Why do old people eat cake?: Building community in post-COVID academia
By Louis Burgess
"Why do old people eat cake?" This simple question led to a movement which over the past year has enhanced the atmosphere and social wellbeing of the business school PhD community. We came to understand, in time, that there are two main reasons. The first is that eating cake is obviously good, and these so-called 'old people' have amassed a great amount of wisdom over the years, allowing them to view this fact with ease. The second reason is, of course, the fact that, with their perhaps limited time left on earth, they have learned how to indulge without guilt or fear of consequence.
We used these principles going forward to try to build a community that could enjoy the small pleasures in life together, and hopefully bring our post-COVID scattered PhDs together into a more cohesive unit. On the 28th of September 2023, it began on an unassuming Thursday and has continued ever since with a total of 28 meetings, and even more cakes. Yes, that's right, most meetings have had multiple treats to enjoy. We are not afraid to indulge.
At multiple points, researchers from our PhD community have stated that our club meetings are the highlight of their week. Others have mentioned how much friendlier everyone is since joining. Coming back to university after COVID-19 seemed daunting for many students. And having spent a lot of time at home, our social skills were a bit rusty. Now, many of us feel back to normal, our mental health has improved, and we have something to look forward to every Thursday — in part thanks to the Business School PhD Cake Club.
Looking to the future, we have no intention of stopping. The business school is somewhat lacking in PhD-specific events, and so we have taken action ourselves. We are now funded by the Researcher-Led Initiative Fund, so anyone can contribute to the cake club regardless of their financial situation. We are also organizing a party in the summer to finish off the academic year properly, and to reflect on all the happy memories we have made together. While many of our founding members will graduate in the near future, we hope our Thursday tradition lives on for many years. I would like to take a moment to encourage others to organize a cake club of their own. The PhD journey can be difficult and building a supportive community amongst peers can be challenging when we are so focused on our own research. So, take some initiative, email you department’s mailing list, get baking, and make some friends.
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