timestamps: 0:46 summary of my ~academic journey~ up to this point 🎓 2:24 what is my job? (+ when do I start, what qualifications I needed, etc) ⛅ 6:37 where have I moved to? (+ how I found moving out, how much it cost, etc) 🏠 11:32 how did I work out what kinds of jobs I wanted to apply to? 13:53 how did I find CV writing etc? 15:34 is it hard to get a job with a physics degree? 16:42 running, cycling, & other hobbies 🚴♀️ 19:18 the future of this youtube channel 20:18 do I regret not doing a PhD? more Qs that came up a lot but I didn't cover here: how did I find the MSc? see: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_Xfgz4PlLo8.html why did I decide not to do a PhD? see: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KqeZQAAqnHY.html also please note this is a scheduled upload! I will reply to comments later this evening 😊
As someone from Exeter I thought I'd mention: - Going for a run along the river in town is really beautiful, especially at this time of year! There's also a cool climbing centre there, and I'm sure you've noticed but there's tons of cycle paths - Board is a board game cafe in town and it's super fun to go there with friends - Monkey Suit is an amazing bar on sidwell street -- if you want a relaxed space for a pint of coke or a cocktail when it's safe to go, definitely give it a try! It was relatively cheap a few years ago (around the same as grizedale is) and they do amazing bee stings if you drink alcohol - Exeter Maths School is a specialist maths, physics, and computer science college in rougement gardens right in town. Every two weeks before covid they invited people from STEM backgrounds to give talks about what they do, so if you ever want to try paid science communication (or even just uni/youtube stuff) that might be a good place to look at. When I went there a few years ago I actually got to do a project with Dr Laura Jackson from the MET Office, which normally happens every year!
oh my gosh I genuinely really appreciate all of this advice, thank you so much!!! 😍 it's obviously not been the best time to move and get to know a new city, but I'm always on the look out for things I can add to my "exeter to do list" for when everything is properly open again, and these are all ace suggestions 😁 x
Omg hi! Congratulations. I’m starting uni for Physics at UCL this year, I hope and pray that I am just as successful as you! I am very motivated because you helped me to see that if you put in the effort and study smart you can do whatever you want and I’m a dedicated female student!
Congrats on finding a job you love Alice! It's so nice to see you do something you love and not do what you feel you should be doing (getting a Phd) just because everyone thinks it's the right choice. I think a lot of people who study physics think that the most prestigious thing in the physics realm is to get a PhD in physics and become a "physicist". What they don't realise is that you can contribute to science without getting a PhD immediately after your masters. Even more than that, there are many more fields that people with a physics background can contribute to other than academic research because, as you said, physics graduates possess an impressive array of cognitive abilities. I guess your channel is a good reminder and lesson to everyone about this 😊 Good luck with your future! Am excited to see what you do next.
Been following you for past 4yrs, you have grown into such a charismatic soul.It's always a pleasure to watch your video...Goodluck for future endeavours
My masters degree started and knowing you would make a new video truly made my day better. You have inspired me with your bike rides, your oxford vlogs, the way you organize your homework etc. Greetings from the Netherlands!
Omg I remember watching your videos in high school & dreaming about becoming a physics student and now here I am halfway through my bachelors. You really gave me a lot of motivation for this so thank you!💛 Also I’m soo glad you’re enjoying your new job. I hope you’ll have a ton of fun with it🌪
Hi Alice, I found this really interesting, because your path so far really replicates mine at your age (I worked at NOC though after MSc, went to MetO later). I did my PhD through work part-time over 8 years, and don’t regret it but would now think of PhD by publication route instead wasn’t an option in the 90s. Career went a bit pear shaped when I left with a young family as husband’s MetO job moved north and no science jobs in my area - but it’s all come good in the end, and I work in research impact now.. Fwiw, I think you have made a great choice of employer and career!
The reason I like your videos is because they’re always done to a high standard, with clearly a lot of thought and effort put into them. I agree that you shouldn’t feel you should be sticking to a schedule for RU-vid because one good video is better than 3 mediocre videos. I feel that a lot of You-tubers upload videos that are rushed and often repeat what they’ve said in like 3 other videos, and it’s *so* obvious they’re just doing it for views, and hence money. You’re not like that tho, so keep doing what you’re doing girl 😁 P.s congrats on the Job, and enjoy your time in Devon! 🙂
Hi, I'm glad to hear that you're happy and you've found a job that suits you! 😀 I appreciate this kind of videos very much, because (at least for me) it was easy to find a lot of videos on experiences of doing a PhD and very few on not doing it, which is the option I'm probably going for. I really don't understand why people feel the urge to contact you privately to give unrequested life advice, or worse judgement 😑 anyway it's good to hear that you didn't pay them much attention and that you're happy with your decision!
