i find it useful to do my annual review thingy's (we have to hand them into the School office at the end of each year to demonstrate our progress, what development courses we've attended etc).

every year i'm shocked at how far i've come since the last years review. it reminds you of how much work you can actually get done and makes the stuff you still have to do seem more manageable. a year is a long time and a lot can be achieved in it.

i'm due to submit my Psychology PhD thesis in July and can't believe how much i've managed to get done in my third year. i think a little 'oh my go i'm nearly finishing' anxiety is also a good motivator during the final stretch!!

I agree, I think it's far more motivating to try to remember all the things I have done rather than those 'eeek' moments. The other day, I was having an 'eeek' moment, and my boyfriend said to me that in ten year's time this wouldn't matter and that I'd have the PhD. It helped it put it in perspective, and made me realise I can only do my best and eventually, I will get that damn PhD.

That's exactly what my supervisor said to me the other day when I was feeling overwhelmed! In the grand scheme if things our phd years are such a small period of our lives. There is a whole life and world beyond the phd, and its so easy to forget when you're in the thick of all the work! Apparently a phd is a bit like a pregnancy?! The collection and analysis of data phase is like the gestation phase....and the write up like a horrible, long drawn out labour! So the viva would be like the actual moment of birth! Weird analogy I know but I kind of like it!!

@ Snelison - I love that, it made me chuckle!

I'm also trying to enjoy this final year, as I think it'll be the only time in my life where I can:

Work in my pyjamas

Choose my own hours

Do one project

Do something that I actually really enjoy

Have complete control over my own work

Purpleflower x

ha ha! glad that raised a smile Purpleflower! spotted it on a website when i was browsing the net whilst having my hair done. though i think the 10 do's and dont's for a PhD might be a little late in the day for us guys!
http://bitesizebio.com/articles/10-dos-and-donts-for-phd-students/


and another little link for the days when you want to give up...was sent to me by one of my fellow PhD inmates by e-mail today...
http://dro-mo.com/

PhD Comics is always good as well. it's good for helping to put things in perspective and realise that you're not alone! 1000's of PhD students have felt all the anxieties and frustrations we're going through at the moment. it will all come to an end soon! :-)

Has anyone/everyone got post-PhD jobs sorted? I haven't...starting to worry a bit...

I haven't got any postdoc jobs lined up the moment, which does me slightly! I've recently signed up to job.ac.uk and will be putting together my CV so that I can start applying for jobs closer to september though. How about everyone else?

======= Date Modified 15 May 2012 11:44:52 =======
* worry me slightly, even

i had an interview couple of weeks ago....didn't get it. was surprised to get an interview as the study was an adult social and community psychiatry study, which i have done in the past, but my PhD research is about kids and families. they gave the post to someone who had just finished a adult social and community psychiatry PhD. which is fair enough really.

just submitted another application last week, and am about to submit another this week. both posts much more in line with my PhD topic. so fingers crossed!

i wouldn't let yourself get toooo worried. it is quite difficult to get a post-doc before you're a proper post-doc these days (i.e. have at least submitted your thesis). so the attitude i'm taking is, i'll apply for posts if they come up and look like i might have a chance of begin successful. BUT, finishing the PhD comes first and is my main priority. Mind you, i've had to get myself in debt in order to have that attitude! (just recently taken out a Career Development Loan to cover last couple of months of write-up ).

:-(

Also, since it's been a while since I've checked in on here I thought I'd see how everyone's thesis is coming along? Hope it's going well :-)

Mine seems to be coming together okay... I have four months left (ARGH!) and three chapters in full drafts, with two more to be (hopefully) tied up by the end of the month. This means I have two more studies to put into chapters (should only take a couple of months as these are all loosely written) and then one discussion/conclusion chapter.

I'm begining to notice how long it takes to get feedback from supervisors though. I've still got some work waiting to come back from December, and it's taking an average of two/three months per draft of a chapter. Fingers crossed it won't have to go back and forth too much!

Purpleflower x

Fingers crossed something will come up, Snelison! I think I'm going to adopt the same approach as you. I think first and foremost I need to finish this PhD, but I will start applying if things come up.

The funding running out scares me but I'm telling myself I'll just get a random job if need be (just to cover bills) and work part time to tie up the rest of the PhD.

Purpleflower x

hey Purpleflower!

looks like the thesis is chugging along nicely for you! i am in a similar(ish) position. got 7.5 of my thesis chapters up to almost final draft. just have the data from my fourth and final study to analyse and write up in chapter 8 and then get chapter 9 (Discussion) done.

supposed to be submitting my full thesis to the Big Prof (our PI) at the end of June. absolutely terrified she'll thinks its awful! my principal supervisor thinks its coming along nicely, but the Big Prof is another matter!

it is a little difficult waiting for supervisors to provide feedback. my principal sup is usually really good. but they are always so busy you feel guilty about complaining!!!

======= Date Modified 15 May 2012 14:31:59 =======
Wow, well done you. You've got loads! 8-)

Try not to worry about the Big Prof, your supervisor must have confidence in your work. And just think how encouraging it will be to have a first draft by June! When does your funding run out?

I've just finished my forth and final study, it was a lovely feeling to have it finished. How long do you think yours will take to analyse?

Purpleflower x

it feels like i've done loads some days. other days it feels like there's still a mahoosive mountain to climb! what i'm worried about is spending months and months doing little bitty corrections in order to get the thesis up to a standard that my supervisor thinks is good enough for submission!

how are you finding the process of chapter amendments? i'm currently dealing with some amendments and finding it a bit hard to concentrate. some days you get some really good 'eureka moments'. other days it's like having intellectual and cognitive constipation!!!

my funding officially ran out in May...hence the bank loan! hoping that i can get the final data analyses done in a couple of weeks. it's just observational data which i'm analysing in the same way as i did in a previous empirical chapter so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises!

:-)