I'm still rather new to this forum, so please forgive me if I'm asking quite an obvious question. I was just wondering if there were any art subject phd'ers on this forum (literature, history, etc)?

So far I've mostly seen science & some social science students posting, which is great, but not having that whole lab/survey aspect to my phd I'm looking for those who might be sharing a similar experience of loose hours as it were. I just would like to know how you manage to organize your time? Do you impose a structure on yourself, as if it were a 9 to 5 job or do you have different techniques?

DanB I'll try my best to remember from now on.

'Glad' in a way, that it's not just a French thing. They have to work extremely hard to get those posts here (something like 5 years I hear) but once they do, instead of being helpful, informed, or at least neutral, it always seems that any work they do is a huge favour to you....

Ok, I really will stop ranting now, it's getting silly!

I didn't mean to suggest that no libraries had automatic machines, just wishing that France's main university (the BNF), where I work, would, so I wouldn't have to go through the ritual :-(

I miss UK libraries for that alone.

Also, apologies for using a general term when I meant library assistants.

15K is plenty, I've done it on 12k & was still able to go out on the week-ends, explore the city & enjoy myself. The trick is to find a cheap but decent house-share (check out easyroommates or gumtree) and hope that it's in zone 1 or 2 as that way you'll save money on travelling. I think it's better to spend less on accommodation & have a better experience outside of the house, but it depends on what's important to you...

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I totally empathise that a librarian's job must get boring (especially in August when everyone's left the big bad city) and that small comfort can be derived from making researchers suffer with idiosyncratic rules but....

well, I cracked today. I was working past the tiredness barrier, finding it really hard to stop myself from yawning every two seconds, you know the type. I carried back a gigantic pile of books back to the librarians' desk to go through the signing in ritual and had a run in with three very aggressive, accusing librarians. Seriously, it felt a little like being agressed by a gang of west side story thugs.... Anyway, after a while, I just couldn't take it and left, taking my card before they'd signed in all of my books. I then had to sheepishly ask a friend of mine to go in for me to finish the job so I could leave the building....:$

Ah man, it was a childish reaction, but I really feel bullied sometimes as a researcher by librarians. I seriously wish machines could replace them, at least you know what you're getting and don't have to accommodate their moods to your research....

Rant over. Apologies. Long day. :-(

Any similar experiences?I hope mine isn't Paris-centric!

How frustrating! I feel your pain... My advice, especially since she's not contactable till late september, is to just get on with your thesis. At a pinch, you can always use the work you've done in your thesis towards a publication, I think that way around is more logical personally... Good luck!

I started dating my boyfriend just before crossing over the channel to France for a year of research. Madness, yes? We're still together almost a year later & very much in the honeymoon phase. I think it works really well to be in a long-distance for a phd as it means you can concentrate on your work fully/be anti-social & then when you do see him/her it can be special, romantic and (mostly) stress-free. We try to see each other at least once a month & write to each other everyday. It can get frustrating sometimes, I'm seeing him in two days and it's just unbearable waiting!

Obviously it depends on the relationship and who you are as individuals but it's been pretty ideal for me.

Goodness this is reassuring. I try to be at the library on weekdays from around 10/11 until 4/5 but I don't always have 'good' days of full concentration. I always try to keep my week-ends free of PhD stuff to keep my sanity...