A Small Push Forward

PhD work in philosophy, from what I’m experiencing, is mostly solitary. Not in a romantic way, just… solitary. It’s you, your texts, and your thoughts, charioted by your motivation. I’m lucky I have a supervisor who checks in. That makes a difference. But the research per se is still nothing like a taught course. There are deadlines but no schedule, no rhythm, except the one you set yourself. There are stretches where the battery just runs flat – for whichever reason: family, work, life in general.

I’m discovering why showing up to things – conferences, public talks, stuff related to the field or the department, really – matters more than I thought. Bonus points if I strike up a conversation or two. Even if I’m not speaking, if I’m just sat quietly in the audience, I get a battery boost that lasts a few days; then it’s up to me to seize those days.

I show up, I listen, I leave. But I don’t leave quite the same.