“Juggling more than I think”: starting a doctoral journey amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the unique perspectives of PhD students who started a PhD program at a research university in the Southwest region of the USA during the height of a global pandemic. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was applied to collect and analyze the experiences of six new PhD students during their Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. Data was collaboratively collected by a research team and included audio recordings, written artifacts, and photographs. The convenience sample of six PhD students, who include a portion of the study’s authors, also participated in a 45-min semi-structured focus group discussion. Data was analyzed using a two-cycle thematic analysis. Findings COVID-19 created increased pressure and demands across the full scope of the PhD students’ lives and resulted in new, creative ways of communicating, learning, and adapting to a new environment. Beginning a PhD during a global pandemic created uncertain pathways but also opened new opportunities for students to engage with classmates and family. The network stemming from the cohort model was pivotal in maintaining progress in the program. Originality/value This paper contributes to a body of education literature on graduate student experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing the lived experiences of new PhD students in a cohort-modeled program. The implications of the changing academic environment, cohort model, and students’ abilities to adapt are discussed.