Krishna Kularni - PhD Student
I started my Cambridge life as a Research Assistant and my office was at Homerton College. I was struck by how warm and welcoming everyone was and how beautiful the grounds were. When it came to applying to colleges for my PhD, it wasn't ever a question. Homerton has somehow always felt like home and I'm so glad I was able to be part of this community.
I have just completed my PhD from the PEDAL Centre (Play in Education, Development and Learning) at the Faculty of Education. My work focuses on parent-child play in the UK and in India, and explores the measurement of playfulness, the role of culture in play, and the impact of the COVID-19 on families' play in India.
Homerton has been key to each step of my postgraduate experience. Right from the friendly college community since day zero, it has truly been home.
The accommodation is far superior to typical student housing. Living on-site meant I had an orchard, beautiful gardens, ducks, a library, a gym, laundry, a bar...really more than I could have imagined, all in my literal backyard.
Friends and socialising
Homerton has given me some of my best friends and I will truly be forever grateful.
The college staff have always been super supportive and helpful. It didn't matter if it was a global pandemic or housing uncertainty or working late nights/early mornings towards deadlines - they've always had my back.
In my first year, I joined the MCR committee as Ents Officer. From a jazz+cocktails event to pizza+Eurovision to facial masks+movie night, we put together some really fun events! The rest of the years, I participated in whatever events I was around for and would also just hang out in the MCR whenever possible.
The Homerton Orchard
The orchard is my favourite place at Homerton. When I first applied to stay at Homerton, I was lucky enough to know we had orchards and requested a room overlooking them. However, even though I had a glorious view when I was working in my room, I would often go for walks or have picnics to spend as much as possible actually in the orchard. I've also hidden Easter eggs in the trees for a hunt and set up a slip-n-slide during a heatwave! The final bits of my PhD were written in the orchard last summer - the calm, green, quiet beauty really helped me cross the finish line with critical parts of my PhD. It is definitely my happy place.
My advice to pass on to prospective postgraduate students
Seek your tribe: the PhD experience is unlike any other and it is so important to have a close circle who truly understands the experience. No matter how great and close and going-way-back your non-PhD relationships may be, you need your PhD tribe to help navigate the sticky bits and to celebrate the wins - they truly get it.
Celebrate the wins, no matter how seemingly insignificant: the PhD is a long journey with so many challenges along the way - funding, publications, delayed pilots, missing data, unexpected/undesirable outcomes. It can get quite demoralising and relentless. Finally received a reply? Celebrate. Had an analysis behave? Celebrate. Submitted a draft? Celebrate. Finished your viva? Celebrate. Graduating? Celebrate!!
Next steps
I moved back to India last year, after completing my PhD: it's been so good to be back with family! Work-wise, I took a break to recharge and then started work earlier this year. My full-time role is with a startup, supporting the development of a play-based, early years' curriculum for children globally. I also work as a research consultant with an NGO focused on empowering parents in low-income communities in India, to help their child be school-ready.
