Sadly, it has come to the end of the year for the 2017/18 PGR blog team interns! We have all very much enjoyed being part of the PGR blog, and we’d like to thank all you readers for making this experience so worthwhile. In this post, we would like to share a few parting words with you all before we go back to full-time PhD thesis writing!

Victoria Shropshire

Time really does fly when you're having fun. Some days, I can't believe my time writing for the PGR is coming to a close, and then other times, of course, I look at the impending dates (for my PhD submission) on the calendar and it's all too real! I am honoured to have shared some of my experiences, and grateful for the opportunity to write with a fabulous cohort of other student-authors. I'm also very grateful for the opportunities to meet people out with my own program, the greater PGR community that is building and bonding every day at UofG. What I take away from this experience, far more than the editing and writing and stretching my personal and professional comfort zones, (and the occasional killer donuts) is that sense of PGR community.

Andreea Bocioaga 

When I stumbled upon the PGR blog two years ago, I was looking for a space where I could talk about the things I didn’t feel I could talk to anyone - my fears about my PhD, the things I had found challenging and just the day-to-day life of it. The PGR blog has been a big part of my experience at UofG and a formative one. It’s helped me realise that writing ‘about’ your PhD is just as important as writing your PhD. I feel so lucky I had the opportunity to share my own experiences and fears and read others, learn about the different PhD journeys people are having across the university and the network of support that is out there. I know that I will definitely continue sending my reflections throughout my final year to the new blogger team, so goodbye, but only for the summer!

Elisabeth Loose

When I started my year as an official blogging intern, little did I know what I would write about: zombies, failure, my mental health, relationship advice and so much more. It’s been a fantastic year with posts that did not only help you, our lovely readers, but made us reflect on where we are, what we do and how we’re doing it. I can’t wait to see what the next crew will write about and maybe even give them a wee hand with one or two guest posts. I have loved the experience of not just thinking about my actual PhD topic but the bigger picture and how others might be able to benefit from my own experience. It has made me feel part of a great PhD community, something I hope I can sustain well beyond my time as a blogger. Thank you all for reading our musings and for supporting us all the way!

Bianca Sala

What a brilliant writing year this has been for me! Being a blogging intern has been both the best break from thesis writing, and the most helpful thing in getting me into "writing mode". I've learnt that my experiences, successes and struggles as a PhD student are not just my own, and hopefully I've managed to show you as well that you're not alone in this. I'm hoping that reading my posts you've learnt a thing or two from my mistakes (...ahem, always reference as you go along!) and benefitted from me sharing my experiences. And let's be honest, I really hope I've imparted some of my love of cows on you! While I'm both terrified by and looking forward to finishing my thesis, I'll carry on reading the blog next year and hopefully helping the new team with a guest post or two. Thank you all for reading my blog posts and supporting the blog, I've loved my time as a blogging intern and I can't wait to see where the new team takes it!

Rob Morgan

Writing for the PGR blog this past year has been a great experience. For me, it’s been a great opportunity to shift some of my attention away from my research to other aspects of the PhD experience that perhaps I would have missed if I’d remained in my‘research-only bubble’. It’s also been great to work as part of an amazing team of bloggers who have made me realise that, as PGRs, we are all in the same boat…and no one has a paddle, so we’re all doing our best to get where we need to go…and we will get there in the end! I’ve loved writing for the blog and am definitely going to miss it! Of course, as I approach the end of my PhD there is the small matter of writing my thesis, so it is not like I’ll be short on things to write! Plus, if the new blogger team will have me, I’d love to write some guest posts about my experiences in finishing my PhD and beyond! Thanks to all those who have supported the blog in general and I hope you’ve found my contributions at least somewhat helpful. Best of luck to the new blogging team, I’m sure the blog is in good hands!

Robyn Womack

I really can’t believe it’s been a whole year since I joined the blogger team! I have definitely enjoyed taking some time away from the lab bench to write about the fun science communication activities you can do in Glasgow, plus some tips for PGR mental health such as combatting stress, challenging perfectionism and getting a good night’s sleep. I think my favourite part of being an intern for the PGR blog has been working in such a dynamic team of PGRs from different disciplines. As Rob said, it has been great to realise we are all in the same boat! I wish the best of luck to the new team, and I look forward to seeing which direction the blog goes in next year!

So that is it from us! We really hope you enjoyed reading our posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. If you’d like to become a PGR blog intern for the coming academic year (2018/2019), watch out for the opening appearing on the University of Glasgow Internship Hub!