# @life_and_sunshine on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DQrhFRCCEtl
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/63278637-life-and-sunshine-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/b4b23068a1.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-11-05T15:33:25.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Nat ☀️ (@life_and_sunshine) — https://gondola.cc/life_and_sunshine

## Caption

This is something I experienced myself 😰 Especially from year 4-6 😅 I spent almost all my time working 👩‍🔬 which meant I spent most of my time with my colleagues who were also, largely, doing a PhD 🤓 It felt a bit like I couldn’t escape it 😬 It was just everywhere all the time 😵‍💫 It felt really hard to let go of it
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I don’t think I coped with it in the best way either 😅 I was working so much I didn’t feel like I had time to exercise or do any of the hobbies I used to 😢 I would spend time with friends on the weekend but sometimes it felt more like an obligation than something I had the mental capacity to do 😕
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But it did get better 😃 Once my PhD contract ended 😊 I wasn’t done with my PhD but I was no longer obligated to be present every day and participate in all the group meetings etc 🧬 It was quite freeing 😅 I could really schedule my own time to work and also allow myself to sleep and take time just for me 🥰 It really did wonders for my mental health even though I was still working to finish my PhD 😇
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So I hope you guys can find some motivation in this post 😊 I know doing a PhD is sooo hard! 🥵 and you’re probably constantly exhausted 😴 But you’re doing a great job! 🤩 and it’s okay if it feels like your whole identity right now… it kinda is 😅 but soon you’ll be a fully fledged Doctor 🎓 and you won’t have to tie so much of yourself to your work ☺️
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#phd #phdstudentlife #phdstudentsofinstagram #phdproblems #phdjourney #phdlife #phdchat #phdresearch #phdlifestyle #phdcandidate #phdstudent #phdlife🎓 #identity #identitycrisis #crisis #lifeishard #hardlife #strugglebus #strugglebus🚌 #whoami #whoiam #stepbystep #itgetsbetter #science #scientists #scientist #sciencelife #lifescience #lifesciences

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## Tags

scientist, whoiam, phdjourney, phdlifestyle, phdproblems, identitycrisis, scientists, whoami, phdchat, phdstudentsofinstagram, phdresearch, phdcandidate, phd, crisis, phdstudent, lifesciences, stepbystep, itgetsbetter, hardlife, strugglebus, phdstudentlife, identity, science, lifeishard, phdlife, lifescience, sciencelife

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