In honour of International Women's Day, I'm posting this tribute to the women who are working on a doctoral thesis whilst juggling dozens of other responsibilities and demands. If you're one of those, I salute you.
Often the thesis writing for these candidates is done in stolen precious moments at the end of the day, or waiting for a bus, or in stolen breaks in the the office. Even women who are full-time students still have to find time for research and personal writing in the midst of lab work, writing journal articles, or attending meetings with advisors.
And then there's life and family. Children can be counted on to get sick on the same day as a deadline for submitting a paper. Family members have their own crises and it often falls to wives and daughters to play nurse or run errands. If an elderly relative falls, the thesis is set aside for another day.
Getting sick is another nightmare, because with all the will in the world, it's hard to push through and complete a chapter while sneezing and dealing with a headache. Fast food is in, and exercise is out if the demands of writing make it seem impossible to tend to personal care.
Often, when women find me, they are usually already exhausted, stressed and pulling out their hair. There are a few things I try to do.
First, I validate their work and remind them that they are the leading researchers and experts in their particular topic at this time. They often cry when they hear that because nobody has told them before.
Secondly, I try and help them to make a plan, prioritize and strategize. It's not that they're not capable of all those things. They just don't use the skills they've developed at the office or at home to project-manage their studies.
Finally, I provide structured and specific help with the thesis or dissertation. The women are always so grateful when someone answers their questions.
It's the least I can do.