It helped me impress my head of research;-); I responded to a journalist's request for students to discuss their relationship with their supervisors, for an article in the Independent. Two weeks late my ugly mug (and my supervisor's less ugly mug) were in the student section of the paper extolling the virtues of our department, which went down well. All thanks to the forum! And a very nice journalist.

Other than that, I like it cos I feel connected to a lot of people; even though we've not met I know they're always on here(up).

Glad you got it sorted, Sylvester. But I'm curious: which part of the UK are you in? In England my NHS treatment has never been less than 48 quid for a check up, and adding on X-rays, cleaning etc usually brings it up to the hundred mark. Are you in Scotland? Apparantly it's cheaper there.

I nearly got chucked out of my NHS dentist recently. I tried to re-schedule an appointment and got told that because I'd made 3 re-schedules and/or cancellations in my time there (over several years), I was no longer eligible for NHS treatment. First I'd heard of that rule! But cos I'm halfway through a course of treatment that I've already paid for, the dentist is letting me off "this time".

"I haven't been on the scales for ages, mostly because I know what I will see."

Ooh, I know that feeling well. The scales are lurking menacingly in the bathroom but I stay well away.

I will! Though Lara, 4lb isn't anything to worry about; I can gain and lose that without doing anything wrong.

Can I treat it as a confessional? Rather than listing everything, which could become obsessive, I'll admit here if I've been a pig on the old muffins/almond croissants from the coffee shop. Knowing that I have to make it public will (I hope) be enough to stop me doing it.

I want Fridays off, though, cos we have a coffee/chocolate biscuit meeting in our group Friday mornings;-).

Along similar lines to Smoobles:

"'I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot... and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed''

Michael Jordan

Hehe...do you find that if you stop worrying about one thing, you have a few moments of unnerving peace, and then some other worry slides into the vacancy and things are back to normal?

Nice.

I rang the bank on Friday and the "on hold" muzak was "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Incognito. That got me worried.

I'm thinking lately that no job (which is how I view my PhD) is worth stressing to the point where you can't sleep, or grind your teeth, or get mad all the time over little things. Trouble is, worry has become a habit! And I worry that if I stop worrying, I'll become lackadasical and won't get anything done. I need a lie down.

I must say I'm extremely suprised that people are saying a 2.1 will not get you onto a PhD. I have written a number of grant applications for PhD students and every single funding body I have come across requires that students have a 2.1 or above: not a 2.1 and a masters, or a first.

The fact that you are in touch with even one faculty member is encouraging; that's one more that most students. My supervisor frequently gets reference requests for students he hasn't heard from in years (the record being 27 years). I think you have a better chance that you give yourself credit for. That's not to say it will happen for you, btu you have as much chance as anyone else.

That diet thread is a good idea; so many people seem to pack on the PhD pounds. I reckon the crap summer this year hasn't helped, either; there's been no incentive to stay slim cos it's not like we could walk around in shorts.

Maybe we can give each other stars for each week we manage to stay on a healthy diet
(up)

You read my mind, Lara. I can get into my jeans, but it's not a pretty sight ;-). So today I had a tuna sandwich instead of a big Cornish pasty; tonight I'll be having some grapes instead of cookies. Let's see how long I can keep that up for...the trouble is, as soon as you think the word "diet" your brain screams "EAT!".

Sorry things have been difficult in your life: things pick their time, don't they?

You should contact your supervisor as soon as possible and explain: the anticipation of scary things is always worse that the reality. Get it over with, and them draw up a schedule of monthly reports, or something like that.
In future, probably best to keep in touch at least weekly even when things are bad: you are lucky that your institution seems to be very easy-going in terms of student contact.

You're definitely right there; if there are no deadlines at all it's really easy to drift. Some pressure is always a good thing.

I begin to think that these industrial types need to be more patient, though...more and more people that I know are having to look after elderly parents, which takes time away from work in the same way that looking after children does, and it's a problem that's going to get worse as the population ages. More flexibility is needed...or we students need to get the protection that employees get.

Juno needs to lay off the Pick N' Mix: developing a distinct muffin top.