thanks everyone and all the best Krashty.

this week am doing a literature review. i managed to read and summarise one article today. spend about two hours on it. i need to spend a few more hours on my thesis each day. but am happy with what i've achieved for the day. off to sleep now.

Hello everyone, I have set a day by which i'll submit my first draft. I'm aiming for the 9th June with final submission on Sept 15th latest. I'm gonna report on how much i'll have done each day and see if am able to meet my target on time. i have about three draft chapters and my thesis has five chapters. am gonna be writing to 'near perfection' so that after that i do not have many corrections to make. am not collecting data either, just analysing what i've got. so lets see if it can be done in three and a half months! i encourage those who are writing up to also create their diaries so we can see how we are all doing and cheer each other on.

hope your day is going ok. mine is certainly better than it has been in a long time. thanks :-)

thanks olivia. i will check it out.

cyber hugs to everyone.

thanks everyone for your support. you bring a smile on my face when i log on and see all your posts.

yes - i will get through this - sooner rather than later. i managed to read halfway through an article today. thats good for a start. i will keep you posted on how i get on.

just letting you know i really appreciate all your support.

thanks

a lot happened in the weekend and i ended the relationship. i cannot cope with the pressure anymore. now i can focus more on my work. it is sad i had to do this, but it was the only way out.

thanks everyone. your thoughts are really encouraging. i will definitely go and see a GP. I think its about time - re the physical stuff. i'll also start to go to the gym again. i spoke to my boyfriend and he seems to have agreed to not stress me about relationship issues anymore. as for my parents, i haven't told them about my emotional issues. i feel they wouldn't be supportive. i will just tell them i have handed in whether or not i have. right now, i just want to pick myself up and start writing up again. i'll probably have very early nights and early mornings til i have a first draft. taking time off is just something i find difficult to do - given all the weeks i've taken off, ill. i really want to try and finish this year. for now i'll do a few hours a day and build them up in time. thanks once again. J.

no one understands what am going through least of all my boyfriend who is sometimes supportive but most of the time i feel is more concerned about me being his girlfriend that about my welfare. i need to find a way to go on without expecting support from anyone - i need to shut myself away from people and their expectations to keep up with my writing up. my parents fund me to a great extent and it is understandable why they are disappointed in me. someone tell me what is should do.

hello everyone,

i've been away from the forum for a while. during this time i haven't done much work. i have had boyfriend troubles, on and off health issues which have meant that i can only work two weeks a month because the other two weeks am usually ill for some reason. i do not know if its the pressure.. when i should work i can hardly do a thing, when i don't i feel guilty. now my parents keep asking me when am submitting work to my supervisor and i keep saying two weeks from now and when i can't make that they just seem disappointed in me.

thanks bigmac. the presentation is tomorrow.

hi guys, i finally got myself this interview for a job in industry. unfortunately it came with this reqirement to do a presentation on a certain area of my field which am not familiar with. on one hand, am happy about getting the interview but am under immense pressure to perform as i will be presenting alongside undergrads who i could have taught given that am a seminar taker at my department. there is also expectation that a phd candidate and a part time TA will give the best performance. today i felt like calling and cancelling or calling in sick on the day. am really feeling out of depth. someone help me here. any advice?

another of my favorites - 'fake it til you make it!'

when am writing, i tend to always think, ' the darkest hour is before dawn.'

the first of my favorites: 'determination in every way,' which is a line in a poem i've got on my wall. it doesn't just say be determined, it says be determined in every way. even when you don't feel like it.

am keeping them coming. so watch this space.

hey everyone.. am thinking of finding a quote to keep me going during my PhD. What quote usually works for you - motivation wise. lets all post our quotes!!