The way I see it you've absolutely nothing to lose by applying, except for the time it takes to complete the application, go for it!

It seems as though you love what you do and so it would be a pity to give it up. That said, the stress will most likely increase and take even more of a toll on your health which wouldn't be at all helpful. Have a look at what currently you do and try to identify what you can cut down on or cut out and hopefully you should be able to make things more manageable. It strikes me that you are very keen to do well and want to make the most of your time which is great but you need to know when to say no and when to recognise when you shouldn't take something on.

Just skimmed through a literature review the other day and it was 100 pages! I think that's approximately 40, 000 words and it was just the literature review. I think mine will be about 20,000 but it's far too early to say.

Thanks everyone.

Joyce, I think you're right.

@ everyone - I'm not in write up year and if things continue to crawl at this pace I'd never get to that stage. I think they class year 3 as write up and so I am only a year away. It's a problem I identified quite early on and I feel it was dismissed but now it looks as though I was right. The reality is I'm behind and through no fault of my own and so now is the time to nip it in the bud. Can't remember who exactly said what on here but my supervisors haven't acknowledged a fault at their end and I think it's more a case of time has escaped unnoticed. It is because they are nice that I'm trying to do right by them by wanting to complete as the reality is a PhD is of little use to me (no pressure to pass as such) but the income will see me through the credit crunch. They are in many ways very good but just too slow at feeding back and it's wasting time, in my opinion. I've always recorded what I've to do and I will start to record tasks they've agreed to do and it'll all be documented.

Excellent suggestion about working off the frustration and so I think to break up the day and to help with this I'll attend the gym.

Thanks Starshine and Sneaks! This has actually helped me and I'm glad I posted.

I'm not demanding in the sense that I don't need spoon feeding but I would be quite assertive in what I expect and that I will be finishing in 3 years (I feel guilty because I'm being serious about that and have told them a number of times but I don't think they are taking this too seriously and so they could be in for a shock). In a sense, supervision is not the issue because I know what I need to do but I need feedback on things before I can move on and waiting on feedback for months is hard to take.

If it works out, it works out...

Thanks. I completed all the work in an attempt to move the practical elements forward and waited for feedback which took sometime. If anything, they've implied in a very nice way that I need to get a work life balance and that I work too hard. I don't but I do work. They are lovely but I don't feel they have time for a PhD student and I'm not very demanding at that.

On this forum I've made it clear that I've no real interest in an academic or research career and that I'm doing a PhD to give me something to do and a better income as opposed to being unemployed. That said, I have taken it very seriously as I feel it only right to earn my money. I've constantly made it clear to my supervisors that I will work as hard as it takes to complete in three years as I will need to finish at this time. I even offered to start a bit early, before the official start date, but wasn't taken up on it. I also recently learned that big charges have been put on students who run over the three years (but they give a few months grace). Even though I've been very honest with them I don't feel they've taken what I've said on board. I haven't had any supervision in many months and although I worked to achieve certain things to help progress the project, once my part was completed I didn't get any feedback for months. Very, very little has been achieved and I'm angry and soul destroyed because I know this will put much more pressure on me later on. I work best steadily and consistently but not under pressure. They have recently acknowledged that there hasn't been much progress and I'm hoping this will change things for the better (they don't seem to be blaming me).

I actually feel physically ill as a result because I know I can't, and am not prepared to, continue after three years. I feel guilty even though I've done nothing wrong. In an ideal world I wouldn't be doing this PhD but quitting is not an option as I need the money and the way I see it things are not my fault as I know I have tried as much as I can from my end.

Not sure what I want people to say but be gentle as I'm feeling fragile and disappointed.:-(

Pamplemousse,

In my opinion, you have NOT come across as arrogant. You just provided information to allow people to answer your question. Unfortunately, some people have money worries and so this may be a sensitive issue for but that's not your problem. Can't help you I'm afraid but hope it all works out.

I don't think there's a 'right' answer as regards the hours. It varies from PhD to PhD but in my first year I could easily have worked a job full-time but there's absolutely no pace to my PhD (very unusual) and I've tried to kick start it with little success. My supervisors need to attend to things before I can go further and let's just say they're very relaxed in their approoach, unfortunately for me!

Think of it this way...if you get your head down, you'll get it done and the pain will be over, at least for a while, and think...this time next week you can focus on something that appeals to you!

I know these are difficult days for you and my advice would be to make an appointment ASAP to see student welfare / counselling. It will not provide all the answers but it will be a great starting point and you'll feel much better for it, honestly. There can be no substitute for a relationship that we have cherished and lost but we can do things to help fill in parts of the hole. Try and establish a routine for your PhD but make time for other interests, especially at the weekends. I think from previous posts you may be a bit socially isolated (your friends being caught up in other things) and so try to develop some new friendships. Making new friends is not easy, that I can tell you, but it can be done but you'll need to be brave and put yourself out there.

Try to keep plugging away at the PhD but it is only part of your life and so give attention to the others aspects.

Please be kind to yourself and try to remember this is a difficult phase in your life but like all phases it will pass...eventually.

Hang in there!

Dr May is a famous astrophysicist. Possibly made famous by the fact that he was a member of Queen, a very famous rock band!

With the credit crunch they are really clamping down. Not helpful to you though. I experienced the same and so am just sitting it out but it's making me depressed. Basically, we are being punished for others stupidity with money!

Very talented, very entertaining, and sad that he died, especially at such a young age.

Hope the wishes of his family are respected.

The tax office should be able to advise but there is a certain amount that you are allowed to earn above the stipend. I think it's about 5k - 6K but can't be sure and so you'd be best double checking.