This past July, a group of thirteen PhD students from across the School of Social Science, and one staff member, participated in a two day writing retreat in the Cairngorms. In what was the first School writing retreat organised in the post-Covid-19 era, the students were coached to the small, picturesque town of Kingussie in the central Cairngorms for a couple days to catch-up on work, attend academic workshops, and take a much needed break from the day-to-day stresses of home life.
With around 42% of PhD students in the UK believing that mental health issues are the norm, and 35% considering ending their PhDs due to mental health altogether, the writing retreat was incepted in the Schools’ Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee as a step to providing a more supportive environment for PhDs in Political Science, Anthropology, and Sociology. Bennett Collins, a lecturer in politics and international relations and member on the School’s EDI committee, noted on the purpose of the trip:
I think it’s easy to forget how personally gruelling PhD life can be, especially for students who are not only far away from home, but are also juggling other responsibilities, whether parenthood, caring for other family members, or working to support themselves.
With funding from the School’s Research Committee, students had the spacious retreat venue of the Railway Rooms to not only write, but also to relax, cook communally with other students, and explore the many nature walks of Kingussie. Students who attended felt like the trip was the start to building a much needed community amongst PhD students in the social sciences. PhD Candidate in Politics and International Relations, Grace Johnson, another EDI committee member who helped organise the retreat, underlined this:
The writing retreat was very impactful for myself and my fellow PGRs. Getting off campus was extremely helpful for my productivity, especially given that summer can be a difficult time to stay motivated. The bond amongst ourselves was undoubtedly strengthened over our time away, which provided an excellent boost to morale.
With PhD students nationwide also struggling to find a sense of belonging and struggling to find community, the retreat helped created small but important opportunity for attendees from across the social science disciplines and across years to not only exchange experiences of the PhD but learn about managing workloads. Megan Cameron, an interdisciplinary candidate in Sociology and Biology, reflected:
For me, I found the retreat a great way to meet and get to know my fellow PGRs, particularly as I am an inter-disciplinary candidate. Due to this I am based in another building for most of my time, I generally do not spend any prolonged time within the social science community. Instead, I see them in passing or at conferences, so this was the first opportunity to really get to know my colleagues and it has helped create a stronger support system for myself.
During the two days, Collins hosted three workshops, focusing on the challenges of mental health while trying to write a dissertation, the processes involved in getting academic work published, and how to approach the job search. By the end of the trip, all students reported that notable progress was made on their respective projects, feeling more positive about the PhD community amongst the departments of the School, and a desire for future events that brought them together. Johnson said:
I am grateful to the school for awarding the funding for this and all those who helped facilitate the trip. I can only hope we have more like this in the future.
