Congratulations!

Can I make a seminal suggestion, and really 'think outside the box'? I think I want to be an Apple Crumble or a Rhubarb and Blackberry Pie.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Crunchy, Sweet and Bitter.

Nimrod: It is hell waiting for the confirmation! I think I'm going to savour this excitement and put it in a jar so that six months from now when I am totally snowed under I can open the jar, take a whiff and reinvigorate myself!

I was so prepared to be part-time and even registered as such. Now I'm full time. It will be hard work what with part-time work, but the fact that I no longer pay tax as a ft will be cool and help, as will changing the bank account back to a student account. This is all totally insane. Cpngrats on your studentship also! I was lucky number thirteen: the last on the list to recieve a studentship. No joke. The administrator told me!

So, MistaG: I suppose all new starters start on a high and then dip as the pressure of the work kicks in. I suppose that is natural. I don't think my supervisor would exploit me at all, but I take your point about needing to write as much as possible. Thanks! I'll get the quill and ink out...

I'm so thrilled. And will be dashing around today to sort things out.

Thanks for the congrats! I feel faint with excitement!

Thanks. I get the impression that I will probably need to check in at The Priory in three years time!

After literally registering today as a part-time student, paying my fees and collecting my swipe card, I came home and tripped over a letter from the university: I have my full time fees paid for! In exchange for some teaching duties! Score! I'm so happy I feel faint and want to cry!

I will have to work still to pay for food and rent...but this is so cool because it cust my PhD from 6 years to 3 years! Plus, I will now qualify for a desk space!

Just thought I would share that since I have posted many messages about waiting for funding news!

Urm, as someone who is working thrity hours a week and doing a part-time PhD and just getting by, my selfish side would go 'Way unfair..they got funding and they are working...no fair..'. But my sensible side says: 'fair play, if they want a higher standard of living'.

I suppose it is a difficult call. As long as the work produced wasn't damaged by the extra work I suppose it is okay. But it does leave a odd taste in the mouth somehow.....I think the spirit of the AHRC funding is to allow somebody to spend a majority of their time from other work so they can concentrate on their PhD fulltime. 20 hours is a lot.

Still, in the real world, if somebody needs to pay their mortgage I'm hardly going to begrudge them that!

Thanks! I guess as I get further into the PhD and get my direction from my sup and advice from other PhD students I'll be able to be more efficent with my time and energy!

Thus consequently, with only one person actually producing PhD material. The rest lost their funding. First 500 Euros. Now, none.

I know this question is flawed in that each PhD is different, people work at different rates and that academic work isn't measured on a per hour schedule...BUT...how much work should I be doing?

I've just started a part-time PhD in the humanities and I have a lot of prep to do for my 2nd meeting with my joint supervisors in 2 weeks time. I would be interested to know how people seperate work/academic work and spare time. I'm the kind of person who can work until they burn out: I fell asleep on the sofa today at 5pm, so at this early stage I think I need to learn when to forget the PhD and not succumb to the 'must work' mentality! Will the PhD ghost follow me until I submit...bringing guilt to every half an hour spent watching that Simpson's repeat I've seen 10x before?

Urm....I have only just started...but I reckon in a few months my theme tune will be 'Bitch' by Meredith Brookes : 'I'm your your hell, I'm your dream, I'm nothing in between and you wouldn't want it anyway'.

Thank you angsty Dawsons Creek for giving me that song!

Guess who didn't read the question properly?! Doesn't bode well for my postgraduate study does it?! lol *blushes*

I'm not a scientist, but I would love to wear a white starched lab coat: does studying in the history of science area qualify me for a labcoat?!

I'll just wear jeans and t-shirts, jumpers etc...maybe make sure my teeth are brushed if I'm meeting the sup etc. I haven't combed my hair in 4 years and don't intend to start anytime soon...

I like the word 'florid'.

Fifi_fole! You said somewhere you used to be a musuem assistant. I am currently in the process of leaving the post of gallery assistant to pursue my PhD: two weeks left!....Snap!

For my interviews I just wear black trousers, a shirt with a nice plain v neck on top (nice and smart, classic yet vaguely casual in case the interviewer isn't dressed up).

My first meeting went really well today, it was more of a welcome than anything else. I had the same supervisor for my MA so I know he is going to be great: he seems enthusiastic for me to help with a conference and give a paper in my first year...which is cool. If scary! But I want to be pushed, and when somebody has high expectations I think it helps motivate you.

I like to think you can be both professional and a person. I've never talked to any academic staff about personal problems, because if something is important enough I will reserve those for medical/psych professionals etc, or for those who can deal with the problem. I like to feel confortable, and relaxed. I don't like to burden (as I see it academic relationships with too much personal stuff. Though of course I like to talk about social stuff too. But I also like to talk shop, and that is after all what we are there for!