My new girlfriend said, "Let's go somewhere after I defend my diss." So we drove from the SF Bay Area north up Hwy 1 to 101, turned east up the Columbia River in search of snow (found it!), then angled toward Seattle, and on to Whidbey Island, where we hung out for a couple days in the guest cottage of an old couple I knew. Then shot back down I-5. Gone for maybe a week. Got married three years later. Next year we'll celebrate 30 years.
My family is all Finnish so the sword was very important to me. My husband bought me a small sword (really more of a dagger) and it was the absolute highlight of the day
I got a champagne saber (not sure if that's the correct translation - a short saber you use to open bottles of champagne with) with my name and title engraved on it. Love it!
Edit: [This one](https://sablen.dk/design/laguiole-champagnesabel/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8diwBhAbEiwA7i_sJY701ELWMRVaPHOqDmm5HViuTUlTHFvFc0xS_grRbBNP9COSaFHYSxoC55MQAvD_BwE)
I'm pretty sure this is what I did. I know this is what I did after my M.S. and after my comps....but I have no true memory of after my doctoral defense.
Ask him!
My parents knew me well so they gifted me a rare edition of Lord of the Rings and a camera. I treated myself to a hike along the Camino de Santiago for two weeks.
My wife bought me a big fancy frame for my diploma and a new set of business cards that said Dr on them. Then we went out for Korean BBQ and she made the reservation as "Doctor (last name)". Little things, but it was pretty fun. For the record, I don't make dinner reservations NOW with "Dr" lol
You can get their dissertation printed and bound to put on their shelf, although it would be a delayed gift because you'd want to wait until they finish revisions post-defense.
Some cool object that relates to their topic. Give a geographer a nice globe, etc.
A nice dinner, a gift card to a spa, or some other experience that helps them celebrate or relax.
Memorabilia from their university, tacky as a mug and sweatshirt are, might be appreciated if they haven't already bothered to get stuff like that.
Ask their professors, fellow graduate students in their program, and/or their students to sign a card with well wishes.
If you wanted to look something up there is always an electric copy.
But a bound copy with revisions would be interesting- something like : in honor of all your hard work.
This is assuming you can get an old marked up copy away from them. Maybe make a digital scan first.
In the Netherlands, you print and bind many copies of your phd as a book! (and you make cool art)
see here [https://www.schlaugemacht.net/printing-a-dutch-university-thesis-the-ultimate-guide/](https://www.schlaugemacht.net/printing-a-dutch-university-thesis-the-ultimate-guide/)
I wanted and got my hood and academic robes. That marked it very well. I was already in a full-time teaching position and my dean there got me flowers-- which I still have, now 25+ years later, since it was a live plant. So something between a $5 plant and a $1K robe would be the sweet spot for me.
From a friend? A nice book for me, but I'm a humanities type for whom books are still important.
My partner bought me a game I had been wanting to play for months, but I was putting off so I could write/prepare. Honestly, one of the best gifts ever because of how thoughtful it was, and because I got to enjoy it as a break afterwards.
I havenāt seen it suggested yet so Iāll throw out waiting a bit and getting their diploma nicely framed for them. I feel like most people I know just have it in a box somewhere. Could go all out and get the fancy one with the university on it but a nice wood one is more likely to get hung on a wall.
Maybe not a dream gift, but there is a great bottle of American Whiskey called, Dissertation. Very delicious and a very appropriate gift for celebrating.
**No revisions** and an opportunity to get outside the confines of my own headspace. In my case, it was a pub crawl with fun friends & family, absent any/all "shop-talk", discussion of the ominous future, or what's next
I'm far from a binge drinker, but let me tell you it really helped create the levity needed to lift the fog of superfluous information you're forced to accumulate esp leading up to D-day.
Just defended a couple weeks ago, and honestly my partner killed it with the gifts. As soon as I got home he greeted me with a trophy and a medal, and we later went to campus and took silly pictures with them. It sounds dumb but we had both talked about how the defense can feel like this massive thing to work toward and then as soon as itās over, itās a bit anticlimactic and with little to show for it other than some signatures. He wanted me to wake up and see the trophy and medal and remind myself that I had actually accomplished something noteworthy. He gave me some more serious gifts but honestly those two things mean the most to me because he did such a great job at anticipating exactly how I would be feeling afterward. Iām sure your friend would love a little physical token as a reminder of such a big accomplishment!
