I agree. It's really sad. I think some people take the forum really seriously and get upset about posts when really they should just ignore them. Generally though I really like this forum and have had lots of lovely advice.

Hey sixkitten

Sounds very demoralising! I am sure that most people here have felt similar so take heart from that. Have you spoken to your supervisor about the situ? Do they know that you're changing tack with the research because of someone else? This sounds like it would be good to speak to someone 'in the know'...

ps - I got 69% on my first masters. ARG! that was stressful knowing I could have chilled more and got a bit less but essentially the same, a merit! Helped second time round...

Yes yes, exactly. I worked hard on my diss because it is part of my PhD but the rest I was told a merit is a merit which is still great but avoid burn-out before the PhD!

good luck on your diss!!
Jayney

Congratulations and welcome! and definitely enjoy your summer!

Hi there!

I was doing my MRes and getting stressed out about achieving as well as possible, and my supervisors told me to chill out as once I had my PhD no one would care much for my MRes anyway. They said that people will want to know that I have a PhD, who my supervisors were, if I am published and how many revisions I had to do to be accepted as a PhD. SO I chilled out, got a merit and worked on my PhD at the same time! Try your hardest, obviously, but don't stress cause it won't be worth it.

Hehe, that's funny!

Sorry to sound all fit and annoying btw... I drink too much booze if it helps my cred. hehe.

Hello! I wasn't exercising and I got really stressed out so decided to go to the gym/swim/run and am now off about 3/4 times a week. Otherwise I get seriously stressed out from sitting at my desk and trying to think all day! It took a while to get a routine but now I do three hours of work in the morning, then exercise and have lunch, then sit back down for four more hours... it works really well and I don't feel guilty as have done a whole days work. I am sooo flexible though as have no kiddies/lab demands so may not work as well for others. During my MA I would run after work for half an hour to de-stress and then slump in front of the tele. I would always recommend it for destressing! I have lost weight as a consequence, but not intentionally so... anyways, thought I would share! x

Am really enjoying this thread... I am in a slump at the moment! Have been for about two months. It is depressing but this thread has made me feel much better. Generally I sit at my desk every day and although I think I have done nothing, I read bits and bobs, research my fieldwork placement, learn some of the language I need to know, research conferences... I try and do something, this stops me from feeling totally useless! Generally though I really wish I could get on with my chapter but I have a brain-block on it. Only for the moment I hope... Twill be fine am sure - the looming deadline will take care of that!! My mate reassured me that doing a PhD is as much about how you cope with the ruts and periods of demotivation as the ideas in themselves... I like this advice and hope you do too!

Hi there. it sounds like there are two very different concerns you are facing here. On the one hand, there is the family issue. This one I don't think is a true problem because lots of women juggle both, and who is to say that 'real-life' work would be easier to handle? If you think you will be financially secure then doing both should be hard, but doable. I for one plan on having kids in the next year sooooo... The second concern is much more important I think. You maybe have to sit and really think about why you want to do this PhD. I am doing mine because I love my topic and enjoy learning, and i believe that if you do something you enjoy then a good career will ensue. Or if you want to work in Academia, or get a job that needs a PhD then you need to take this opportunity. Do you think you would have minded being turned down? Why did you apply in the first place? Don't overthink about how much work it will be as this is so speculative and subjective... Good luck!

ooh just saw latest post (am very keen - can you tell I am skiiving?!) - thanks! Defo keep in touch - maybe we'll end up at the same conference at some point!

Ah, well these agencies need thinkers too. I reckon if you were to target your proposal it would be better than just sending your work off because then you can tell them were you could fit into their organisation/team. And being critical is good as long as you show how this critical thought can be turned into a practical positive for them. I hope so anyway because mine is VERY critical!! They need critical thinkers to move forward tho eh? When I finish I plan to spend a year writing my PhD book (hopefully!), and just getting round lots of someinars and workshops and networking so I can taget my 'speculative' job proposal... even if they take you on as freelance for a while is all about job experience. Anyway, you have enough on your plate with completing - just wanted to spraff. Goooooood luck! x

ALso, it is always good to see what transferable skills you may have as part of your PhD - managing a project, teaching etc. This is all work experience. Volunteering is always good if you could afford to do that for a year when you finish - or write lots of articles and publish as part of promoting yourself. Am sure this is all old news but when it comes to thinking about the big wide world after this I love as much info as I can get and assume we are all pretty similar! Oh, I am thinking of working for a humanitarian relief agency, or the relief side of development... Don't know really as am analysing the big agencies in my PhD!

Ah how interesting - always good to 'meet' people into the same area! Generally I am joined to charityjob, which seems a good site for keeping an eye on jobs, and forums like aid workers forum. My plan though is to go to lots of seminars, workshopsn and conferneces in my final year - or even for the year afterwards - and get my name known and get a job through contacts. Or send a proposal of how I think their organisation could work better from what I know from my PhD work and try and get an interview that way... Skills-wise I am very low on work experience but am volunterring in India for fieldwork which I hope will help -have you done work experience as part of any of your field work?