Overview of Mackem_Beefy
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What you have learned about yourself
Likewise, I'm impatient and I want to get things done and over with. I like to kill off a task as quickly as possible and move onto the next task.
However, I learnt that my great strength was to slowly and methodically go over something, and I'm actually better with difficult projects where a result has to be ground out over weeks or months. Simply put, another contradictory aspect of my personality is I don't quit until the job is done.
It's strange that my impulsiveness to get things done quickly actually goes against the approach I'm strongest at. I have to switch myself into the latter mode to produce my best work.
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
quitting phd
======= Date Modified 08 Sep 2011 19:28:37 =======
Thank you very much for your answers, my studentship comes from erc and it is 19k per year. I know it is a good studentship, but I am getting more and more aware that this place it's not for me. The only idea to come to work in university every day makes me depressed. I would avoid to talk directly to the supervisor, I don't feel comfortable at all with him and it seems pretty unpredictable what he may be going to say! Maybe I should look around for an office where I may ask for more information...
In any case, so, there is not a standard procedure to quit a phd? Should it be enough to write a mail to the supervisor as I make such a decision or should I fill in some forms?
Many thanks for your attention and for your answers!
Jason.
There will be a formal withdrawal procedure. Enquire with your admissions office or registrar.
As Corrinne has said, you will need your supervisor's reference to assist in your job hunting (I know how hard it is without one) so don't leave on bad terms if possible.
Attire for conference (not presenting)?
======= Date Modified 08 Sep 2011 19:33:20 =======
Just wondering, does anyone 'suit up' when attending conferences (as an observer, not presenting)?
I'm going to my first one tomorrow and don't want to look out of place - equally I don't want to be uncomfortable in a suit!
Thinking of smart casual...
Thanks,
Rachel
Fairly smart casual should suffice, as I suited up for the first of mine and quickly gauged I'd overdone it. I note you're a woman so if you want to play safe include a skirt in the outfit, no shorter than knee-length, especially if it's a smaller event (what I've seen other women do) or a smart pair of trousers. After that, you can assess the situation yourself compare to the peers working in your area.
From a male perspective, for me it would be dress shirt and trousers, with a tie bunged in the pocket to whip on if everyone else turned up dressed to the nines.
You'll see a range of dress levels from full formal suit to people turning up in just T-shirt and Jeans (latter is not a good call, especially at a small event).
If you present, then you should suit up though (though established keynote speakers sometimes get away with it).
Are you enjoying your PhD?
======= Date Modified 08 Sep 2011 10:02:20 =======
The first 6 months or so, I actually didn't like it so much. I thought things were progressing (if at all) at a snail's pace, I was constantly confused and found myself clock-watching alot. In recent months things are coming on OK. I'm actually bus,y which I like, and I'm ACTUALLY GENERATING DATA! I have my enthusiastic weeks where I'm in the lab at all hours just because I want to, and then the weeks where I'm just counting down to Friday 5pm as soon as I get in on Monday morning. So I do enjoy the challenge, despite the inevitable frustrations of things not working or dealing with slightly mad professors. I think I can get through my PhD, but I do still have serious reservations about whether I want this life beyond my PhD, but that's a whole different topic!
Speaking in the past tense, this I can relate most to. On the whole I enjoyed it and generating results and generating a lot of original data within a short time of the start helped. The only bits I really hated were the literature review and the final write-up (crucifying), though in the latter case it was the constant handing back of corrections that got me down. That said, I'm not a person to quit easily and was determined to see it through. (Viva day was strange as I've said elsewhere, but that's another story.)
As regards doubts, I never doubted wanting to do a PhD or actually doing it, though I did wonder if I'd chosen the right one (I had two offers at the start). I did my second post-doc period at the place where the alternative PhD would have been done and I'm glad I didn't.
As regards life after PhD, you'll probably never get a single piece of work as demanding as the actual PhD itself. It's more about satisfying clients and putting out papers and proceedings on the basis of data you generate if you go post-doc for a couple of years. Actually, going post-doc is a good way of having a reltively quiet couple of years after PhD whilst you sort out in your head what you're going to do next (i.e. academia or real world).
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
Taking a break from PhD for an Internship
Jobs are seriously hard to come by and if he was originally saying 'do you want a full time job?', should you seriously be considering giving up the PhD by the sounds of what you say, never mind considering the internship? That said, the PhD was so important to me so if any such offer had come along, there was no way I was going to quit it for anything and I'd already thought that trying to juggle between PhD and job would have been too much.
How important is the PhD to you? It's all about what you want and what either option would do for your career prospects a few years down the road.
Would working for this company and continuing PhD part time be an option? Tough, but others seem to manage it. However, it's not an option that suits others (the demands of one or the other get in the way).
Is it becoming more normal for students to take amphetamines to get them through?
Surely, the stimulant powers of any amphetamine are no match for tea and cake?
If those two both became illicit substances i'd have been F***ed
What a joke, if you need drugs (aside from the above mentioned tea and cake) to finish a PhD chances are you were simply not clever enough in the first place.
Not necessarily, however, if you're needing drugs to get through then you should be thinking GP visit to be possibly be signed off for a few months if the pressure has got to you in that way.
A beer or three and a whinge did me!!! Not that I really needed an excuse for a beer.:-)
Completely self-absorbed Phd students
Sorry about below (now edited to remove a certain implied two word statement meaning 'please go away'). The above 'Larry David' post just made my blood boil. :$
Completely self-absorbed Phd students
======= Date Modified 06 Sep 2011 23:02:51 =======
Keenbeen no doubt came on here for support, as do a lot of others. Many feel on their own as they proceed to varying degrees and support on here at lets them know there are others out there.