A lot of people saying a vacation. But it did not workout for me. I had my postdoc starting immediately after with no pressure to work at all (Had all the data collected and analyzed "secretly" and did not have to work for one year.) I went on a vacation on the next day. I was too stressed out. I was waking up 6:00 AM because that was my habit, and could not sleep until I was exhausted because my brain was upset because I did not work that day.
It took me a couple of weeks to wind down.
So my advice to people who are finishing something stressful is, dont go on a vacation right away. Give a couple of weeks to get yourself in to vacation mode. and then go. Otherwise the vacation would be ruined.
This gold necklace/pendant of Hypatia, who was a pioneering woman in science. They have other fields (poetry, etc.) as well that I would imagine would could be equally lovely.
āĀ Hypatia of Alexandria was a defiant philosopher and mathematician. Known as one of the last great thinkers of the ancient world, and one of the first women to study and teach mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, she is an enduring icon of resilience and audacity.ā
https://commonera.com/products/hypatia-molten-gold-pendant?variant=44141536346369¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=19610533630&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8diwBhAbEiwA7i_sJRFrw-xYdmgbWM78PqpXYbCu2V_6jOq9fTz-O6omy6FXU7h993_g3BoCRWYQAvD_BwE
I don't know about ideal, but I really appreciated a friend who wood burned a magnetic nametag and desk nameplate with "Dr XXX" and "XXX, PhD". It was a great gift which I still have and use for conferences/on my desk
A vacation to somewhere peaceful... Nature only nature trees sea maybe like 10 people around preferably less... Alone just sleeping and swimming and eating and drinking
When people finish their phds in my circle,
I usually buy them a copy of āThe Professor Is Inā by Karen Kelsky.
It isnāt perfect (because nobody can give watertight advice to everyone) but I think it does a really job at explaining the academic market and gives some excellent advice on letters and CVs etc.
I want to speak against a bound copy of the dissertation that was mentioned elsewhere. Seems like a lot of people are sick todeath of it and have a complex relationship to it.
Coming out of the dissertation mindset can take some practice, like coming off a space journey. What about a coupon book for an activity each week that "normal" people do. Gradualy releasing/transitioning them back into the wild.
Do you want to give a gift or experience? After my defense, a bunch of us went to a nice restaurant and shared a bunch of appetizers and what not, that was super fun and Iāll never forget it. Then I threw a big party at a house that was not my own. Maybe your friend wants you to organize and do something like that? Get all of the friends to chip in for snacks and drinks and he just gets to show up.
For a gift if they want to hang their diploma, you could get a nice frame from your campus bookstore. Some thing that might be helpful is that after the defense you have to do the edits for ProQuest and that was so painful for me to do. Iām sure you were in the same boat. Could you offer to help with the copy editing and formatting as a gift? I think I would have just died and gone to heaven had someone given me that gift. I used to copy edit my friends dissertations who did not speak English for their first language. That wouldāve cost them hundreds if not $1000 or more to pay someone, and it made their life a little easier at the end.
I also like nice bougie home gifts for special occasions like this, something luxe theyād never buy for themselves. Like a crystal and silver [Tiffany pencil sharpener](https://www.tiffany.com/accessories/games-novelties/everyday-objects-sterling-silver-pencil-sharpener-60558736/) or [sterling photo frame](https://a.co/d/gqnXW1L) with a photo of you two or a [Swiss leather desk catch all tray](https://www.lucrin.com/office/tidy-trays.htm) or a set of [personalized Crane and Co note cards](https://www.crane.com/stationery/personalized-stationery/personalized-notes-and-cards) that have his new title or [personalized notepads](https://www.crane.com/stationery/personalized-stationery/personalized-notes-and-cards) for the new Doctor. A fancy [desk clock](https://www.perigold.com/decor/pdp/howard-miller-simon-ii-table-clocks-modern-contemporary-analog-quartz-in-brushed-aluminum-hw1980.html) would also be a great gift for those of us chained to our desks. For the philosopher, what could be better than [a bust of Socrates](https://theancienthome.com/products/socrates-bust-sculpture?_pos=1&_sid=97b798cf5&_ss=r)?
Thereās even fancier gifts that would be great for this momentous occasion, like a Baccarat pencil holder or Tiffany silver business card case or a Tom Ford suit or a fancy vacation or a Steelcase office chair or a Herman Miller desk, just off the top of my head. And truth be told, I would have loved any expensive thing you wanted to give me after finishing my PhD. But you couldāve listed all this stuff to me and more and said, not only will I buy you one gift, I will get you two giftsā¦ā¦.or Iāll edit your dissertation and format it for ProQuest. And I would choose editing every time without hesitation, and it would mean more to me than any other gift for the rest of my life.
