6 Things I’ve Learned About Summers as a Doc Student
As a doc student, I tend to work about 70ish hours a week.
Yep.
The summer, then, is a welcome respite from the barrage of classes, teaching, organizing, writing, researching, reading that defines the other 10 months of the year.
A lot of folks, however, mistakenly interpret a doctoral student’s more flexible summer schedule as “time off.” Ha! I wish. Let me tell you. Vanderbilt does not pay me during the summer (ironically justifying this as giving me a break) and under pays me during the year (I make about $5/hour when you do the math). So, the summer is a time when my grad student friends and I all have to scramble to figure out how to eat and keep a roof over our heads without totally abandoning the study program we’ve laid out for ourselves during the summer months and without working as many hours as in the school year.
I have yet to find a great balance and this is my final in-between-years summer as I’m a rising 5th year and candidacy means I’m in the dissertation phase. This frustrating cycle that could be broken with a 12-month pay system from Vanderbilt at the rate of an actual living wage (cough cough Peabody…). But since the powers that be have resisted respectful requests for policy changes that would honor the humanity of students, it looks like this will be ongoing for incoming Vanderbilt doc students.
I thought I’d give a little run down on some of the things I’ve learned being subjected to this system. Take some or none, but here’s my experience:
1. Take a break. You need it.
You’ve been working hard all year. Too hard, probably. Don’t gaslight yourself by internalizing all those voices from professors, advisers, other students with poor boundaries, and your own drive - you are a human being and you both need and deserve some down time so that you can keep giving your best when it’s time to be on. I highly recommend taking the first two weeks after the semester ends completely off. It’s usually the last two weeks of May. Do the math for your finances and give yourself at least those two weeks.
2. Go somewhere.
If you can, go somewhere, anywhere! Whether it’s a trip home to see family, a beach vacation (if you have a partner with a steady income and can afford a trip), or simply a budget camping experience nearby, get out of your normal routine and zone. In years where we had more cash, we took a four-day trip to the beach (Florida or Tulum - our favorite). In the leaner years, we’ve found free campsites 90 minutes outside of Nashville, packed up what would be our normal groceries for a few days, and gotten out of town. A change of scenery is a great way to jumpstart your “new normal” routine for the summer.
3. Get some extra income.
During the year, it’s basically impossible (and discouraged via policy) to hold a second job that would compensate your school “income” / stipend to make it a living wage. Summer, then, becomes the ideal time to find a lucrative activity that will buy you some breathing room when you’re not getting paid and maybe even allow you to save up for a small extra fund that you can dip into throughout the year. For me, the summer is when I do the bulk of my graphic and web design work. In the past, Jackson has bartended (late nights but great tips!) and I’ve worked at summer camps. Find something that will pay you $25+ an hour, not require more than 50 hours a week, and leaves you some down time. I really recommend picking something that isn’t school-related. Save your brain energy for thinking on your own time rather than slaving away for someone else’s research project.
4. Make some goals.
Perhaps while you’re away or simply once you get home, plan out the main things you want to accomplish during your summer months. Think about how you want to feel this summer. I suggest three categories: for me, for school, for others. Pick something you want to accomplish for you (“Run 5 miles at a 6 mph pace” or “Learn to cook that one polenta dish”), something you want/need to get done for school (“Write the first chapter/paper of my dissertation”), and something you want to do for others (“Write a letter once a week” or “Volunteer three times with my community garden”). These are likely things you feel you don’t have time for during the rest of the year. You will feel both accomplished and rested at the end of the summer.
5. Create a reasonable timeline.
Once you have your goals, consider a reasonable - REASONABLE - timeline for getting those things done. Like a timeline that a normal job would expect, not one that the high pressured demands of grad school have made you think are normal. Sometimes less is more. I usually try to front load my weeks so that I can cut off Friday around 3 pm. And I don’t work more than the standard 40 during the summer.
6. Take your weekends off—actually.
As a doctoral student, you likely work on weekends, late nights, kind of all the time. I’ve found that I’m only realistically able to take my whole weekends off during the summer. This isn’t totally uncommon in the kinds of jobs you’re likely applying to after you finish your PhD, so we have to find some balance. Try scheduling one day (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) to have absolutely nothing on the calendar - not even drinks with friends. Just let that day evolve and go with the flow. Save it for the things you want to do or feel you need to do that get piled up during the rest of the week.
I hope you are able to sleep in, read a book for fun, and ignore the imposter syndrome rants in your brain for a few sunny weeks!
xo
em
