Morning fellow Phders,

My work seems to be getting easier - is this normal? Or do you think I could be being dangerously delusional?

I had very poor supervision for my first year, but have been with a great supervisor since May. Although things seemed horribly hard four months ago, when I first began with the new one - meetings consisted of two hours of grilling and gruelling (constructive) criticism, it all seems to be getting much easier. It's still difficult, but there isn't the sense of constant, mind bending struggle that I've had these last few months. Maybe I should have that all the time - maybe I should be struggling for more, hhhmm, or maybe I've reached a natural plateau.

Anyone else felt like this?

Have a good holiday Bug! I hope you get to switch off properly a bit too.

======= Date Modified 29 Aug 2009 10:24:23 =======
[quote]Quote From Curiouscat:


I'm not a natural academic I just worked my arse off for my Masters and kinda fell into the PhD cause I did well.


Cat - everybody works their arse off for their Masters - but not everybody does well, so to my mind you are ahead of the game. I'd bet my collection of paintings (my most treasured possessions) that everyone who reaches the top in this game, or even the middle rung, has absolutely worked their arse off!! I mean, look at Bug, she's got repetitive strain injury in her hands FGS. I think what matters more is whether or not you enjoy what you are doing, if you're not into it, then maybe that's why you think you are not a 'natural'; and, personally, I think that if you can easily loose touch with what you love about your research if you sacrifice too much for it.



Which leads to:



More generally, I agree with the other posters, you need a balance of social life, relaxation and work - otherwise you will loose motivation or blow a gaskett, burn out and be unable to enjoy any success you achieve. Set out some designated time when you are not allowed to work, and enjoy yourself. Also speak to your sup about this situation, it may not be as bad as you think, most PhDs go through phases with their work, and your sup probably understands that.

P.s. I haven't figure out how to end the quote thing so please excuse the formatting!

Well my champion's chair feels just fine - people around here really ought to learn to contain themselves.

Good grief Bug! have you taken that time off yet? You really should... in IMO

you're all wasting your time!!! I will never give up...

ha, ha, haaaaaa: fools! the prize is mine...

======= Date Modified 26 Aug 2009 18:37:39 =======
Hi Peaches,



Errmm, I swapped supervisors and it was brilliant! My first wasn't committed to supervising my project, and she shouted, 'forgot' essential equipment, and made public criticisms, blaming me for her mistakes. My second is very professional, skilled, about as well connected as could possibly be, and enthusiastic about what I am doing.



But I've always been very motivated for this, I've always known I have the aptitude for research, and am passionate about what I am researching. So, I think you need to assess how much of your sup' s behaviour is down to lack of professionalism, how much of that you can tolerate, and how good the alternative options are: if you have a wizzo supervisor in mind/lined up, then swapping may not be a bad idea anyway.



This is just a reflection of my experience, I hope it helps!

P.s. I also got the 'maybe you ought to look for another supervisor' line, and took that to be a massive red flag. After trying, unsuccessfully, to see her in person to discuss that comment (she had thrown me out of her office, in an emotional tiz, at the time), I emailed her about it and she didn't reply! hence, I hot footed it.

I second the people here who suggest speaking, in person to your supervisor to clarify things, especially regarding the comments about no longer supervising you...

Having just had my income slashed by a third, and having, now, been left wondering 'how the hell am I going to survive for the next blimey knows how many years' I believe, I am doing the weirdest PhD!! Me and all the other self funders in the world who routinely self flagilate themselves financially. I'm going to have to take on more paid work and I really don't now how the **** I'm going to be able to concentrate and complete before I hit my retirement age. So, yes, it's me, an all the other self funders...

CeCeF: Congrats on the publication! That's great.

Yeah, I resent all this media noise about A'Levels being easier: students just work REALLY hard now. Back in 1995, when I took mine, my parents, who both have degrees, could not believe how hard I was working, and I was just doing the same as my peers. I think A'levels used to be something school kids would fit around growing up - now it seems to be vice versa - life is just generally harder work now and kids know that. Plus teachers and students are more savvy to the system, and how to prepare for exams.

That's a good job to have had, did you pick up loads of tips?

Hi CeCeF: am not beating myself up! Just mourning the stress to my bank account... and the extra years of part - time study before I get my lecturing post.

Yeah, funding councils are a mystery to me too, but it's even worse now: under the new 5 year AHRC funding procedure, my department has one studentship in my subject, coming up in 3 year's time! All because it's a new department and they only had couple of their staff in place at last September's bidding deadline. My superb sup wasn't even an employee there then, spectacularly rubbish or what?

======= Date Modified 20 Aug 2009 13:34:22 =======
Hi guys! I remember my A'level results day because I felt my life changed beyond expectation - the excitement and amount of alcohol consumed was off the scale!



I got 3 As, in Eng Lit, Film Studies and Media Studies, and a D in Art - bummer! I know the middle two are not exactly Physics and Biology, but they changed everything for me - I got into my first choice no problem, they'd asked for 2 As and a B. For me, who had been in remedial for English at school, it meant the world.



:-) There were quite a few on my degree with 3 As, and they did seem to do well at undergraduate level too, firsts or 2:1s. I didn't get a first though, and it's never helped me with PhD funding... :-(

Tjj8 The future for HE you describe sounds just like FE teaching - possible perfect for Olissa (aside form the money, which is always going to be an issue in academia).

Hi Pineapple - It sounds to me as if you need a bit of time off! I agree with Rick, working 15 hour days and 6/7 day weeks won't help with the wood for the trees problem, and it'll make you more likely to resent the PhD process. If you have a problem with sentence construction you can deal with that quite easily, just get some books on writing stye such as the Williams - Ten Lessons in Style and Grace and put some time into reading them; I just did, and it really does work miracles, and will save you time in the future.

My supervisor also made a joke about my sentence constructiion once, but he didn't mean it malliciously - what I'd written really was funny! We both do it about my work now - I'm learning, and sometimes my mistakes are funny, seeing the humour is a good way to make progression a positive experience. However, I can see that with frazzled nerves, and if it's a group of them taking the mickey, then you would be hurt. All phD students go through this: we are all learning and wouldn't be students if we didn't need to rmedy our mistakes, so I realaly wouldn't worry about references because of this. It's only a first draft; they're meant to be crap!

It's good that they're giving you thorough feedback and clear guidelines, my first supervisor never did this.

I think you ought to take some time off and reassess the amount of hours you put in each day/week. Have some fun, and that'll help you get some perspective - I do belly dancing and that takes my mind completely away from my work!

I hope this helps and isn't too blunt, I've tried to give you an honest response and be as helpful as possible.