I always love your videos Alice! You're so down to earth and you have such an excellent attitude to life. At the end of the day, it has nothing to do with anyone else what you chose to do with your life. You seem so happy with your choices, I really admire that. Looking forward to future videos, it' always such a nice surprise when your videos pop up in my feed.
I remember watching your videos when i was about to take the a level i think that was about 3 years ago, how the time flies! Anyway, congrats on your new job :)
I can't say how much i appreciate this video. I really needed to hear a lot of the things that were said here. I suffer from quite bad anxiety sometimes; but Alice you really have put me at ease in the space of 20 mins. I dont need a phd and if i want one in the future, then i'll just get one, simple. Seeing Simon Clarke battle through his phd scared the absolute shit out of me. I just started my physics undergrad at Exeter and now with that weight off me I feel super energised and ready to smash this! Vector Mechanics here i come! xD Also i have to say that the fact that you only post when you want to, just makes this (and other channels like it) so much more pure, genuine and rich with valuable, uplifting advice. I am so so happy for you! Take care everyone! stay safe so we can knock this virus on the head sooner rather than later :)
hey JJ, hope you're having a wonderful time in exeter so far (and enjoying vector mechanics!) 😁 you're right, you definitely don't need a concrete plan about what you want to do after uni; I don't think anyone really knows in first year (and those that do "know" are probably going to change their mind!) so you're definitely right to just take things as they come 😊 you've got this! x
Sounds like you're really enjoying your job! Good luck with it. I'm starting a graduate job in Medical Physics with the NHS next week after finishing my BSc Physics degree this summer. I'm really excited to get started!
Hiya im in y12 right now, and I feel like medical physics might be smtg I would love to do as a job. Would u mind telling what it is u do like day to day?
@@maria6451 Hi Maria. It's great that you already have an idea of what you want to do! I'm on a graduate scheme at the moment which is the NHS Scientist Training Programme. It starts with a month at university studying a masters level degree in clinical science before being on rotations in the hospital. There are four areas of medical physics that you can specialise in: Imaging with Ionising Radiation (X-ray, CT. Nuclear Medicine), Imaging with Non-Ionising Radiation (MRI, Ultrasound), Radiation Safety (Room design, equipment design, staff and patient safety) and Radiotherapy (planning cancer treatments and maintaining the LINACs). As for day to day, I'm not sure yet because I'm doing the university component at the moment so haven't actually been into the hospital yet but I can tell you why I picked the scheme: I liked biology at A-level as well as physics and nearly did natural sciences (combining the two) instead of physics at university so medical physics is a great way to combine the two. The human body is amazing to me but also I didn't do a biology degree because I liked maths better so physics seemed a good option for me (it was). It is a great way to get job satisfaction from helping people as well as using physics knowledge every day. 5% of the NHS workforce are clinical scientists (there are many other specialties as well as medical physics) and 80% of patients have a clinical decision based helped by the work of clinical scientist so it's a good way to feel fulfilled and like you are making a difference to some people with your job but at the same time not many people know what you do so you are helping in the background. Also there are other ways to pursue medical physics without working directly in a hospital: research at a university (although quite a lot of NHS clinical scientist also do research part time alongside their clinical duties) and designing implants and medical machines such as MRI or CT but also hip replacements and pacemakers. If you want more info, this is a link to the NHS STP website. There you can see the curriculum and a lot more about the scheme, all the information is publically available: nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/stp/ Also might be good to look at the IPEM (Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine), you should be able to join for free as a student to find out more about possible jobs/apprenticeships and to learn more: www.ipem.ac.uk/ If you have any other questions, just ask (best to tag me as well so I see it)! :)
Wow, who messages people they've never met on the internet about life advice? People forget that happiness, satisfaction, and the ability to continually improve oneself are what's really important in life. You seem to have all of this with your new job (given, I don't actually know you!). Good luck at the Met (as an American I had NO idea what it was, so thanks for the explanation!).