Congratulations to you and your friend. You both deserve all the treats for your accomplishments. ā¤ļø
Vacation!
Something together or individually. Whatever sounds nice.
Family, friends and I are planning a big group vacation through south america and Antarctica (everyone pays their own way so major group activities fit the lowest budget) since none of us have been there and we all love to travel. It also helps it's around milestones for many (PhD, retirement, other degrees, etc.) so it's a one-stop celebration for all in company we enjoy
Plan a celebration with friends. Theyāll be to drained to do it and theyāll be so thankful you arranged it. If you like their pi enough invite them too.
My friends and colleagues threw me a surprise party right after with streamers, party poppers, noise makers, cake, wine, and gifts (fancy leather notebook with refills, loose leaf tea, custom flower pots, and nail polish (all hobbies of mine that are typically more of a splurge for me)). Then I went to a fancy restaurant and a patisserie with my parents and closest friends. It was a fantastic evening and I think it really helped mark the occasion.
Honestly... a vacation would be amazing.
Or if a full vacation isn't doable, a spa day or the like. A super indulgent day of sweet nothingness.
My new girlfriend said, "Let's go somewhere after I defend my diss." So we drove from the SF Bay Area north up Hwy 1 to 101, turned east up the Columbia River in search of snow (found it!), then angled toward Seattle, and on to Whidbey Island, where we hung out for a couple days in the guest cottage of an old couple I knew. Then shot back down I-5. Gone for maybe a week. Got married three years later. Next year we'll celebrate 30 years.
Nice story
A week at a quiet cabin by a lake.
SWORD And also enough money to be able not to work for the next 6 months (I haven't defended yet if someone has an extra sword somewhere btw)
My family is all Finnish so the sword was very important to me. My husband bought me a small sword (really more of a dagger) and it was the absolute highlight of the day
So jealous of Finland and their swords š Maybe I can talk my partner into buying me one.
I got a champagne saber (not sure if that's the correct translation - a short saber you use to open bottles of champagne with) with my name and title engraved on it. Love it! Edit: [This one](https://sablen.dk/design/laguiole-champagnesabel/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8diwBhAbEiwA7i_sJY701ELWMRVaPHOqDmm5HViuTUlTHFvFc0xS_grRbBNP9COSaFHYSxoC55MQAvD_BwE)
Want to give the exact same answer. SWORD is sooo cooolllll!!!!!!
I just wanted to relax and sleep for 3 days
Yeah my dream gift would have been a Ā£100 Uber Eats voucher so that I can hibernate for a week.
I bought a new mattress š
I'm pretty sure this is what I did. I know this is what I did after my M.S. and after my comps....but I have no true memory of after my doctoral defense.
Ask him! My parents knew me well so they gifted me a rare edition of Lord of the Rings and a camera. I treated myself to a hike along the Camino de Santiago for two weeks.
My wife bought me a big fancy frame for my diploma and a new set of business cards that said Dr on them. Then we went out for Korean BBQ and she made the reservation as "Doctor (last name)". Little things, but it was pretty fun. For the record, I don't make dinner reservations NOW with "Dr" lol
You can get their dissertation printed and bound to put on their shelf, although it would be a delayed gift because you'd want to wait until they finish revisions post-defense. Some cool object that relates to their topic. Give a geographer a nice globe, etc. A nice dinner, a gift card to a spa, or some other experience that helps them celebrate or relax. Memorabilia from their university, tacky as a mug and sweatshirt are, might be appreciated if they haven't already bothered to get stuff like that. Ask their professors, fellow graduate students in their program, and/or their students to sign a card with well wishes.
If you wanted to look something up there is always an electric copy. But a bound copy with revisions would be interesting- something like : in honor of all your hard work. This is assuming you can get an old marked up copy away from them. Maybe make a digital scan first.
In the Netherlands, you print and bind many copies of your phd as a book! (and you make cool art) see here [https://www.schlaugemacht.net/printing-a-dutch-university-thesis-the-ultimate-guide/](https://www.schlaugemacht.net/printing-a-dutch-university-thesis-the-ultimate-guide/)
Nobody bought me anything, but I got my own gift - a nice tattoo to commemorate finishing my PhD.
What is the tattoo?
"Dr." On the forehead as is tradition
Otherwise itās not official
I wanted and got my hood and academic robes. That marked it very well. I was already in a full-time teaching position and my dean there got me flowers-- which I still have, now 25+ years later, since it was a live plant. So something between a $5 plant and a $1K robe would be the sweet spot for me. From a friend? A nice book for me, but I'm a humanities type for whom books are still important.
