I finished my master's in September with the intention of having a bit of time off and applying for PhDs this autumn to start next year and then, hopefully with a PhD secured, apply for some retail work to save money in the mean time. However, I'm feeling quite anxious that I have made a bad decision. I think these feelings are also being brought up because I am meeting up with my master's friends next weekend and they have all been busy - either with full-time working or having started their PhDs last month.
I have had four years of undergraduate and a master's all consecutively and I think I am burnt out. I wanted to take a gap year between my undergraduate and master's but didn't, mainly because I had a long summer (4 months) to relax before starting the master's. In contrast, my master's has been 12 intense months with it peaking over the summer as I did my research project.
I have gotten a first class undergraduate and now a distinction in my master's and I have worked hard for it and my grades show that. I definitely feel like I can cope with stress well and would cope with a PhD. However, I have had periods of intense stress during my time at university and have suffered from panic attacks brought on my stress. I feel like I just need a bit of time to rest.
My question is, would you look down on a PhD candidate if they had taken a gap year after their master's? Furthermore, would you want the PhD candidate to have used their time productively and, if so, how?
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Will academics look down on a gap year between a master's and PhD?
12 replies
xrosie · 09/11/2019 22:33
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