What do I love about PhD study? Being able to engage regularly with things I'm passionate about... learning to figure out why and how what I'm interested in might become interesting/useful to others; mixing with like-minded folk who always/usually have something interesting to bring to the 'conversation'; making connections with things that have gone before and trying to anticipate what might be coming and how my own passions might fit in with that. *grin* The moments of epiphany... the 'oh, I so get that now...', etc.

What do I hate about my PhD? The time it takes, the rigour I need to apply, having to learn methodological techniques in too short a time, having to juggle life and study, having to balance deep thinking with surface living, living with the uncertainty principle (when you're researching something that is required to be novel, it's difficult to hold onto the sometimes elusive ideas that propel you towards your goal), the need to be constantly organised, to account for your progress, the drive to present, write, share your findings, sometimes in too short a time. But, on the plus side, these are just things I've grown to understand are part of the everyday journey of the PhD, and part of what makes the highs 'high' and the view from the 'peaks' so interesting, so that's okay. Besides, they do make you stronger... or else... you quit, I guess. *wry grin*

I hate being a student, I absolutely detest it. This is the main reason why I can't wait to finish the PhD. I definitely don't regret starting it though.

I was telling a friend all about the things I had had to deal with over the past year - bereavement, moving house, marriage break-up, and she pointed out that it was probably the PhD which was keeping me sane! How ironic is that?!