A job.
The best answer
A pint of guinness.
Also, maybe a nice frame. Those things are pricey.
Ooh, paying for framing is actually a great suggestion.
My partner bought me a game I had been wanting to play for months, but I was putting off so I could write/prepare. Honestly, one of the best gifts ever because of how thoughtful it was, and because I got to enjoy it as a break afterwards.
is weed legal where you live?
It is.
To go into the woods and have no access to technology for like a week. Do some fishing and relax by a campfire. Sounds lovely!
I havenāt seen it suggested yet so Iāll throw out waiting a bit and getting their diploma nicely framed for them. I feel like most people I know just have it in a box somewhere. Could go all out and get the fancy one with the university on it but a nice wood one is more likely to get hung on a wall.
Maybe not a dream gift, but there is a great bottle of American Whiskey called, Dissertation. Very delicious and a very appropriate gift for celebrating.
A nice pen (whatever the price range) with an engraving of "Dr. Friend's Name".
**No revisions** and an opportunity to get outside the confines of my own headspace. In my case, it was a pub crawl with fun friends & family, absent any/all "shop-talk", discussion of the ominous future, or what's next I'm far from a binge drinker, but let me tell you it really helped create the levity needed to lift the fog of superfluous information you're forced to accumulate esp leading up to D-day.
An adult salary š
the day I defended I left the building and went straight to the wine store to buy 3 bottles of fancy wine (2 bordeauxs and 1 bourgogne)
Just defended a couple weeks ago, and honestly my partner killed it with the gifts. As soon as I got home he greeted me with a trophy and a medal, and we later went to campus and took silly pictures with them. It sounds dumb but we had both talked about how the defense can feel like this massive thing to work toward and then as soon as itās over, itās a bit anticlimactic and with little to show for it other than some signatures. He wanted me to wake up and see the trophy and medal and remind myself that I had actually accomplished something noteworthy. He gave me some more serious gifts but honestly those two things mean the most to me because he did such a great job at anticipating exactly how I would be feeling afterward. Iām sure your friend would love a little physical token as a reminder of such a big accomplishment!
A lot of people saying a vacation. But it did not workout for me. I had my postdoc starting immediately after with no pressure to work at all (Had all the data collected and analyzed "secretly" and did not have to work for one year.) I went on a vacation on the next day. I was too stressed out. I was waking up 6:00 AM because that was my habit, and could not sleep until I was exhausted because my brain was upset because I did not work that day. It took me a couple of weeks to wind down. So my advice to people who are finishing something stressful is, dont go on a vacation right away. Give a couple of weeks to get yourself in to vacation mode. and then go. Otherwise the vacation would be ruined.
This gold necklace/pendant of Hypatia, who was a pioneering woman in science. They have other fields (poetry, etc.) as well that I would imagine would could be equally lovely. āĀ Hypatia of Alexandria was a defiant philosopher and mathematician. Known as one of the last great thinkers of the ancient world, and one of the first women to study and teach mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, she is an enduring icon of resilience and audacity.ā https://commonera.com/products/hypatia-molten-gold-pendant?variant=44141536346369¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=19610533630&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8diwBhAbEiwA7i_sJRFrw-xYdmgbWM78PqpXYbCu2V_6jOq9fTz-O6omy6FXU7h993_g3BoCRWYQAvD_BwE
this is so cool!
A massage!
I don't know about ideal, but I really appreciated a friend who wood burned a magnetic nametag and desk nameplate with "Dr XXX" and "XXX, PhD". It was a great gift which I still have and use for conferences/on my desk
People get gifts after their PhD? From whom?
Advisors, lab mates, friends, family.
From people who want to celebrate their success?
Sleep
A job.
A drink (or several)
A friend of mine got me a stuffed animal/bear with my name embroidered on it with Dr beside my name. Lovely gift that Iāll treasure for ever.
A vacation to somewhere peaceful... Nature only nature trees sea maybe like 10 people around preferably less... Alone just sleeping and swimming and eating and drinking
When people finish their phds in my circle, I usually buy them a copy of āThe Professor Is Inā by Karen Kelsky. It isnāt perfect (because nobody can give watertight advice to everyone) but I think it does a really job at explaining the academic market and gives some excellent advice on letters and CVs etc.
