How to PhD

This is definitely not an easy post to write. Here I am writing it a year after my defense and six months into my first postdoc position. Jumping into a PhD does not come with a manual, and I've learned (the hard way) that there is no ONE way to do it, it is an art rather than a well defined procedure. However, there are usually a few relevant questions you should be considering before starting a PhD:

• Do some history research: What was/is expected in Academia from a PhD student and what is the original idea of getting a doctorate?
• Why do you want to get a PhD degree?
• How can a PhD degree serve your future career (I think the answer to this question becomes clearer in the late stages of your PhD)

This post is just an introduction to those who just found this blog and want to pursue a career in Academia, or they are already at it. There will be more elaborate posts on handling the different parts of a PhD/postdoc research and of an academic life in general. I should note here that this is my personal experience and you might or might not find it useful to follow the same mentality and/or practice. Everyone's experience is different, we have different reasons and different journeys that led us to where we are, and the way we approach situations is linked to a large extent to our social, ethnic and political background.