Hi Donna and Cohort 30 fellows,

I am so thrilled we are finally able to gain access to this discussion space.

The concepts of ‘isolation and networking’ in PhD life has never failed to attract research students’
attention, especially during this unprecedented times. Essentially I would like to address two of the
above-mentioned provocations based on the current situation.

How have you experienced isolation?

Like most PhD projects, the first month of my candidature is dedicated to intensively reviewing the
literature surrounding my topic. Ubiquitous access to online databases and communication tools
provided by Deakin Library allowed me to access journals and books virtually. Despite getting away from
the bustle and distractions of normal campus life, this freedom also brings with strong sense of isolation,
partly due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and nationwide lockdown. Like many people doing doctoral
research – particularly, although not exclusively, in the humanities – I ended up finding myself quite
lonely and craving opportunities for socializing. Under this circumstance, I visualized myself to be
likened to Rapunzel living in splendid isolation in a self-constructed ivory tower. More often than not, I
would be left to my own devices, working quietly away at my research and observing the world from
afar. I was however lucky throughout my doctoral research to be surrounded by extraordinary cohort
fellows who are willing to provide advice and discuss ideas, not to mention my supportive supervisor is
an immense source of knowledge and guidance all along . Solitude is therefore by no means necessarily a
bad thing. Not only is it necessary much of the time but it is also highly desirable much of the time.

Despite struggling with feelings of uncertainty and isolation it was an adventure. I came to appreciate
and understand the uncertainty, and made strides towards alleviating my feelings of isolation. Going
into my second month I feel better prepared to create the student experience I am craving.

If networking via social media is an antidote, can it also be a sign of procrastination?

As the 21st century continues to unfold, the proliferation of social media has opened up a new range of
possibilities for social networking. Since this technology has become rife, its drawback, which can be
seen as a sign of academic procrastination, deserve PhD students’ greatest attention.

On the positive side, the acceleration of social media implies the expansion of people’s social circle.
Seen as an antidote, social platforms such as LinkedIn and Researchgate can be utilized to connect
groups of like-minded people in a particular topic or discipline, developing networks which are
considered global. Social media thus involves elements of creation, sharing and networking. There is an
array of diverse and well- established social media communities which are able to provide active support
to PhD students, most notably the #Acwri and #shutupandwrite communities, the Thesis Whisperer
website and twitter-feed and Phdcomics.com. They are active and thriving communities of scholars who
come from different backgrounds and disciplines. They provide me with a sense of community that is
often absent from their individual institutions and overcome the tyranny of distance experienced by
those in similar disciplines who are located in different geographic locations.

On the negative side, it would be naive to embrace social media as a tool for researchers without
acknowledging that they are also the leading culprit of the upsurge in procrastination among PhD
students. In particular, when research and writing become tedious or demanding, it is so tempting to
simply open another window and spend time online. In this sense, the potential benefits can easily be
used as a justification for constant, uncontrolled and addiction-driven checking of social media. This can
not only me you vast amounts of time, but it can unarguably impede the development of problem-
solving and critical skills as the research is progressing because my default reaction is to go online
whenever you are forced to slow down and think.

According to the facts outlined above, the doubts about the downside of the rapid penetration of social
media are not well-grounded. I indeed enjoy greater expansion of social networking, which is reflected
in closer contact with other academics in the field. However, I might have to accept frequent intrusions
as a by-product of this convenient communication.