I get an organic vegetable box delivered every week. It really did help with the whole healthy eating thing. You're motivated to eat all the veggies as you've already paid for them, and it is actually easier to plan meals than it is from scratch since it is already half-planned for you, in a way. You do have to enjoy cooking, though . . .

Corinne - no, I haven't yet finished. I'm in my third year. It is tough going but I will get there (as will you!)

Hmmm - I'v been there Chrisrolinski. Really only felt I had found my feet with the project right at the end of my second year. Writing a thesis plan is torturous, but it does help. Best of luck with it.

I just posted on your other thread, but agree wholeheartedly with what Fumbi / Cornelia says on this one.

Oh, Corinne *hugs for you* I had a similar situation with a bad supervisor who eventually left and - while she didn't insist on being involved anymore (far from it) - she did negatively impact on my current supervisor's view of me. I wanted to quit so much & on so many occasions because of it!

Anyway, I know how low this situation must be making you feel. The thing that really helped me was remembering *who* I was doing this for - not for them but for myself. I just really tried hard to work with that sense of everything I did being about satisfying me.

In the meantime, I would say just be kind to yourself. Make time to do some things that makes you happy (for me, that generally boils down to cooking & watching films ... but whatever floats your boat!) Also, seek support from friends / family if you can.

Anyway, please keep in touch about how you're doing!

Hmm - golfpro, I just wouldn't feel comfortable downloading stuff like this, not from a moral point of view, but where my PhD work is concerned I'd want to feel 100% confident in the software I'm getting . . .

Definitely at home, probably because I feel quite comfortable & unstressed. I find places where students gather make me a bit anxious. However, I always make an effort to leave the house and do something (even if it is just a bit of food shopping) at least once a day.

Never thought I'd see the day when I found myself having to "schedule in" leaving the house. Hehe.

Yep - I have the smallest ibook G4 laptop and it is superb. It has NEVER let me down in terms of performance. Also VERY portable and extremely hardy - have dropped and sat on it more times than I can count! It is also great in terms of managing photos / graphics etc.

If you want Word, you do have to budget in buying Microsoft Office for Mac, but you can get a good discount on it if you're a student.

I can't speak highly enough of Macs :)

I found a note outside my door from my housemate telling me I'd slept through the entire thing, while she'd been awake & terrified!

With you on Facebook's Scrabulous catalinbond ...

I'd wear whatever *you* feel comfortable in (within reason). Err on the side of smart, but don't go in there feeling all physically constrained or self-conscious in an outfit. I like V-neck sweaters with a nice shirt & necklace, and a pair of smart black jeans for formaility, but that's just me.

Hmm. I have had trouble sleeping - thoughts just going round & round. Now, I often take Melatonin to help myself drop off. Very good, natural supplement that induces sleep hormones, and also effective in combatting the winter blues. It does give you very bizarre vivid dreams, though. I highly recommend it, but I think you can only get it in the States.

Not to put a dampener on things, but French universities - at least the top ones in Paris - are notirously difficult to get into. They are incredibly closed and hierarchical in nature. I doubt you would stand a chance unless you speak and write very good French. You might consider other European countries.

Good luck!

Did you do the experiments yourself BEFORE the other paper was published? If so, you might get away with a disclaimer to that effect.

Just work-up "forced to read" into something that sounds better. Like "I would relish the opportunities provided by a structured environment for furthering my studies" or "taking this course will help me focus and develop my interest in this subject in an intellectually stimulating environment". That kind of thing.

An MA / MRes in humanities would be funded through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), but competition is very fierce. Some universities also offer bursaries for thier MA courses, but it just depends on the place, and you'd need to look into it. You may end up paying for the MA/MRes yourself (e.g. by taking out a career development loan and / or working part-time).

If you did well on your MA/MRes, you could then go for a PhD. Again, funding would come through the AHRC if you were lucky, or sometimes a university. Many people fund their own PhDs too.

Hope that helps.