Hello all, just returning to see if everyone is still going on well. Its getting a bit scary, I think ive said it before but the previous post there made a good point about it being nice to hear from people who feel behind and panicked and worried. Because I felt like I was possibly the only person so behind in the history of PhD ever, and my fear just was unbelievable. I couldnt work, I felt rubbish about myself, I tried to avoid even thinking about it in case I started to cry but I re read my Joan Bolker book and Im giving it the last push now. At the minute I might be behind a bit but I know it wont take me long to catch up. In the word of bon jovi I gotta keep the faith.

Love to your mammas!

I've posted quite a lot of moans and groans on this forum over the past two years but I thought I would be positive today, not to blow my own trumpet but just to motivate others and have some good news for a change. I've officially been in my third year for a week now, and I had a really good day yesterday. I did my first lecture for the Continuing Education Department (I'm doing a six week course), and it went really well. There were eight retired students and some of them knew quite a lot about lots of things so they asked lots of questions but they all said it was really interesting and enjoyable. One, who was on the committee of a big society in the area also asked if I would give them a talk. This is great because it's an academic/public society which I have attended lectures for and they get big names from the field. After doing 20 minute papers at conferences I always wondered about the big one hour lectures that keynotes and speakers at this society do and whether I would even be able to that, and now I will get the chance (scary but good!).
I met with my supervisor and after it being a make or break situation as I had done lots of research but not written anything of real note, she is amazed that I have written a 10,000 word chapter in about six weeks and she says she has every confidence that I can produce a very good PhD now. I'm not so worried about my next panel in a couple of weeks (even though one member strikes fear into my heart as she just criticises every little thing I do).
And my third piece of good news is that I have had a paper accepted for publication.
So, yes I suppose I am blowing my own trumpet a bit, but I think it's good to celebrate success when you can. Especially as before Xmas I was told by my supervisor that if I didn't produce a really high standard piece of work I would probably fail my next panel. (She has been really supportive and helpful though and is always really honest with me). She also didn't think I was at the level to get anything published yet.
I started to doubt myself and wondered whether I should give up anyway as I was having money worries (my tenant ran off without paying the rent!).
My house is rented out again now and I made myself be positive that I could do a PhD.
So, at the moment, everything is good and I'm starting my third year on a high. It is all ups and downs on this PhD ride, and I'm bound to have more crises along the way but for the moment I'm happy!!

Hello All, I'm also about 3 months into my final year. I'm still in the lab at the moment and occasionally writing when I feel like it or another experiment fails and I can't face doing it again in the same week. I have managed to draft a lit review chapter so things are looking up. Though my list of practical work is still very large - i'm hoping to be out the lab by may (end of)... though knowing my luck it will be july. I'm also in the unfortunate position of not having any supervision at present. My main supervisor is on maternity leave til May - so not looking forward to her coming back and sending me back in the lab simply because she hasn't been here or in touch., my co-supervisor moved to a new uni to take up a chair so is busy setting up his new group there, i see him about once a month if i'm lucky. so if I do get finished by september it will be some kind of miracle! Any motivational words will be welcome.
:p

Yello we are on the same deadline so believe me I will try and be motivational but i know its hard, you sound like you are having a stinking time of it with supers etc If it makes you feel better its nearly nine months left, you could grow a baby in this time...see loads of time! lol did that help?

LOL. thanks at least that made me smile when I read that. Perhaps I should procrastinate more on here and less on the evils of facebook. ;-)