“Guided by Curiosity” – The PhD Story of Bagi Alexandra

It was a dream for me to become a PhD student. I have always felt at home in the university environment and enjoyed engaging in intellectual conversations with people from diverse backgrounds. After teaching English abroad, I realized that I truly love teaching. My curiosity about different communities also led me towards a research career. All of these elements combined motivated me to embark on my PhD journey. 

One of my favorite aspects of my PhD studies has been meeting incredible and inspiring people. On the one hand, I have had the privilege of working with excellent professors, especially my supervisor, who guided me from a one-and-a-half-page research proposal to the final stages of my dissertation. But it’s not just the faculty who influenced my journey—my role as a representative and later as the president of the Corvinus Doctoral Student Union allowed me to connect with colleagues in the Doctoral Office and different university departments, fostering valuable collaboration and support. 

On the other hand, I am deeply grateful for my fellow PhD students, with whom I have formed academic partnerships, collaborated in the Doctoral Student Union, and engaged in meaningful discussions at various events. The PhD community can be incredibly uplifting when you find ways to connect with your peers. I feel lucky to have built strong friendships and professional relationships with fellow students, whether they started before, with, or after me. 

Many people imagine a PhD as a smooth and straightforward journey, but the reality is quite different. I have had to reinvent myself multiple times, including making significant changes to my research topic. However, I see this as an integral part of the process—it has taught me invaluable lessons about adaptability, resilience, and managing stress under academic pressure. While these challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, the skills I’ve gained will undoubtedly serve me well in the future.