When I read HN, I sometimes feel that I must be the only person in the world who really liked my PhD. Doing one was by far the best life choice I have ever made

When I read HN, I sometimes feel that I must be the only person in the world who really liked my PhD. Doing one was by far the best life choice I have ever made. It not not gave me much practical knowledge that has formed the bedrock of my career, but it deeply enriched my mental life and gave me perspective on so many problems. I did a very "traditional" English-style PhD in Applied Mathematics. I had a supervisor who helped me pick a topic, and gave me just the right amount of supervision. I was under no pressure to publish, and my scholarship did not require me to teach. I spent my days thinking about problems, being frustrated, experiencing small successes, experiencing small failures, managing my time, mismanaging my time, feeling completely inadequate, and slowly becoming an independent researcher. Yes, my Doctoral studies were undertaken in an ideal situation, supported as I was by friends, my department, my supervisor, and most of all my family, but I can't believe that I am in such a minority.