Hello all, I hope you don't mind me joining in, I really need something to get me going again after what was meant to be a week off, but which became ten days...

So today my goals are

1. This morning: to get down to my local library with drafts of two chapter halves I have to put together, and work out how I'm going to splice them.

2. This afternoon: write an introduction for the above.

Good luck everyone X

What do you have to do to your hair - are you sure it's not fine as it is?

Mine has grown from mid length to long since starting the PhD. But I don't blow dry it, just comb and leave, the same as I did when it was shorter, but now I can get away without washing it for longer by pinning it up...

What's so bad about wavy or curly hair?

Being close to my department as I have felt isolated from the community that is springing up there. But if I left I would lose my fab flat and miss my life at home terribly. I wish to have both at the same time - so loads more money for travelling and staying over night in my uni town is my wish... Thank you furry godmother I wll await your granting of my wish X

I agree KB and Snowdrops that 'hate' is a very strong and rare emotion, but I had it for my old supervisor - and justifiably so. I think hate and anger are incredibly useful emotions - if we hadn't hated hitler back in the 1940s we'd now be in terrible stew, I'm sure. Each to their own. We don't generally come here for academic chats, more emotional ones... it's a space for support and to say all the things you can't in the 'real' world.

I wouldn't let it worry you snowdrops - people can be very emotive when venting. Plus, I hated my old supervisor, and rightly so - I don't any more, but hating her did me the world of good, and I dare say 'hating' on here is benefiting a lot of other people. If it's not the way you do things then congrats on finding something you think is much better.

I just delivered a paper at the top conference for my subject, which was really well recieved last week and my writing, argument and analysis are going great. Plus my supervisor is a rare breed of fantastic - getting feedback from him feels like being at a Bowie concert and getting asked to do a duet.

But hey, that's why I haven't been knocking about on the forum for quite a while...

I agree with you here Snowdrops, many sups do need supervision, and training. Mine is, I think, very good and I am incredibly lucky to have found him. I started off at another uni with another academic and she was awful. diresepctful and not really engaged - no concerne for the job she was doing, and I can relate to what you are saying. If things get unearable you can leave - if your funding is not tied to them or their institution. I think there is a thread on here detailing what to look for in a good supervisor.

I think it's healthy that you have this perspective and you are right - management and people skills are sadly lacking a fact that I'm sure contributes to slow or low completion. PhD is, I think, about the only area of education that is not monitered in this way - if I treated my undergrads the way my first sup treated me I would be out on my backside, pronto. It can be like stepping back in time to the days when professors were like gods and students ants.

Good luck x

I think a lot of times people come here to let off steam, one minute they hate it, the next they love it - and the forum is very valuable for that.  Also for some, a PhD is not a passion, rather a job like any other - so they need to hate on it to get through. Live and let live and be glad you are doing it for passionate reasons.

I needed to get the hell away from my PhD earlier this week and the idea of it atually hurt my head. I wanted to be free and go off to do other things, but that's just because I was tired and had just completed an important and long anticipated hurdle. But I'll be ready to get cracking again by Monday. Doing a PhD is like climbing everest or running a marathon - sometimes it hurts.. a lot, even those who are most committed and who truly love their work.

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Hi Snowdrop - I clicked the 'this is really useful...' answer, but if you'd asked me 18 months ago it would have been the first statement - but I'd have wanted to add 'and this is really useful' to the end of it.

My supervisor was extremely critical for the first year or so, but has got less so as my work has got better, through my taking note of his intense criticism. It is hard to deal with such an avalanche directed against what you have worked so hard to write, but a PhD happens FAST - you go from floundering post masters level to independent, publishable researcher in, ideally, three years. This said, my sup always gave me encouragement too - if miniscule in comparison to the criticism, in the early days. He is also extremely enthusiastic and positive - when it is appropriate. He gets very excited when my work shines - which, as I said, it does much more often these days - he looks quite thrilled.

