ok I realise you've done your talk, sorry I missed the advice bit before, but for the future, I'd definitely recommend Rescue Remedy! No matter how well I've prepared my talk I still get nervous and this definitely helps calm me down! Whether it's a placebo effect or those flower extracts really do something to calm me, I don't care, it works! Tastes just disgusting though so keep a bottle of water handy to wash it down! Glad it went well too!

Natassia it's brilliant news, well done! It sounds to me like you are definitely in so just enjoy it and concentrate on getting your masters finished up as Goodboy says! I'm so pleased you've gotten onto the exact project you wanted with supervisors you like! And as soon as you;ve submitted your masters, take it easy with work and get to know that boy of yours a bit better too! ;-)

a nice salmon pink, purple and orange?! I look forward to seeing that on tv sneaks!! (up)

See if you can dump a pot of it over oul Dave on the way.. :p

ok, I've got my chapter done, just need to read and proof it and fix up the structuring...it's hard to find a way for all the tables and graphs to fit nicely in along with the text instead of spreading across pages or leaving big gaping holes! So plus one point. However, I topped off the evening with (yet another) row with the boyf. getting bloody fed up with it. ah hoo!! hope everyone else's friday night is going ok!!

Please can I be minister for science?!

======= Date Modified 07 May 2010 15:20:30 =======
fantastic news Jinkim65, I'm really pleased for you! Good luck for the viva, I'm sure you'll be great!!

lol!! I still can't believe that's him, it's so strange to see a real person from the forum! And he's totally not what I expected, I imagined more a harry potter type character!
We just might get to not have a tory government though, I'm crossing everything....I'm happy enough with how things have gone in my local area though!

Hi Cm30, I was all for you doing it until I realised you were thinking of ecology/conservation and I think it's pointless. I'm kind of in this field, and the best way to get job in it is working. Having a PhD in one specific area will qualify you for that specific area, it will still be difficult to have a range of experience that will have more jobs open to you. To get ahead in ecology/conservation, they put big stock behind volunteer work, for your local wildlife trust for example. You get to network and it shows that you care enough about the work to do it for free. Honestly, I know loads of people with undergrad degrees who have volunteered for years getting jobs easily over masters people, and in academia, once you have your PhD in a specific area, it can be hard to work in several ecology areas. I think the best option would be for you to do an ecology/conservation masters, there are plenty of them about and the experience would be much more varied and much better than doing another PhD. Speak to potential supervisors though firsst, and see that they think as they will know the field the best. Also if there is a particular uni you would like to post-doc in, speak to the people there and see what they are looking for in candidates and just do what you have to to get the job. Good luck!

should do grand sneaks!! at my conferences, people wear anything from beach sandals to full suit and tie so don't worry too much about it. So long as you look tidy and professional (we don't get to carry off the eccentric professor bit yet, although I cant wait for that bit...) you're fine, most important is to be comfortable in what you are wearing so you are comfortable with the evening. Never know who you might meet!

as it floated down into the depths, it met david cameron. "What are you doing here?!" the broccolli nut asked cameron...

hi Acetone
I felt like this myself at the start, I went straight from undergrad to PhD with a summer work scholarship in between so I think I had 2 weeks off all together that year!  Not enough! Anyway, if I was you, you should have a think about what you really do want to work in.  Then chat to people in your department and your supervisor if you think you can, and see how much it is possible to change fields after you submit your PhD. I thought when I started that I'd be stuck doing something I didn't want to forever, but it's really not like that, now I actually want to do something quite different to what I thought I wanted at the start and I'm well placed for it having done my project.  I know in many fields it's possible to do a postdoc in something very different to what you've done before but of course it all depends on what your work entails. I'd have a think about it all, talk to people especially the academics in your department and the other areas you might like to work in and then chat to your supervisor.  If you really think this isn't for you, you might be able to work together to direct it in a direction that will suit you better, that's what I ended up doing.

Hi Missinhome
I kind of know how you feel, I'm doing my PhD in the same uni as I did my undergrad but all my friends who I lived with or studied with all left the summer before I started to get jobs, move home etc and I didn't know anyone in the end! It was very strange suddenly not being able to do the things I was used to because I didn't know anyone. And I'm definitely one of those people who needs friends around! To top it off, I dot off to a kind of bad start with my project and was on the verge of leaving many times, had an argument with my supervisor where I sat and cried my eyes out the whole way through and my boyfriend left to go back to his own country so I was properly all over the place.
However, you will get through it! During that first year I have made friends with people in my lab, and I got more involved in a student club and met someone who is now one of my very best mates who I'd be lost without. My supervisor and I get on a lot better, my project has gone how I wanted it to go, I've had some brilliant times away for the PhD and for holidays, my relationship with my boyfriend is stronger than ever due to doing the long distance relationship and I really appreciate my old friends more when I see them. And somehow through it all people in work thought I was the happiest person ever, even when I felt miserable inside.
So I guess my point is, it's bloody crap at the start when you are away from the things and the people you know, especially having a different culture and type of people to deal with (over here people tend to be quite reserved and slow to make friends) but don't worry, you will get there and you'll feel like a much better person for it. (up)

lol, no way is this our guy?!

Just realised I'm so knackered today that it took me 20 mins to walk the 10 minute walk to work...I can't figure out if it's PhD fatigue or actual body fatigue...hmmm.

Anywhoo, todays goal is to update all my references on Menderley, then head home to vote. And Ev, I just read your post from yesterday, go you for getting into the office and doing work, I'm very pleased for you and hope things are doing better (up)

lol that actually didn't put me off either! But then again I come from the land where politicians tell each other to 'catch yerself on' in televised political debates :p Anything but Cameron though, Please. Even the Monster Raving Loony Party would be better.