I might have my stars taken away for this, and might easily lose my well-earned popularity, at least the mods may be angered, as I must share a laugh! This thread throws up the following adverts: :-)

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Well, I am working full-time in a Greek city and I am doing my PhD at the same time (part-time). My OH is at a different city, doing hiw training as a psychiatrist. We meet every three-four months. It is very difficult, but I guess we can manage. I would love to have him near me, as it is good to have someone who can hear you without judging you! On the other hand, now that he is away I can programme my life depending on what I want. I cook if I want and when I want, I clean, do the laundry whenever I feel like it.
We  have agreed that when he will be finished, he will open his practice at my place, as here it is easier for him (because of networking) and because I can't move, as my job is permanent.
I don't know if I had the courage/ability/stamina (you can call it as you like) to date during these years of PhDing! I think that it would have used so much of my time and energy.
But it also depend on the individual. A friend of mine cannot work without her BF next to her and it is a different BF almost every week!

Update: Not one week after posting this, I got into a relationship of sorts. I met a girl at a department event and we started seeing each other on a daily basis. The future with this one is bleak, but nevertheless, I had forgotten how nice a distraction from research is, nevermind the challenge! That said, I think I need a few weeks over before the next fling! Otherwise the thesis will never get done. Must departmentalise!

:-x well done GB! :-x woooooo

My partner and I moved away from home together and she is working while I study. We get on great living together. The great thing is she has applied to do a 2 year nursing diploma (for people who already have degrees) so we will be able to go anywhere after I finish the PhD. Australia... surfing...beaches...mmm can't wait!

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============= Edited by a Moderator =============
*edited by moderator*

Oh dear, this thread frightens me!

I'm just about to start my PhD. I live with my girlfriend of 3 and a half years (just moved in) and our relationship is very serious - for all intents and purposes, we are practically married, in terms of how we view our relationship.

Like I said, I'm just about to begin my PhD, the funding for which ends at the end of September 2014, and I fully intend to complete the PhD before the funding is through. My girlfriend is in her 3rd year of her 5 year undergraduate degree (we're both in Engineering!), so she should graduate around July 2014. So I suppose the good news is that we both graduate around the same time, so there's some degree of flexibility in how we can organise our lives after University.

At the moment, it's my intention to stay in academia, but I'm not entirely sure. I did ask my research group at my PhD interview what the likelihood was that I would be offered a post-doc if I was successful enough in my PhD, and the answer was positive... many of the staff, themselves, did their PhDs at the University (or at another one in the same city) and many of their current post-docs literally just finished their PhDs within the research group, so the evidence is there to suggest that they're keen on hanging on to good researchers!

I hope I get offered a post-doc there, and also that my girlfriend finds a job in the same city. That would be the simplest scenario!