Grad School is Hard, but.....

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

 hosting dr. brielle harbin has been one of the highlights of this season - after a decade on the tenure track, you can trust that her advice is practical, humane, and actually doable. dr. harbin has harnessed all that knowledge and skill in a career as a faculty burnout coach, and in her amazing substack. 

in this conversation, dr. harbin and i go deep on what happens when grad school is hard, how easy it is to lose yourself and your values, and what it costs us to be in grad school. but more than that, it's a conversation about staying true to yourself, no matter where the road goes. i hope you love it as much as i did! 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

dr. jen polk was one of the first self-employed phds that i met when i graduated in 2016 - and we've stayed in touch ever since. every bit of wisdom that i have about what comes after the degree is influenced by jen, and in this episode, she graciously (and colorfully!) shares what she did during grad school that made what came next easier. if you are looking for practical career advice that goes beyond "go to a CV to resume workshop", as well as encouragement that time in academia IS useful, this is the episode for you!

and if you want to connect with jen, check out her excellent free webinar about how to get a great job, and follow her on linkedin for more. 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

dr. bailey lang is joining me on the podcast this week, but i would chat with them any time, any place. one of my favorite collaborators and friends, bailey is my first call when i need to reconnect with my creativity, and the magic in my writing. we talk about how the analog has infused their writing practice - even during the hard times!! - and created the conditions where a neurodivergent brain can thrive. if you've ever needed a permission slip to do the effective thing, even if it isn't the most efficient thing, this is the episode for you!

you can connect with bailey at their website, the literary witch, work with them as an editor or a coach, or read their amazing newsletter, ink + alchemy. 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

it was an honor to host dr. marie gasper-hulvat on the podcast this week - a tenured professor of art history who is refreshingly open about what makes academia hard, even beyond grad school, and the ways that connecting to ourselves can make it just that much easier. we talk about belonging, following our interests (even when they aren't "traditional"), and navigating the political waters of higher ed - all without losing yourself in the process. 

if you would like to connect with marie, you can find everything at her website, and make sure that you check out the free ivory tower inner fire summit, happening october 9-11, 2026!

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

it was a joy and pleasure to invite dr. kate henry, my longtime collaborator and friend, onto the podcast to talk about what made her time in grad school easier. we talk about how her chronic illness created a dividing line right through her PhD, and the tools, spaces, and mindsets that made a difference as she moved through her research and life.

if you'd like to connect with kate, you can find everything at her website, including her glorious podcast, and her newsletter. and if you'd like even more of us together, we're hosting a workshop about finding what works for you through experimentation in october. learn more here! 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

drum roll please....

the podcast is back! and i'm so excited to share that this is a special pre-season kick off!! all season i'm interviewing my colleagues, clients, and friends to ask them what made academia easier. my hope is that by hearing their stories, you'll get practical tips, compassion, and motivation from all different fields and walks of life. even if grad school is hard for most of us, it's hard in different ways, so i am so grateful for my guests sharing more about their experiences with me so i can share them with you.

but i'm kicking off by sharing one thing that made grad school easier for me....getting out of my department! listen in to hear more about how a weekly newsletter literally got me graduated, and how even the best departments can feel a little small sometimes.

<3 <3 enjoy it! 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

a dream come true! i got the chance to interview dr. laura portwood-stacer about the book i can't stop talking about, make your manuscript work: a guide to developmental editing for scholarly writers. we talk about what grad students need to know about editing their own work, getting feedback, developing manuscripts for publication, and hanging tough in a challenging publication market. 

i can't wait for you to hear this conversation - may it bolster your authorial spirit as much as it did mine! 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

you said you'd send the chapter on friday, but if you just had one more week....

do it once? okay. but no one ever presses snooze just once, right?

let's talk about this loop - and how you can get out of it, in this week's episode

mentioned:

editing checklist

if i work hard enough on this draft, i won't have to revise it

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

sure, it takes longer up front to get the draft as close to perfect as you can, but it will save time when you don't have to revise it, right? right???

taking on one of the most common writing fallacies in today's episode - this is for you if you've ever justified not sending the draft by saying you'll just get it to a better state first. you are not alone, but there are other ways <3

mentioned:

half drawn horse

make your manuscript work

editing checklist

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!

do you have a question you'd like to see answered on the podcast? text it to me here!

if you have ever: 

• ducked into a bathroom to avoid your advisor
• gone days (or longer) avoiding your email in case someone asks you where your draft is
• worked furiously through a weekend so no one noticed you didn't send that draft in on friday

this episode is for you. let's talk about why we go so hard into avoidance mode when writing is late, and why that often is the least helpful way to go about it. plus we talk about ways to soften that feeling, and things you can do intsead. 

Grad School is Hard, But...is a podcast by Dr. Katy Peplin of Thrive PhD. learn more at thrive-phd.com - and i'm co-hosting AcWriMo again this year! sign up for a free month of writing support right here!