Question: Was the process after school to where you are now difficult?

James Munro answered on 6 Mar 2019:

Hey,

Tough question this. I left high school in 2006 so it has been 13 years. The first 4 years I studied Psychology as an undergraduate, then went straight to do my PhD which took another 4 years. After that, I started teaching, researching and learning technical stuff over various jobs across the UK.

4 years as an undergraduate felt natural and happy. I moved with many of my friends from high school to Dundee, and I made many new friends there. I had a lot of hard times where I did not feel good enough, and had a lot of amazing times where I realised I was young and learning so much and had a lot of freedom. I am a very lazy person, and I got to plan my own hours. This encouraged me to learn a lot but to value being calm and taking my time.

The gap between my undergraduate and my PhD was very difficult for me. I was aimless and didn’t know what to do. I asked everyone for advice and got upset when I felt like none of it helped. What I realise now is that I had to find my own way as an adult. No one could tell me what to do.

My PhD involved moving away from Scotland and down to London. I felt very homesick and didn’t like it for the first few months, but stuck with it. Thank goodness I did, because I am now a doctor and most of my current friends are excellent people I got to know there. A PhD is a very difficult but very rewarding experience- but should only be attempted if you are passionate about the issue you are researcher.

My jobs since then have been part of me working out what sort of person I want to be, and what I want to do with my future. The days of working for 40 years at the same place are long gone, so it does not feel unnatural to have had 1 or 2 years in different places 🙂

Good luck on your journey – don’t be afraid to talk to people.