Many of our PGRs have expressed how they didn’t realise how lonely their Research Degree would be. As your degree focuses on a specialised subject, it means you often find yourself working alone. Loneliness can be multiplied as a part-time, distance learner PGR (we’ll be discussing this more in tomorrow’s post!).
- The Mental Health Foundation have a page specifically dedicated to Loneliness.
It has a range of guides, resources, links and stories related to the feeling of loneliness: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/loneliness
- You may also find some of the guides below useful:
Loneliness Help and Advice:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/MHAW22-Loneliness-Help-and-Advice.pdf
A Student Guide to Loneliness:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/mhf-Student-Guide-to-Loneliness.pdf
The below guide, also from the Mental Health Foundation explores Loneliness, and while it is a guide based towards teachers and staff in education, it has some brilliant strategies for reducing feelings of loneliness:
Some other things that can help with loneliness:
- Reaching out on the Postgraduate Research Teams Channel
The PGR Teams channel is a hub for PGRs to chat with each other. We have recently added a PGR Networking section which allows YSJ PGRs to share their research, interests and social media in an informal, friendly space.
You can access the PGR Teams channel here: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/channel/19%3ae4e399609516435aa535669a19986ade%40thread.tacv2/PGR%2520Networking?groupId=59488be8-4b5c-4128-9edc-77ee310ac620&tenantId=5c8ae38e-f85b-4309-b7ec-862815a37aee
- The Graduate Centre
The Graduate Centre is a communal working space dedicated to PGRs on campus. It is a social hub where you can interact with your fellow researchers, across all subject areas. This is a great way for you to learn from each other's experiences.
Our Graduate Centre has:
- Flexible workspace and lockable storage
- Internet access
- A break-out room and kitchenette
The Graduate Centre is in HG/123 (Holgate Building, first floor).
- Attending Research Events
We offer a variety of research-related events in partnership with the University’s five academic Schools.
This includes our annual conference, Eat. Sleep. Research. Repeat, which is the free University’s annual PGR conference PGRs from all disciplines are invited to attend, present their research, and get to know their fellow researchers.
It aims to provide a collaborative and stimulating environment for the York St John researcher community to learn from each other and share their research as well as their journeys and experiences.
Our current research events can be found here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/research/events/
- Join a Research Group
There’s a range of research groups and centres across multiple disciplines here at YSJ that PGRs are more than welcome to join.
You can find them all here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/research/research-centres-groups-and-units/
Other things you can do:
- Schedule down time to see friends and family
- Therapy or Counselling
- Seek school specific advice
- Talk to your supervisor about how you’re feeling
Being a PGR can be expensive. Tuition costs, alongside the rising costs of energy and food, can cause a lot of anxiety. Luckily, there are a range of resources that PGRs can access to help with finance, either here at YSJ or externally.
- The Student Funding Advice team
The Student Funding Advice team provides you with a wide range of independent and confidential advice and guidance.
To speak to a member of the Student Funding Advice team you can either attend an online or in-person drop-in session, call 01904 876 939, or email fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk.
More information on Drop-in sessions can be found here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/students/your-finances/#:~:text=Attend%20a%20drop%2Din%20session
- The Student Support Fund
The Student Support Fund is a source of emergency, short-term support for students, including postgraduate researchers who find themselves in unexpected financial difficulty.
It is not intended to be used as your primary source of funding, but instead to help you regain control of your financial situation.
You can apply to the Fund at any point during the year, providing the allocation has not been depleted. Your application will be processed as quickly as possible , but it can take up to 21 working days for an assessment to be completed from the date of submission.
Find more information here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/students/your-finances/student-support-fund/
- Blackbullion
An online platform to help you get to grips with managing your money. You can find it here: https://www.blackbullion.com/
- The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding
The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding is a huge database of funding opportunities. The Guide also includes advice and tools to help you prepare a winning grant application.
We have a license to the Guide which makes it free for you to use.
If you have applied to study with us you can contact the Funding Advice team at fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk to get an access PIN.
THE ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO POSTGRADUATE FUNDING
- The PGR Project Fund
PGRs can apply for funding of up to £500 (full time) or £250 (part time) for the current financial year from the PGR Project Fund for the following criteria:
- Fieldwork
- Specialist equipment
- Technical training
- Participant incentives
- Research conferences
- Exceptional requests
All applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Research Office.
This is not a personal allocation of funding. It is a general fund to ensure PGRs can purchase essential items to support the completion of their research.
To apply, you need to complete and submit a Project Fund application form
PGR PROJECT FUND APPLICATION FORM
Before you apply, please familiarise yourself with the following document:RO07 PGR Project Fund 2022-23 (PDF, 0.3MB)
The next deadline is the 31st May
- Here is a list of organisations that offer free advice about financial problems, created by the charity Money and Mental Health.
International students and distance learners have all expressed difficulties of anxiety throughout their research degree. For international students, it can be difficult adjusting to a new country where you’re unfamiliar with the local culture. For distance learners, being unable to easily travel to York and experience the campus or attend in-person events can feel alienating
YSJ has a range of resources and support for helping with these anxieties.
International Student Support
- Visa and Immigration
Information about applying for your Student Route Visa (Entry Clearance) and arrival in the UK.
Find information here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/international/visa-and-immigration/
- Global Campus Programme
Make the best of your time at YSJ with new friends, experiences and cultures.
Find information here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/international/international-student-support/global-campus-programme/
- Insessional support and language development (ISLD)
Our International Programmes ISLD team can help you to become more familiar with your university study in the UK.
Find information here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/international/international-student-support/insessional-support-and-language-development/
- Life in the UK
Practical information about living in York.
Find information here: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/international/international-student-support/life-in-the-uk/
Distance Learners
- Working Remotely
Vitae has a blog post for Mental health and wellbeing – staying sane when working remotely:
