I work from about 9-4, a lot of my experiments are overnight incubations so once I've set them up I'm done for the day. For the first few weeks I'd get in a 9 and try to stay until 5 to see what everyone else in your lab does and then take it from there. Some supervisors really want you to be there during set hours, mine doesn't care as long as I'm getting my work done.

Read a couple of your new research groups recent papers to get an idea of what they are doing at the moment and the materials and methods they use. Read around your PhD subject but also just general stuff in the broader area to start getting back into the subject. Even reading magazines like New Scientist (or whatever is applicable!) is great at keeping you up to date.

Buy a nice notebook for your first day

I'd love to have a long holiday, but it's my bf stopping me not my studies! He can't really get a big chunk off from work at the moment because he can't ensure we wouldn't have to cancel last minute - it's very frustrating! I want a holiday!

Well back to the lab for me....

I know this won't be popular...but if there weren't extenuating circumstances which led to your third are you sure you want to commit to a PhD? Of course if you do excellently in your Masters then maybe this proves you do have what it takes, but a third is quite a step below a 2.2 isn't it?

I'm not trying to flame or anything, just a bit curious, the only people I know with thirds were out of their trees for the most part of uni!

That description sounds like a lot of professors if you ask me! As long as he has experience of succesfully getting students through their PhDs and you like and are passionate about the topic and doing a PhD I would still go for it. Also, a supervisor that is around a bit too much is a lot better than a very absent one!

This is kind of related but a bit premature maybe. My boyf is itching to move to New York but as my PhD doesn't finish for another 3 years then I'm making him wait until then. I don't really know much about this kind of stuff but presumably if we're not married (which we won't be) then I need a job in order to get a visa? How difficult is it to apply for jobs in the USA while in UK writing up? Anyone have experience of this?

I think they all seem great and nice and perfect etc and then they turn to the dark side when you least expect it...so watch out BB!

mine now expects me to be able to mind read.

Just letting out some anger!

I'd like to be a carpenter and make really beautiful things from wood. But my B in GCSE woodwork was as far as I got with that idea!

I'm definitely a morning person, in fact I can't really work past 4pm in the afternoon so have to get here early or I'd get nothing done. I get in about 8- 8:30 but have an hour commute.

Mine is very flexible, in fact I'm nearly a year in and haven't been asked to do it yet so I think the hand in date is flexible too! Some people in my lab did a mini thesis, others did a couple of pages which outlined what they had done already. It all depends on the uni, in mine it's just classed as a formality and my supe pretty much just ticks a box to say I can upgrade.

It's probably just a phase and you'll suddenly wonder what you ever saw in him, I'd stop meeting one-on-one though, sounds a bit too dangerous to me.

I have spent a few weeks pretty much googling but am determined to read something useful today, and even *shock horror* make some notes and other things PhD students should do. So...any tips on how to keep myself focused all day? I was thinking a lot of caffeine and maybe some chocolate raisins.

My supervisor has a few enemies and when I recently presented to a few of these at a progress meeting he warned me that if they were mean to me it might be a way of getting to him. In the end nothing was said but I have seen it happen to other students and maybe next time I won't be so lucky. I think it is one of those things which happens but shouldn't and will cause us to develop thicker skins whether we like it or not.

The early mornings would put me off in a bakery. I've always secretly wanted to be a really good waitress at a nice restaurant, I'm alwasy really impressed when I get really good service. But, sadly, i've tried being a waitress and I was rubbish so it's plan B!