My thesis is going very slowly, but yesterday I got a copy of an article that I had co-authored with a research team, so that was nice! And found out that another journal article I had rewritten over and over had finally been accepted without further changes. Hooray!

Sneaks, I listen to internet radio - or I have it on in the background - for about 12 hours a day. It's good, just on all the time, and not intrusive (apart from teh ads, which I mute). This website has 185 genres of music, with dunno how many thousands of stations. I listen to some of the ambient stations and some of the IDM stations, which play chill-out type stuff. No words anywhere. Has helped to keep me sane. Hope it works for you!


http://www.live365.com/index.live

Yes, I'm also going to copy and paste large chunks of my articles and conference papers into my thesis - and yes, these are well written and will probably stand out from the rest of my medicrely written thesis! But oh well, have that material and am going to use it. Will also include a note somewhere that have been published, so the examiners know that my work is of publishable quality (and so they should pass me!).

Hi Cobweb

I also don't know anyone at uni, and never have, as have been part-time all the way through my undergrad and masters degrees, so never made those connections with people. In the uni dept I'm in, there are cliques of students who talk to each other, but they're not welcoming to outsiders. I've gotten used to this and try and make friends outside of uni, which is good anyway, as it gives me other things to talk about. I network etc at conferences and events and so try and build up professional connections that way, but don't worry about other students too much.

Good that you've decided to join a society! Just walk in, do it once, and see how it goes! I joined a tennis club recently, went a couple of times, got sick of being ignored by women who'd only talk about their husbands and kids and so I left, but I gave it a go! And now know that I can overcome fears of joining a new group, I just need to find the right one. Good luck in your quest!

Good luck Jojo, hope it goes well! Since your post, I've started doing flow charts and diagrams on butcher's paper all over my walls, trying to work out links that will come together and give me some smart conclusions (!). So far I've got a big 'so what?' but each day I make another small conceptual step, so hopefully will get somewhere. Better than the methodology chapter I'm still writing, which I just hate. Have you written your meth ch? Did you bleat on endlessly about validity and generalisability etc etc? It's so dull!!

Yes, people have become obsessed with them lately. Jojo, there's also a post by one of the mods recently on stars. Hope your case studies write ups are going well.

Yes, I know I said I wasn't going to be at my computer and was off to read a novel - but got caught up and thought 'I'll just do this little bit of work..."...

...anyhoo...I just wanted to raise that people on the forum seem to have an either/or mentality about working life after the PhD. It's either will go into academia, otherwise it's dead-end checkout type jobs. I can absolutely appreciate people being thankful they won't ever have to work crap jobs again (hopefully!), but there is more to life than either of these two options. I can also understand people not wanting to get caught up in the corporate world, but there must be other options? Have been thinking about this lately, thinking about how to get a job in a think tank, or a private research organisation...just trying to think laterally about what else I could do with this bit of paper...use the research skills, but not in academia...

That's all really, just some musings....

Ah, BH, thank you, that's made me laugh! Next challenge is to take up Klingon!

Am in a bad place at the moment - sick, depressed, isolated, hate my thesis and my life. So thank you for cheering me up! I'm afraid a nice positive thread isn't going to do it at the moment Walminski, but good on you for for this thread anyway.

The best thing about life after the PhD will just be getting the thing done and getting my life back!!!! My area is too niche for me to get an academic job in, and noone cares about it anyway, and at the moment I can't stand the thought of staying in academia to further shred any self-confidence I may have left after getting through this horrendous process.

...I'd better stop now before I get even more negative...but heres to all of you who are feeling positive!!

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Hi BFH

We are really friendly on here, and very collegiate, but I - and most likely others - are overworked and just don't have time to comment on your work. I'm happy to spend a few minutes giving some advice, but time doesn't stretch much further than that...and commenting on someone else's work is just too much like studying, whereas posting some comments is more social...I also don't feel equipped to comment on a proposal in a different discipline to mine.

But yeh, talk to your potential supervisor, they should be able to help. Good luck!

Hi Eska

I live 3 hours away from my uni, but visit there regularly and have taken a room near the campus so that I have somewhere of my own to stay in. In normal life I live in a nice house. Like Bug, I only crash in my room - it is difficult working and living in the one room. And spending too much time in one room would send me spare, I'd go nuts. If your lodgings has other places you can sit and work - in the kitchen or a communal lounge room, you'd manage, but if you're going to be confined to a room, and are used to a bit of space, it could be difficult. Any chance you could get a permanant desk at uni? Do you really need to give up your flat?

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Hi SOmeone3

Yes, PhDBug remembered well, I do indeed have a good supervisor (well done Bug!). PhDBug's list is a good one, and I'd agree with all those things. I think it's important to make sure you chose a supervisor who publishes a lot and has a high profile. While this doesn't mean they'll be a good supervisor, you don't want someone who's resting on their laurels, but someone who is active, has networks and can find you opportunities.

My sup is the most generous person I've ever worked with, sends back comments on drafts promptly, and is always supportive, even when I know my work isn't the best. Best of all, she continually looks for opportunities for me and is always pushing me to write articles, present at conferences etc. We have written and presented together - this is the kind of person you need. I was lucky finding a good supervisor - I think if I had to find one now, I'd actually ask them who their previous students were and then talk to them about their experiences. Almost like getting a reference about a potential supervisor! A good supervisor shouldn't mind you doing this - they will undoubtedly be asking other academics about you as well. There's been so many horror stories on this foum about bad supervisors, I think it's important to try and do all you can to avoid getting someone you can't work with. Good luck!

Hi EV

A lot of us feel inadequate with our PhDs, I feel inadequate most of the time too. It's part of the process - we're in training to be researchers and writers, but the PhD process means we're starting again at the bottom. The standards are also so much higher than anything we've done before and the intellectual challenges are so great. We have to learn and relearn as we go. But it is really hard. You need to celebrate the small victories along the way - the good idea you have, the finished chapter or section, and treasure every positive comment your sup gives you! Don't be too hard on yourself, you're learning and also learning about yourself. Keep going, there will be moments that make up for all the self doubt and carry you through.

Hi Ajyoakum

I worked on my PhD part-time for the first 2 1/2 years, and have been full-time for the past year, so have experienced both. The hardest thing about doing a PhD part-time and working is just the time - it's hard to get a decent chunk of time to study. By the time I'd gotten back into it each day, it was either time to go to bed or go to work. I'd try and get up at 5.30 and study for a couple of hours before work, then do a bit more after dinner at night time and also on the w'ends. It was incredibly hard. You really do need large chunks of time to think, let alone do the actual research. Eventually I started to work a 4 day week, which was better as I still got paid enough and had more time to study. Then I went to full-time study, which is good as I have loads of time - but am pretty poor. Doing a PhD part-time while working full-time is difficult, and you need to be really driven. It wears you down. But it can be done! But you should also factor in some time to do your studies full-time, especially when writing up, and I really don't think it's possible to do the last stages of the PhD part-time, you do have to write and think and focus on nothing else. So, have a think about saving up so you can take a few months off to finish.