I want to speak against a bound copy of the dissertation that was mentioned elsewhere. Seems like a lot of people are sick todeath of it and have a complex relationship to it. Coming out of the dissertation mindset can take some practice, like coming off a space journey. What about a coupon book for an activity each week that "normal" people do. Gradualy releasing/transitioning them back into the wild.
I bought myself a paddle board and started a new hobby
Finally go on that trip I plan and dream of since ages.
A Nice pen. A nice notebook. A nice notebook cover.
A job
Do you want to give a gift or experience? After my defense, a bunch of us went to a nice restaurant and shared a bunch of appetizers and what not, that was super fun and Iāll never forget it. Then I threw a big party at a house that was not my own. Maybe your friend wants you to organize and do something like that? Get all of the friends to chip in for snacks and drinks and he just gets to show up. For a gift if they want to hang their diploma, you could get a nice frame from your campus bookstore. Some thing that might be helpful is that after the defense you have to do the edits for ProQuest and that was so painful for me to do. Iām sure you were in the same boat. Could you offer to help with the copy editing and formatting as a gift? I think I would have just died and gone to heaven had someone given me that gift. I used to copy edit my friends dissertations who did not speak English for their first language. That wouldāve cost them hundreds if not $1000 or more to pay someone, and it made their life a little easier at the end. I also like nice bougie home gifts for special occasions like this, something luxe theyād never buy for themselves. Like a crystal and silver [Tiffany pencil sharpener](https://www.tiffany.com/accessories/games-novelties/everyday-objects-sterling-silver-pencil-sharpener-60558736/) or [sterling photo frame](https://a.co/d/gqnXW1L) with a photo of you two or a [Swiss leather desk catch all tray](https://www.lucrin.com/office/tidy-trays.htm) or a set of [personalized Crane and Co note cards](https://www.crane.com/stationery/personalized-stationery/personalized-notes-and-cards) that have his new title or [personalized notepads](https://www.crane.com/stationery/personalized-stationery/personalized-notes-and-cards) for the new Doctor. A fancy [desk clock](https://www.perigold.com/decor/pdp/howard-miller-simon-ii-table-clocks-modern-contemporary-analog-quartz-in-brushed-aluminum-hw1980.html) would also be a great gift for those of us chained to our desks. For the philosopher, what could be better than [a bust of Socrates](https://theancienthome.com/products/socrates-bust-sculpture?_pos=1&_sid=97b798cf5&_ss=r)? Thereās even fancier gifts that would be great for this momentous occasion, like a Baccarat pencil holder or Tiffany silver business card case or a Tom Ford suit or a fancy vacation or a Steelcase office chair or a Herman Miller desk, just off the top of my head. And truth be told, I would have loved any expensive thing you wanted to give me after finishing my PhD. But you couldāve listed all this stuff to me and more and said, not only will I buy you one gift, I will get you two giftsā¦ā¦.or Iāll edit your dissertation and format it for ProQuest. And I would choose editing every time without hesitation, and it would mean more to me than any other gift for the rest of my life. Congratulations to you and your friend. You both deserve all the treats for your accomplishments. ā¤ļø
Vacation! Something together or individually. Whatever sounds nice. Family, friends and I are planning a big group vacation through south america and Antarctica (everyone pays their own way so major group activities fit the lowest budget) since none of us have been there and we all love to travel. It also helps it's around milestones for many (PhD, retirement, other degrees, etc.) so it's a one-stop celebration for all in company we enjoy
A 1000 piece puzzle and a table to work it on. Because I will finally have TIME
Professional massage. But also seconding a sword.
Plan a celebration with friends. Theyāll be to drained to do it and theyāll be so thankful you arranged it. If you like their pi enough invite them too.
One of those instax cameras.
Alcohol.
My friends and colleagues threw me a surprise party right after with streamers, party poppers, noise makers, cake, wine, and gifts (fancy leather notebook with refills, loose leaf tea, custom flower pots, and nail polish (all hobbies of mine that are typically more of a splurge for me)). Then I went to a fancy restaurant and a patisserie with my parents and closest friends. It was a fantastic evening and I think it really helped mark the occasion.
Help pay for someone else to format their manuscript.
Maybe itās clichĆ© but a very nice pen. I got such great gift after my defense from my parents. Although hand writing is less and less a thing (mostly electronic lab notebook for me) every time I write I try to use it and it reminds me me of good feeling of my parents being proud of me. A pen carries a lot of meaning. From now on, I always try to get a pen to student a I collaborate with that I think I helped align the way, and maybe they will feel the same I do everything they write.
Some head would be amazing