The demands of the PhD process are such that in a lot of cases, it does become the No. 1 priority especially as write-up proceeds and viva approaches. It did with me, even though I spent a good five years in the real world gaining the 'life experience' you mention (and that I concede helped).
I can relate to everything that Keenbeen has said, the pressures, the stresses and the feelings that the supervisors are the enemy. In retrospect, I can see that a lot of that was due to the pressures I felt and that supervisors were actually on my side (though possibly for their own benefit).
As regards many of the health issues, I faced some of those during my Masters much earlier in my career.
For that matter, what are you doing here? Are you a new PhD candidate per chance? If so, as you proceed through your PhD, you'll realise just how much effort is required. For many, it's a real killer.
As for myself, I'm back here after a long absence (I can't even remember my original login credentials) as a friend was considering following the PhD path. He decided not to in the end. However, I can at least offer a little support to others and occasionally inject a little humour from time to time.
I find your post completely and utterly negative, and lacking in understanding of what the vast majority of us have been through, are going through or are yet to face.
Either grow up or please just disappear!!!
Keenbeen, you've done good girl and this character isn't worth a single breath in your body.(up)
(straight) women taking higher degrees and dating
======= Date Modified 07 Sep 2011 08:26:59 =======
From a male perspective, I don't know if it is a gender oriented thing to be honest (i.e. male bread winners). The letters PhD are held in awe but are feared at the same time. I think potential interest make be driven away regardless of sex by the letters PhD as either people see you as some sort of egghead (no one liked the swats at school) or someone they can't measure up to.
I have to re-enter the dating game myself sometime and to reverse the situation, as much as I don't want it to be my postgrad / PhD background will end up influencing who I take an interest in. As bad as it sounds, you have to be able to relate to the person you're in a relationship with. :$
It's not too dissimilar to the job hunting issues many of us have.
Suffering from depression
Mlis,
I found myself in a position to you. After the end of my second post-doc period at a different Uni. to my PhD (which had not gone well), I was unemployed for almost a year. I too had elderly parents, one reason I could not really move away (I'm in NE England and the places where my skills could be saleable are all elsewhere). They also thought I'd get sorted out quickly but that didn't happen.
Whilst I did get interviews, landing the job was a big problem. I was told more than once that was overqualified for the position. Ten months after leaving my second post-doc, I finally landed my current job. It was local, which was just as well as my parents both took ill within a short time of each other.
After one knockback, I changed approach. I decided to proceed with two versions of my CV, one with my PhD and one without. I passed off my PhD period as being a Research Assistant. The CV without the PhD got more interviews and was the one that finally landed my job.
I know potential employers can Google and any PhD work easily shows up, especially with the launch of open repositories by most Universities. However, it's also fair comment that a good many don't have time to do this and the absence of the PhD on the CV at least removes some impression of being overqualified. It's wrong we have to do this, but it it works getting a job is more important.
Given your situation, watering down your CV where you can may the way to play things. I know if this approach succeeds, you probably won't have an ideal job but you will at least be on the first step to being able to move on with your life (i.e. more money for starters).
My heart goes out to you, as I know exactly how you feel.
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
Post-viva panic attacks, I don't understand what's going on :(
======= Date Modified 02 Sep 2011 09:08:49 =======
Phew, end of PhD couples with major changes is alot to take in. Can you delay the start date for the job for a couple of weeks to give yourself at least a little time to take stock?
There's an unofficial rule of thumb about a quiet couple of years being needed to fully go back to normal and I guess that was true for me. I came across one person who didn't take this breather and all I can say is to me at least she can across a bit screwed up (locked in permanent hyper mode as she'd never come down from PhD work rate). I started to drop rapidly out of hyper (mixed with a strange elation) about 10 days after final hardbound submission after minor corrections. Suddenly, there was this 'what now?' feeling where I had to start making decisions again about life in general. It took a couple of good holidays to really get the healing process underway. A bad second post-doc period (mentioned elsewhere) didn't help.
You need a good holiday at the very least. Rest is all important at this stage and PhDs can really screw up people's wiring with the high stress levels. You're not allowing yourself the pause your body needs.
PhD at Manchester or Salford
Hi all
Is there any difference in doing a PhD at Manchester or one at Salford?
Does it matter about the institution?
Thanks!
You might want to look at this as regards Salford.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=412628
However, I wouldn't base your decision on statistics alone. Go visit each, have a look around, see the facilities, talk to potential supervisors and other students and make your decision primarily on that. Decide on what is right for you.
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
(Bizarre) Paper Request
no bother I can get it, I'll email it to you now
Ady,
You're an absolute star.
Thanks again,
Ian
(Bizarre) Paper Request
Extra paper request in relation to the above. Anyone help?
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mawe.200390100/abstract
Cheers,
Ian (Mackem_Beefy)
sup re-writes my words
======= Date Modified 28 Aug 2011 23:00:10 =======
Mackem_Beefy, I get what you're saying but ideally supervisors should be guiding rather than doing.
Agreed, however, a good many of us have seen how far the boundaries of the guidance concept can be stretched. I was basically told I wasn't to submit until my supervisor was happy with it. :-)
My meaning remained in the thesis, except one small area where he said a certain point was not possible. I acquired a paper that supported my argument and I switched back to my original point in a subsequent paper.
