Four years ago today, I started as a PhD student at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. I’d gotten a 4-year leave-of-absence from my job as academic librarian at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. Everything was new, exciting, and quite frankly, a bit scary.

We looked like this…

and our research plan looked like this.

We’re still the same team and parts of the research plan vaguely resemble what we actually ended up with!

I didn’t know what it would be like to be a PhD student when I started and I worried that I was in over my head. I lacked self-confidence and couldn’t imagine ever being able to complete the research within the 4-year time frame. There was so much to learn! I didn’t know how to do the analyses that would be required and I dreaded having to defend my research at the end. There were a lot of tears the first 3-4 months before I got on track, but I couldn’t quit. I’d rented out my home farther south and another librarian was hired to replace me. Without a job or a home, I couldn’t return, despite sometimes wanting to give up.

But thanks to the courses I’ve taken and thanks especially to my wonderful team, I gradually acquired the research skills and the confidence to complete my PhD. I ended up submitting my dissertation before the 4-year deadline, which meant that I didn’t have to complete the research on my own time, without pay. As for the defense, I’m not dreading it as much as before – I’m actually looking forward to it in some ways. I never thought I’d say that!

So now is waiting time. I’m eagerly awaiting the committee’s verdict. Is my dissertation worthy of defense? In addition, I’m waiting to hear from a journal about publishing my (our) last article. In the meantime, I’m putting together a presentation for the defense and practicing possible questions from opponents with flashcards. Last but not least, I’m planning the party! (Thanks for your help with this, Helene and Marit! 🙂 )

I should get the results from the committee within the next two weeks, so my next post will be soon. 🙂