My journey to get my PhD started in October 2016 when, along with my cohorts, I began the week-long induction course. This course was designed to introduce the fresh-faced PhD students to the rigors of PhD study, to help prepare them for what was to come, the good and the extremely frustrating. I recall being incredibly excited, it had taken me a long time to get here, and I was sure that my journey would be smooth, exciting and I would enjoy every second of it.

Armed with knowledge and understanding of research integrity, managing data, an emphasis on correct referencing, the importance of collaboration and continuous self-reflection on my learning, I felt prepared and raring to go. I had been supported from the get-go. Not long after finishing my MA with the Open University, I emailed Dr Jon Mackley who had been one of my lecturers during my undergraduate degree at Northampton, to ask for advice. He suggested that I might like to do my PhD at Northampton and I knew immediately that I would. I remembered the support, the expertise, and the general enjoyment I got out of my undergraduate degree and saw no reason why it would be different for my PhD. I found the application process fairly manageable and was absolutely delighted to find out that Dr Phillippa Bennett, the Programme Leader for BA English, Dr Jon Mackley, and later, Dr Richard Chamberlain, would be my supervisors. Their lectures and seminars when I was an undergraduate were amongst my favourite and I knew that I was in good hands. Indeed, one thing that my supervisors made very clear was that they were not just here to provide critical feedback on my work, they were also here to provide moral support, ensure I was looking after my mental wellbeing and to give me encouragement when I needed it. As a deaf person, they were more than happy to accommodate my needs, they provided detailed written feedback before and after each meeting to ensure that I had not missed anything that was said during our online collaborations. I was lucky in that I knew what my topic was and exactly what I wanted to research. As my topic was late Victorian and Edwardian fairy tales I needed to do a lot of digging into archives, journals, books from the period and newspapers, and as a PhD student at the University of Northampton I was granted access to numerous academic platforms such as, JSTOR, ProQuest and of course Northampton’s own digital library, NELSON. All these platforms provided me with excellent research resources that allowed me to develop my knowledge and deepen my understanding of my topic. For anyone thinking of doing a PhD with Northampton, I definitely recommend acquainting yourself with all the platforms and resources that the university has to offer. It was a sometimes frustrating process when I could not find what I wanted, or needed, or when I read a whole document only to find that it was not helpful, and therefore it felt like a waste of time, but even this provided me with an opportunity to fine tune my analytical and evaluation skills and select resources that really helped strengthen my argument. I also had numerous opportunities to visit the library at Northampton, particularly to pick up books or theses that were not available online. It was nice to have a reason to visit the university. I always felt like I belonged there, even though when I started I was at the old campus, Avenue! I did my thesis as a part-time student, and this was the best decision I made. It meant that I had the luxury of taking a break when I needed it, and I made sure that I took breaks, it was the only way to ensure I kept my sanity, and my vigour, for the duration of my research. Many people, and advice books, told me that a PhD thesis is a marathon and not a sprint, and I tried to keep this in mind throughout. Though it was hard to remember this after my 14th or 15th draft of my chapters! But, doing a PhD really is about pacing yourself, taking time, and speaking to your supervisors if you have any worries at all. When I submitted, it was a massive relief, albeit it was quickly followed up with anxiety. The day of my Viva, my supervisors were there to support me. Passing my Viva was a comfort but receiving the outcome Revise and Resubmit (R&R) was very hard to hear. I admit, I really struggled with this outcome, knowing that I had poured my heart and soul into this thesis for 6 years, only to be told that it was not good enough. I thought about cutting my losses and accepting an MPhil, but my supervisors really supported me and told me that the outcome is not unusual. They encouraged me to see that the examiners saw the potential in my project, it just needed a little more work. Eventually, emboldened and more determined, I responded to the examiners’ report and submitted a reworked thesis two years later. To me, Thesis 2.0 was even better. I am so proud of it, and now I feel like I really deserve the title of Dr because I have worked so hard, and so tirelessly for it. It took me eight years, floods of tears, hours of frustration, but also excitement when I found an article, enthusiasm when I spotted a quote, inspiration when I spoke with my supervisors, and love for my topic to get me where I am and when I received the email that I had been awarded a PhD I felt that  proudest I have ever felt. To those who are thinking of doing a PhD, or who are currently doing a PhD, I can tell you now that it is worth it. They say that the best things take hard work and when you get that title that you worked so hard for, it is the most wonderful sense of achievement. During my redrafts, I found that I often cut out bits of arguments, removed quotes, and did not use all my notes; there may still be some use for them though. My thesis is only a small part of my exploration into my topic, and with the overabundance of research I have got, I think that writing papers might be the next step. For now though, I am currently basking in the afterglow of achieving my PhD and officially referring to myself as Dr de Barry!

Blog post written by: Alicia de Barry