Ling's Letters #006: Reflections on My First Year as a PhD Student

As I wrap up the first year of my PhD, I’m entering the second with excitement and curiosity. If you’d asked me five years ago whether I’d be pursuing a PhD, it would’ve ranked low on my list of possibilities. And focusing on refugee psychology? That wasn’t even on my radar.

Before embarking on this journey, I had a narrow view of what life as a PhD student meant—isolating in libraries, obsessing over data, and only resurfacing years later with a hefty dissertation that might never get read. It seemed like a lonely grind through niche topics that few would appreciate.

Take some research titles that grabbed my attention, for instance:

But, to my surprise, my first year turned out to be so much more than that. Sure, there were lectures to attend and assignments that kept me glued to my laptop for days, but the experience exceeded my expectations.

A Network of Support and Collaboration

I’m incredibly fortunate to have found a supportive network of fellow PhD candidates and senior psychologists who are generous with their time and expertise.

This summer has been nothing short of exciting! Across four countries, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to attend a summer school and seven conferences —presenting at five of them. I even managed to squeeze in a non-PhD-related conference in Spain, making it eight conferences in five countries!

To cap it all off, collaborating with non-profits has provided invaluable grassroots insights. Upon returning to Malaysia and gearing up for data collection, I had the privilege of participating in five community events with various refugee groups and local organizations. These meaningful experiences reaffirmed that pursuing a PhD was the right choice—it truly matters. The camaraderie I've built with both my academic peers and grassroots collaborators has deepened my understanding far beyond the classroom.

Guidance and Mentorship

Most importantly, I’m grateful to be mentored by supervisors who genuinely believe in my research and my ability to contribute to the field. They’ve encouraged me to keep pushing boundaries and pursuing this unconventional path with passion and purpose.

Instead of following the expected life trajectory—university, job, house, marriage, kids—my curiosity has led me to an unexpected but deeply fulfilling journey. So far, my first year has been like an all-you-can-eat buffet for the mind. While I’ve filled up on a lot of knowledge, now I need to go on a "mental diet," focusing on what’s essential for my project.

Looking Ahead to Year Two

At the end of a conference day at the University of Malaya, I spoke with a colleague, an established consultant in sustainability and migration, and he shared some invaluable advice with me:

Keep speaking. Keep sharing your research. And the opportunities—including financial ones—will come.

As I step into my second year, I can’t wait to see what new insights, challenges, and adventures it will bring.

💖 & ✨,
Ling Ling

Food for thought

Richard Feynman, the Nobel-prize winning theoretical-physicist and author, wrote in his book Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Fall in love with some activity, and do it! Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn't matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough. Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best. Don't think about what you want to be, but what you want to do. Keep up some kind of a minimum with other things so that society doesn't stop you from doing anything at all.

Questions for you

If you unleash your curiosity, where will it take you?
If nothing is stopping you and you cannot fail, what would you rather be doing now?