Recently I attended my annual progress review and the panel decided that, “judging by the depth and quality” of my research, that surpassed what they, “would’ve expected from someone at such an early phase in a PhD programme”, there could be no doubt whatsoever about my progression to the next stage of the doctorate.

I’ve been urged to, “present and publish” at my earliest opportunity. This news has come as a great relief because at some points over the past 12 months, I had a very difficult time and feared that I might wash out of the programme with an MPhil.