The doctoral period is often described as a linear path, omitting the human dimensions of becoming a scholar. In this volume, the imaginary of the PhD education in Sweden is expanded through the metaphor of the PhD wanderer- an early-career academic venturing into unknown terrains, sometimes becoming lost, at other times finding exciting directions, committing to new routes, and encountering new travellers along the way. In this collection of essays, academics who have defended their doctoral dissertations and earned their PhDs at Swedish universities reflect on their past experiences. Through these essays, as well as interviews with two senior academics, the contributors show that there is no single path to a PhD, as each process is filled with exploration, vulnerability, adaptability, and human connection. This collection invites prospective, current, and former PhD students-and those who guide them-to appreciate the stories woven into the very first steps of an academic life.