PhD By 30! How I navigated academia in my 20s By Primrose Z.J Bimha (PhD)

At the tender age of 15 I jotted down a list life goals. The major one was to have a PhD by 30. Who thinks about pursuing the highest attainable degree at such a young age? Well, I was one of the rare few. My intentions were clear and informed by positionality. As the first daughter to a mother who decided to enrol for her A levels and consequently Bachelor’s degree while working as a nurse, I assumed the role of deputy parent before age 9. Cooking, cleaning, preps for pre-school, monitoring children during playtime et cetera. I also took up the role of messenger, tasked with dropping off mom’s assignments at the university while she focused on other duties. I missed my mom a lot when she was away and when she came back home and locked herself in her room to study or rest. Having calculated that she was aged 24 when she gave birth to me, I told myself that if I just waited longer to have kids and pursue my studies, I’d have more time for my family and struggle less with balancing home duties and studies.

Fast forward to age 19, I enrolled for undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) still eager to cruise through to PhD. Undergraduate studies were traditionally designed for students who are fresh out of high school, usually free from the demands that come with parenting or providing financial support to families. I fit well into that profile and made use of that advantage to make school my priority. While studying I also worked part-time and got involved in extra-curricular activities that aligned with my diplomatic aspirations. I was part of the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA)-UCT chapter, and even participated in the formation of a Model African Union society at the university. My grades were mostly above average, and I put in extra time to develop skills in policy research. It paid off really well! I attained my Bachelor’s degree in 2014, aged 22; Honours in 2015, aged 23; Master’s in 2017, aged 25; and PhD in 2021, aged 29.

During the first day of my favourite Master’s course (Peacebuilding Issues & Problems) I realised that I was the only fresh-out-of-honours student. My colleagues had roles in the army, some had years of experience in journalism, others were renowned human rights activists, and a notable few held roles in diplomacy. They were all over 30. They shared so many spectacular insights based on their work experiences. Though they had not conducted academic research in a while, they had so many sophisticated thesis topic ideas and knew where, when, and how they were to conduct their empirical studies. I, on the other hand, knew so much about research tools, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches, but did not have work exposure and links to different sectors. That notwithstanding, I did earn top marks in the course because of my familiarity with academic requirements and of course drawing on insights from the rich conversations with my multiskilled colleagues.

I must acknowledge that there were some classes where half of us identified as career students, so I was rest assured that I was not the only 20-something-year-old chasing after degrees. However, I began to notice that most of my former classmates were making huge strides in think tanks, media organisations, and government departments. A part of me yearned to be out there with them, or to at least have one foot in the door. So, I planned to pursue my PhD while working to avoid losing out on work experience but maintain the focus on earning a PhD by 30. I worked on my research almost every day. The few breaks I took were mostly imposed by fatigue, income-generating activities, and running. Thanks to a high dose of over-confidence and my commitment to 15-year-old Prim’s mission, the journey was bearable. I experienced disappointment in the initial stages when I had to rewrite my proposal. I also faced unprecedented challenges when I had to readjust my research methods due to Covid-19 lockdowns. The fear of dying from Covid before getting my PhD heightened my sense of urgency to complete the degree amidst all the pandemic anxieties. Fortunately for me I completed, submitted, passed, and graduated still childfree, marriage-free, and my parents were self-sustainable. Amazing! Huh?

Did I lay out a strong foundation for my career? I am not so sure. I am quite envious of people who now have a decade’s worth of work experience and an accumulation of assets I could not attain between the end of undergrad and now, due to academic pursuits.?

Did I lay out a strong foundation for future financial stability? Somewhat. In the sense that I may not have to compete with my future offspring for tuition funds from the family budget. As I aim to pivot from academia, I am faced with the reality that I will have to earn a little less than my colleagues for some time, if not a lifetime.?

Did I save myself from significant parenthood and marriage penalties that often afflict individuals who pursue degrees while pursuing multiple life roles? Significantly. Of course, my response to this question is heavily based on my positionality and childhood experiences.

It is okay to have ambitious age-linked timelines informed by one’s worldview but there’s no certainty in the approach. In addition, the strategy I adopted confined me to working in isolation or hanging out in predominantly academic social circles. When I interacted outside academia I either felt out of place or was made to feel so by those who preferred to engage with corporate executives or iconic activists. This still happens by the way. Within academia I constantly felt small and unworthy, especially when senior academics underappreciated my work, either through derogatory remarks or by underpaying me for lecturing and research assistant services. While working for less and constantly remembering that hyper excellence in academia is strongly linked to long-suffering and seniority, I tolerated unnecessary life-stressors in the name of resilience and personal development. If I could have it any other way, I would leave university after Honours. Work and earn. Enrol for a Master’s and specialise in a topic linked to my work. Self-fund my PhD journey and pursue it at a more relaxed pace.

All career pursuits require some level of personal sacrifice and resolute dedication. As I deliberate on the pros and cons of my strategy, someone else is also questioning their own career strategy and approach to life. There’s no fail-proof approach.??

Written: Primrose Z J Bimha (PhD)

Edited by : Emma Reinecke

#navigatingthetwenties #youngprofessionals #PHD

About the Author: Primrose Z J Bimha (PhD) :

Primrose is an International Relations and Gender studies scholar. She obtained her PhD (2021), Master's (2017), Honours (2015), and Bachelor's (2014) qualifications from the University of Cape Town. With experience in academia, government, and think tank research, she is currently honing the necessary skills for her transition into a lifelong career as an independent research consultant.?