Here it goes. The first substantive post of what will become quite a long blog by the end of my PhD (click here to find out more ‘About Me’).

It seems to me that a good place to start would be to revisit (briefly) what brought me to do a PhD. As I noted in my ‘About Me’ page, I also did my BA and MA in Politics at Newcastle University. However, this hasn’t been some seamless journey towards PhD study. As a 17 year old thinking about universities, I was in no position to make a well-informed decision. My parents were fantastic, ferrying me around to various open days and talks, but they hadn’t gone to university (I was the first in my family), so they were as clueless as me at the start. In the end, I chose Newcastle University because it felt right: it had a very good reputation, it was (and is) a member of the Russell Group, they valued local students, and everything seemed to fit from then onwards.

The BA itself went very well. During that time (2009-2012), I built up a good relationship with my supervisors, and without them I would not be where I am now. They guided me through the funding process and destroyed the various drafts necessary in order for me to get what I needed. My main interests during my undergrad were British politics and political philosophy (my dissertation explored the political thought of Friedrich Hayek). In the end, I graduated with First Class Honours. For those interested, the degree programme explores political systems, political philosophy, and international relations.

The MA was a totally different creature. A research masters is very different to a taught masters. Whilst you are there to explore aspects of your subject area, you are enrolled primarily to undergo research training. In the first semester, you explore theoretical approaches to social science study, before studying research methods in second semester. A good way to think of it is that the first semester is the thinking of research and the second semester is the doing of it. You culminate with the third semester in the summer which is the dissertation. My dissertation explored the importance of local parties to the Liberal Democrats (I’ll write about that another time). I graduate next week with a Distinction.

Now, it is the PhD. Friends and family ask me what I do each day, and the answer is usually the same. I read for a bit, I write for a bit, and then I dislike what I’ve written, write some more, and then go home. During all those stages, I drink copious amounts of tea (I don’t like coffee). One of my supervisors once remarked that I will definitely be swapping the tea for coffee once third year comes around. I’ll let you know whether he was right in a couple of years time.

Before coming to Newcastle, I had no plans to do a PhD, or indeed any further study. I had no idea if I would enjoy undergraduate life and the subject that came with it. Fortunately, I did and thus wanted to carry on. For now, I feel very lucky to do something I enjoy, and get paid and recognised for doing so. Let’s hope it lasts!