😎😎😎
OK. Jokes apart, this is big, and very prestigious in our world – the rarefied ivory towers of academia, where your whole research work done in your PhD years is recognised. It was conferred at the National Communication Association in Washington, DC – the world’s biggest association of academic peers in the communication and social science.

I am coming back to speak of it again for two reasons.

In recent days, seeing some of my good friends being recognised, some acquaintances on the victory pedestals, and some of my mentees going triumphant – all made me extremely proud as a Bhutanese. In spite of all our misplaced egos, we must remember that we are a nation of less than a million and to be doing well as a country, as a nation, and as individuals is something we need to take pride in. So, I thought this piece might also warm up many hearts on the even of the National Day.

Second, and more importantly, there are many young Bhutanese who are doing their postgraduate studies. Anything academic is stressful. We all know that. Postgraduate years are even more stressful, and frustrating and exasperating. PhD time is actually a very lonely journey. Very very lonely. And depressing at times. You wake up every morning and start rethinking your life’s choices. “Who forced me to do this?”, “I am dumping everything and going home. NOW!”, “Why is everyone’s research topic smarter than mine?” “Why does mine sound so dumb?”.

How many times have such deprecating thoughts crossed your mind?

With this post, I thought, maybe all those who are going through such dilemma and the pain of finishing the dissertation, and those who plan to pursue the highest that modern academia has to offer, will be encouraged to believe that this over-glorified thing called PhD is not only within their reach, but that they could also produce something that others in the field will recognise and acknowledge. It is within everyone reach.

I have taught three nationalities – in large cohorts, I mean. And let me say that Bhutanese are no less than anyone. In fact we are as smart or even smarter. Our problem is: we are bit laid back and one ugly thing is: we refuse to acknowledge each other.

So, to all of you, lonely people (read as PhD and maters candidates), out there, keep going!

You can’t imagine how many times I kicked myself. I even had to go back to the field, and write the main summary chapter, in the midst of pandemic, when I was also protecting my 30+ clan members from coronavirus.

And to all those who are not in this business of postgraduate studies, just tag your friends or family members doing masters or PhD, so that this simple message gets to them.

Happy National Day (On Dec 17th)

NB:
Anyone who wants to read my super Dissertation, which actually no one will read😁😁😁, can drop me your email

(Sorry! No photo of mine with the award. I couldn’t travel to Washington DC to receive it because of prior work commitments. My guru and PhD supervisor, Prof Sandel, received it on my behalf on Nov 15 🤩🤩🤩)