You need to make sure that what they are saying is useful and that you can trust them to do this. I don't know why they think it will get worse, surely it shouldn't if you are learning. It may be worth checking this point with them - perhaps it was bravado - an academic joke??? Some academics can be a bit underdeveloped in the funny bone area.

Best of luck,, and I hope you keep your initial enthusiasm. X

that's wonderful Pam, Congratulations! 8-)8-)(up)

And thank you for letting us know there is hope at the end of the employment tunnel...

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I had a marvellous time at my friend's house - a big group of us had a champagne breakfast followed by watching the event on telly, then a buffet with scones and cream with strawberies outside in the garden. We were surrounded by Kate and William banners, bunting and Union Jacks all day, while my friend made veils for the kids out of old net curtains - which they didn't really get, but which the adults ended up wearing. It was cracking! Fabulous dress on Kate too.

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thank you pjlu, I did get something out of your post and you are very right. I have never been any good at spotting players etc, but am learning now, I think...

I seemed to hit it off really well with a guy on the train a few weeks ago. Turns out he works at one of my teaching unis and he seemed really keen to meet up again, gave me his email address and said to get in touch next time I was around - and asked for my email address, which I gave him. I liked him so I did, but no response - so I've been thinking, maybe his address didn't work etc etc. and I should give him a call at work next time I'm in the vicinity, but really he could have contacted me by now, so perhaps I should hit the NEXT button...

Hey, Snowdropbooks: give 'em something to talk about and wear a dirndle skirt: Vivienne Weswood would and she's older than you and a fashion legend! At least the gossip gerenated would deflect any other potential unpleasantness...

I would advise any self-funded student to take thiings very carefully at first and sniff out the supervisor and department. If there are big problems you could still transfer without too much trouble up until the end of the first year - this is a great advantage of being self-funded. I did this and my new supervisor and department are just brilliant - aside from a crew of bitchy boys who are also doing PhDs - I would love to see their faces as a mature woman rides past, skirt flying in the air.

Don't ever wear lycra outside of a swim suit or mixed with other less visually demanding fabrics - ie wool or jeans cotton etc. IMO you will be asking for trouble by marking yourself out as a person with no taste or regard for the aesthetic sensibilities of others.

I am mature: 42, but I left my alternative career so long ago this just feels like my life. And, yes, pound shops are my friends - I wish I could go on more luxurious holidays and always go for dinner when invited, even to explensive restaurants, but my research and the lecturing I do are worth it - I wouldn't swap the priviledege of following my passion for tonnes of cash. But then I have no responsibilities, ie, children or mortgage.

Also, about the rail card - I have one of these and it is an absolute life saver as I travel such a lot for my lecturing work; however, beware ticket inspectors - if you forget it or lose it they are less likely to believe you are genuine if you are older than the usual student. I have had a couple of unpleasant experiences due to this, so always remember to take it with you. Plus, I found out during a phone call to Transpennine Express recently that inspectors will ask customers with missing railcards questions as 'proof' that they are genuine. These are: 'what colour is the card?' (correct answer: orange) and 'when did you buy it?' apparently, how confident you are in your response will determine whether or not they let you off - or march you offthe train and fine you loads of money.

Good luck!

Hi Gaiduku, I am doing an arts PhD self funded, so have someinsight into this. If your girlfiend is undertaking an academic, research based PhD and not a practice based one then her expenses outside of living and fees could be zero. Mine are because the only thing to be paid for are fares and hotel bills for conferences, and the department has a fund for that from which I can claim at least £150.00 per year, for full-time students double that sum. Any decent department should have a similar pot of money. Oh and I have also travelled to another city once for research, but I only paid for fares and some sandwiches.


If your girlfriend has her fees and living costs sorted then she is all set and doing well indeed, as self-funders go...


if she is a practice based PhD student then there will be some other expenses, but that depends how expensive her materials are.

Hey Sneaks, you will do it! And be so relieved when you finally finish... So good luck and keep us posted XX