Well done litphdgirl! Enjoy your time off over Christmas, you deserve it :)

Hugh- This is my plan too, I think the job market is particularly dead on the run up to Christmas so I think (hope) there is more work available in the new year.

Zero hours contracts are truly the bane of Phds everywhere...

Hi all, just dropping in to say that I finished my thesis and had it printed today, ready to submit on Friday. Definitely echo litphdgirl... I didn't ever think I'd get here, even last week I was telling people "hopefully" I'll be submitting next week! Just keep doing the next little step and the next little step, and before you know it you will be at the finish line...

Well done teegs! I hope you are planning on having a well deserved rest now?

I for one am still waiting for my sup to read mine, though I have only been waiting two weeks or so. It's nice that I don't have to think about it at the moment!

I have started only applying for jobs that I am super keen on. I have had quite a bit of casual work sent my way which means I have essentially been working full time this week and more of the same over the coming weeks then other stuff set up for the new year. So, I am not applying for jobs out of panic like I was before- I was recently invited to an interview for a job I was not that fussed about and would cost hundreds in travel per month and I have decided not to go to it (the travel costs would leave me with little left over).

Hope the local job market picks up a bit in 2017!

Well done, teegs and litphdgirl! Hope you are both enjoying a bit of a break now.

Hopefully the jobs market will pick up a bit in the new year, Zutterfly - it's always a bit weird and slow at this time of year.

Well done teegs! Are you celebrating?

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and though I'd say hi. My main challenge has been getting the system I need to use for my data gathering ready. It's basically an offshoot of one of my supervisor's projects and when I started my PhD I was told the system would be working within a fairly short time (well before I needed it), but between programmers who were working on it leaving and new programmers being unreliable, the system is STILL not complete (I am in the last 12-14 months of my PhD), though it's hoped that it should be functional so I can do my data gathering in Jan/Feb next year.

My supervisors have said I'd be able to get an extension because my progress has been delayed by circumstances beyond my control, but still... I just hate the fact I need to apply for one :(

Thanks Hugh, chickpea and Zutterfly! I submitted yesterday and organised drinks with friends last night to celebrate. I have a few days break but back to work part-time next week, then starting a new full-time job the week after.

Hi, how is everyone doing?

Is anyone so sick of their research area that they don't want to hear about it again? I've been invited to a conference to talk about the research, it would be a great opportunity but I just don't want to, I almost feel physically sick at the thought of it. Is this completely abnormal??

I'm ok in terms of putting one foot in front of the other with my thesis, Hugh, but I certainly don't want to do any of the other things that go along with being an academic right now! I'm not sure how normal it is, but I can't see me ever wanting to promote the thing once I'm done with it!

Chickpea I'm so relieved to hear you feel that way too. I'm planning to move away to a related but different area altogether. Can't wait to move on from this topic

Hugh & Chickpea- I agreed to talk about my research next week at a sort of mini conference within my uni, but I have not even started making the presentation or anything yet, I just cannot be bothered looking at it, so I understand how you feel!

At the moment I have been busy doing casual RA work for another institution which is quite nice as I am analysing data that is nothing to do with my PhD. I have secured a second teaching job from January and have agreed to do more RA work on a casual basis until I can find something full-time. My thesis is still with my supervisor after a month- they haven't read it yet.

I am more or less in the same boat Strawberrygirl - deadline in 3 months, one more chapter to write + intro and conclusion + revising other chapters to perfection. How have you been getting on in the last month since you posted? I am aiming for a complete final draft by mid-January...panic is understating it.

Hey
I wish you all a blessed new year.

I am content with my progress and I have 5 months till my deadline. But I feel so scared of how things will go in the upcoming months. I am done with people asking me when I will finish I am already stressed and I do not need any extra stress.