I never come in at weekends, spend most of my time googling things not to do with my research and haven't stayed later than 4pm in months. I don't actually do any reading at the moment so in my incubation times I just hang around/go shopping/go for lunch. I must do about 2-3 hours of "actual" work a day - maximum!

This may sound like I'm being a bit of a shit, but taxes are there for a reason, unless you are exempt you should pay! It's not really very fair, especially if you aren't a british citizen!

I know Tony, he's lovely. He's on facebook if you want to do some background research!

I'll ask my LPC friends what they get asked, but I expect it's just he standard "why do you want to do a PhD" type things. Good luck with the interviews, I hope you get it, it's one of the best paid PhD's I've heard of and you even get a 3 months summer holiday in your first year!

I get 10 days off for Easter as the uni buildings are closed, but other than bank holidays the rest of the time I should be in uni. I'm taking a holiday in September but otherwise working straight through, how would you get enough done otherwise?

I'm going to be a Doctor of Pain. I'm in an LPC lab but not actually on an LPC studentship, I know lots of people that are though. I think they choose 3 students each year for LPC, but I'm not sure if it's different for the bioinformatics side of things. Where is your interview? do you know who with?

Tabea, you have summed up my feelings on my PhD exactly! I also want to go into industry and am 6 months into a PhD I don't really like. I'm going to stick at it for at least another 6 months as everyoone keeps telling me the first year is a bit strange and it will get better.

I know some people who have done a PhD in industry, it is difficult though because if your department in industry gets disbanded or focus is moved to a different area then you pretty much have to start your PhD again as you can't keep on with research that "the bosses" don't want you to do.

Keep with it, I'm sure it will get better, and as you said you do need a PhD to get anywhere in industry so even if it feels pointless it's not because ultimately you are getting closer towards your goal.

fifi_fole, I'm at UCL, will look for you - haha! I went to a beer festival this weekend, in Ely (near cambridge) was held in village community centre, made me miss country life a lot!

I have been repeating the same experiment for 6 months trying to get it to work and the results are just getting worse each time! Everyone keeps tellingme it's my first year and I shouldn't worry, but it's really frustrating and to tell the truth I hate it. Hope I haven't depressed you!

Pick-up only option is brilliant when you're trying to get rid of furniture. We don't have a car so sold a wardrobe, bed, chest of drawers etc on ebay and made a profit rather than having to pay to take them to the dump!

I wear jeans and jumpers/t-shirts most of the time but if I'm presenting at lab meeting or have a supervisor meeting I wear something a bit smarter - not because I have to but because it gives me more confidence.

My ex-flatmate was bi-polar. She had it pretty bad and did a lot of the bad risk taking stuff, taking drugs, drinking, sleeping around etc. She was on medication but didn't always take it, I could always tell when she was taking it properly- it made a huge difference. Got to be worth a try before a "manic" phase gets a bit out of control. Hope you are ok.

I went to see them the day after it was opened. It was fun, a lot of the costumes look really naff though - like they'd been picked up at a market somewhere!

Mine too! Although saying I go to Russell sounds a bit odd.

I've never heard of the Russell Group, which uni's are in that?

Cilit Bang! bang and the dirt is gone!