The most significant part of getting a Ph.D. is all the conferences you get to attend and meet individuals interested in you and your research. And thus, the most delicate part of your Ph.D. is the incredible diversity of individuals you get to know. Everyone you’ve spoken to has been kind, supportive, and upbeat. Everything from criticism to inquiries about how to improve in the future to suggestions for future cooperation to expressions of gratitude is all distributed evenly.

Everyone we meet enriches our lives in incredible ways. You broaden your network and set the stage for future cooperation, knowing our potential benefits. All the kindness and support we’ve found in the academic community has given us high hopes for the future of academia and the globe. There is no toxic, demeaning competition, but rather a lot of love and care for one another.

Some people who want to get their Ph.D. say that the most rewarding aspects of any research experience are when they are stumped and can’t find the answer to their question. Each time seems to bring up more issues, like opening a can of worms. Then you decide to take on one point at a time, putting like bugs together in one container. The correct conclusion emerges gradually but unmistakably. You just can’t put words to that sensation. It’s akin to finally experiencing the satisfaction most of us spend our lives seeking.

Many Ph.D. students say that the first day of their program, when they were introduced to the program and placed into cohorts that would aid them in peer counseling, idea generation, and working together on their research, was the highlight of their whole agenda. Throughout their travels, they were given plenty of sound advice by their contemporaries. Aside from passing the oral defense, the most enjoyable part is being referred to as “Doctor” by the committee chair.

For others, the most delicate components of their doctoral program were the independence to study, read, research, and work with anybody they wanted. When you’ve been on your own for five years, you’ve developed the kind of critical thinking that allows you to enjoy exquisite dining and art. Having a substantial number of publications is essential. Still, it is not the sole factor in a successful doctoral career (honestly, that is only for a job or a living at the lowest level of needs). It’s about instilling in people a lifelong appreciation for the order and structure of human knowledge that may pass down through the generations.

One’s time as a doctoral student may be marked by many high points, including the freedom to set one’s study and research schedule, the opportunity to meet and make connections with like-minded people, the satisfaction of making significant contributions to one’s field, the joy of publishing one’s research, the fun of road trips, the pleasure of having completed one’s preliminary exams successfully, and the relief of finally being able to call oneself a candidate for the degree.