apparently quite a lot of people... I definitely didn't expect it! 😅 I don't know if you watch PaigeY (if not definitely have a look) but I noticed she seemed to be getting exactly the same thing in the comments under a video where she explained why she'd chosen an actuarial job over an astrophysics masters ☹️ thank you, really appreciate your kind words (especially in amongst all the other PhD related "advice"!!) ♥️♥️
Just to clarify distinction between 'The Met' and 'The Met Office' for our US cousins... 'The Met' is generally an abbreviation of London's Metropolitan Police Service (which includes Scotland Yard) whereas The Met Office is an abbreviated Meteorological Office)
Congratulations! So happy for you with this new job. Is there any chance you’d consider doing a video about different science research kind of jobs in companies for people without PhDs? I’m currently doing a masters in computer science after a BSc in Biochemistry but don’t know how to even start looking for companies that offer jobs like that. I’m so glad you’ve found the one that’s right for you!
thanks so much lauren! 😁 yes, that's definitely something I can do (although it'd probably be physics / maths biased I'm afraid, just because those are the jobs I'd have heard of) - hope the MSc is going well by the way ♥️
@@alicedoesphysics You're very welcome! And thank you, hearing ideas for any subject would be very helpful so I know where to start researching for ideas. I am sure there's a crossover in some companies between maths/physics and comp sci anyway. The MSc has started off very well thanks, I'm a month in now and very much enjoying it ☺️
Daughter made it to lancaster for Particle physics and cosmology 4yr masters at Grizedale College. They have done a good job of putting on a freshers week covid safe in the best way they can do, and shes loving it :) So seeing this video and the end goal of reaching your dreams really is inspiring for her and other upcoming physicists :)
Gee 4 years on and she graduated at Lancaster and phd a Manchester now in neutrino double beta decay experiment in Spain. Hope you are enjoying your job Alice and living your best life
Really enjoying your videos! Would love to see a running/cycling gear advice video if you have time? Struggling to find the right trainers etc. at the moment! I've also just bought a new bike :)
Hey Alice love your videos! Big congrats on the job, it sounds really interesting! This year I will be doing Msc data science at my uni and I have been thinking about whether or not I should take the postgrad loan since it is different to the undergrad one. I managed to get a scholarship for my masters and so it would be possible for me to get through without the loan, it would just mean I wouldn't be left with much and I may have to do a part time job. So I was just wondering, did you take the postgrad loan and if not how did you fund yourself? Thanks if you have the time to answer 😊
thank you, and good luck for the MSc!! 😁 I'd be wary of relying on being able to find a part-time job at the moment (I've just seen how hard it is for my friends to find work), so maybe you could take the first installment of the loan just in case, and then see how first term goes? also worth baring in mind your uni might want concrete proof you can afford the fees before you start (oxford did for me)
Awesome vid, congrats on your job! Would love if you could make a vid with advice on applying for internships and some aspects on writing a competitive cover letter/CV ?
hey, thank you so much!! 😁 ah I'm really sorry, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable making an advice video for CVs / applications just because I think I'm not qualified to give advice (and there is much better, free advice online from careers services and people who've worked in HR, etc) but I'll give it a think, and see if there's any way I could do it that isn't just me giving me (potentially incorrect!) opinion 😊 x
As soon as I saw the thumbnail I knew you are working for the Metoffice. What you are wearing is the "unofficial" Metoffice uniform. :-) I work in atmospheric research too and know a few people at the Hadley Centre. If I ever visit the Metoffice again and see you I promise I will say hi. I think when you have a bit more research experience and when you are interested there is a possibility to work in certain joint projects with a number of universities and register as a phd student with one of them. It's never too late if you are interested. My supervisor didn't get his phd until he was already a famous scientist.
haha that's actually a photo from my interview, so good to know I judged the dress code right! my unofficial uniform at the moment is a lot more comfy... one of the perks of working from home 😂 ah, that's so cool, definitely do say hi 😁
yes, almost was, but (probably) not in the direction you think; the public sector is (in the UK at least) definitely not where you go if you want a large salary, but there are many non-monetary perks to my job (genuinely interesting work, free training, flexible hours, lots of annual leave, good pension, good location) that made it worth it for me in the end
An online degree in physics would probably drive most people mad which is why I have never heard of something like it being offered. You cant study physics for 3 to 5 years from your bedroom
@@alicedoesphysics phew hahahah!! Aaah also I commented this in a hurry I also wanted to say that I've been watching your channel since your "How to get an A*" videos, it's truly great to see you thriving professionally!!
