I noticed that too! I've been trying to read one all day. (Not literally all day, I'm not that weird, I did other things too lol)

forever

How would you feel if you didn't go for it? That's what my deciding thing was when I decided. I had always wanted to do a PhD but thought I could never afford it. When I was offered the chance to do a PhD I had a really difficult decision - I gave up a 10 year career, plenty of money, putting off kids and hoping my biology won't beat me. But the idea of not doing it was just too awful. I would kick myself for the rest of my life. Sometimes I kick myself now for doing it, but I know that really I would have regretted not doing it more. But that was after months of thinking.

I wouldn't give up all you have for something that just seems like a good idea. Really think every aspect through. I'd also think through the consequences of staying out in Australia after you finish, as imho that's pretty likely. So I wouldn't do it based on thinking it'll only be 3 years. It might be, but I'd prepare for it being a permanent emigration too.

Re the family thing, it depends what you mean by family. If it is husband and kids, then I don't think the advice to do what you like is appropriate. If parents, siblings and such-like then yes it applies a little more, they will still be here when/if you get, but still you don't want to destroy relationships. I'd be surprised if it would but it depends on the family, so only you know that.

I don't want to sound negative, doing a PhD was a great decision for me, and I'd love for others to do one too. But I did want to be honest. I wouldn't have done it if it meant moving home, that would have meant uprooting my husband too. So you really need to think it through for you.

I don't want this to come out the right way, so it is meant totally nicely, but when you mention the being treated like adult/child thing, the adult thing would be to ask your supervisor all these things. I feel really glad to be a bit longer in the tooth and more experienced I suppose at being in the adult world because it means I don't feel scared of my supervisor. I see him as just another adult, albeit due respect for being 'above' me and more experienced, and talk to him as such. He is a very down to earth guy, but even if he weren't and wanted people to bow down, I would still just treat him as another adult, albeit with the respect his position earns.

I think it is best to be honest, explain how you want to work, what you want from him etc. You don't need to act in control if you're not, or needy if you're not, or any of those things. I think it is also essential to remember that your supervisor is just a person too. I think that's what you learn in life, that pretty much everyone else is as sometimes confused, sometimes frustrated, sometimes angry, sometimes irrational and sometimes contented as anyone else. And that they are not perfect either. They will forget things, make mistakes, not concentrate, have other things on, just like anyone. And all that is allowed. Sorry I'm rambling now.

All the Qs you have totally depend on the supervisor and student, so you need to talk to one another. Hope it goes well

OK, you don't need to read the threads about bad vivas. That won't help. Your viva is about you. You've submitted, you wrote the thing, you know it. So, think about how a confident person acts. Picture what they do, how they speak, how they stand, how they thinking. Then just act like that. If you catch yourself hunched over, worrying, doubting yourself, just remember that is not how a confident person acts, then just re-adjust yourself to being that confident person again. It's difficult to worry when you are acting confidently. Really, acting confidently, is not far from being confident. They are pretty much the same thing.

Thanks guys. Anything which means I don't have to deal with MS Word messing up all the tables and numbering at the last minute sounds good. I can live with being pretentious and arrogant ;-), seems a little harsh for not liking some software (for reasons which I didn't think would make the most interesting post), but hey ho :-).

Anyone got any experience of Pages? Was going to go with it as reviews suggest it doesn't have the table and numbering screw up 'feature' but maybe it is pretty much like Word otherwise?

Why do people use LaTex? I have seen it mentioned a few times, and have looked online, but can't figure out at the moment what the benefit is (other than to avoid Microsoft which is good enough for me 8-)). So rather than hijack a thread, I thought I'd ask here.

(Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I tried a search and nothing came up even though I know it is mentioned)

I'm a new convert to Zotero and I can't understand why anyone would use Endnote now! So, Zotero, and all the detail I need for a biblio, plus sometimes comments and stuff, but this tends to sit outside of this usually

Just wanted to thank you guys for this thread. I got the book off the back of it and feel quite inspired now. I am only at the 'write first' stage, and have done my 10 mins a day twice now, but already feel like I have made progress in my work. I think I was hiding behind books before, but the answers aren't there; they need to come from me!

Hi
I got a book yesterday, from reading stuff on here, and it looks good to me so far. Called Writing Your Dissertation in 15 Mins a Day, by Joan Bolker. It seems to focus more on the psychology of what we are trying to achieve rather than a typical "how to". I'll let you look on Amazon for what it's about rather than trying my own synopsis.:-)
Re your supervisor, playing devil's advocate a little, could it be that he can sense that you are not fully engaged and so he is holding back on it too? If the other students are more engaged with their work, maybe it is easier to focus on them. That's not excusing, he should help you through that, but they are only human too.

And you don't need a mean streak, that won't get you further in the long run.