Oh I know exactly how that feels dont be worried about it. The thing is those people are usually the ones who feel underconfident because they have to feel the need to constantly overpublicise and self validate. Personally its something I cant be bothered with so I choose not to socialise with many of my peers. Check out my thread for a similar rant !! lol

Well multidisciplinary isnt that the Phd buzz term these days lol!

So tell me this everyone how has this week gone for you all???

xx

Well I think PhDs like all projects are fundamentally prone to change so its about how you manage that change that reflects how your PhD goes. To be fair I think all PhDs are going to get some kind of scope creep on them I think to quote Kipling 'If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs' thats a good piece of advice, or more up to date Douglas Adams' immortal piece of advice in the 'Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy' which was 'Dont Panic!' or for those more macabre in their tastes may I recommend some Dante

MIDWAY upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say
What was this forest savage, rough, and stern,
Which in the very thought renews the fear.

So bitter is it, death is little more;
But of the good to treat, which there I found,
Speak will I of the other things I saw there.

I cannot well repeat how there I entered,
So full was I of slumber at the moment
In which I had abandoned the true way.

Dante totally must have done a PhD, because I know that feeling....

Yay its lovely to not be alone! glad u relate in some way anyway. I just think there is so much internal politics between PhD students I stay well clear of it most of the time, all the lying and posturing, oh for some honesty!

Lol I know Im the rant queen ruby! I dont have to be in I suppose my supervisor and I are in touch via email everday when I email her things So its not in that aspect. One of the other lecturers in the dept who isnt my supervisor or second, but supervises a guy is a bit ' oh how odd to see you here' which is a bit rude but I just ignore it. At the end of the day I just answer to my supervisors and they are both happy.
Sigh oh well lol!!!

Hi fellow non-conformists!

Has anyone found that they are being pressured into working the hours that some of the others in their office work? There are those in my office who might turn up at 9, but stand at the coffee machine, and then go for coffee for an hour seemingly every hour. And those that are in my office seem to spend a lot of time surfing the net and doing no work, personally I find working in the office really offputting. Its never quiet and there are always people moaning, a few hours in there and I want to fling myself out the window. I just cant be bothered with it! I walked in today to pick up a file I had left on the shelf, I dont have my own desk because of space rows, so there was someone sitting where I normally sit eating crisps and looking at Heat Magazine (productive) So I walk in and 2 of the girls are like 'hello stranger, have u been lost or something?' clearly having a pop about the fact I havent been in. I just was so mad, in the end I ended up saying 'lost? No. just working on my thesis at home because there is more room' They did an odd snigger, and truddled off to get another coffee.
Im so annoyed about them. I know they are just stupid girls not even in my dept but why would i have to sit there all day just to make them happy? They all seem to be in everyday showing their faces as my mother calls it. Thinking that if they are seen, that constitutes doing work. I see them sucking up to the faculty heads and hanging out with the staff from the departments and in a way I wish I could be more involved in the department but Im trying to work. Im just so irritated that they are all buddy buddy with everyone and such hateful girls. I dont think I have ever seen them work and they are in third year. They seem to talk a big game, whether they deliver it I dont know!
Anyway I shalll stop ranting, just had to get that out!!!
OH IM SO MAD!:-s

Be enthusiastic! I know its hard when you are nervous but if you are enthusiastic about what you are doing they will feel that enthusiasm! Enliven people with your topic.

Well mass publications in the Arts aren't as required as some in the sciences. Although its always nice to have some under your belt its not always completely necessary at this stage of your PhD. I would listen to your supervisor, if you don't have full results which is the concern for not publishing then your supervisor could be protecting your future interests when you do have all of your results, in case those results change the outcome of your analysis and cause you to sorely disagree with a previous publication.

Also your supervisor might feel like you aren't in a position to publish as the research just isn't ready. There is nothing wrong with that, sections of your chapters can be made into articles with relative ease once your results are in. I think you should perhaps trust your supervisor's experience, if you are worrying about no listed articles on application forms why don't you just make it clear that you will be publishing on the finalising of your results.

Talk to your supervisor about it if you seriously disagree with them. Obviously I don't know the extent of your situation but it doesn't seem a bad thing to wait till your results are in so you can produce a more assured complete publication

D

Yes Stressed I completely agree with you, glad you found some tips etc.
Go on the non conformists!!!!!
:-)

Hello all!

Wow what great comments, I think its great that you have recognised some of yourselves in some of my meandering narrative.
Some great tips as well from you all, I think Im gonna start giving myself gold stars! My 1000 words a day (at whatever time of the day)is going quite well so far, but im a bit knackered tonight from non PhD work on business analysis so I may leave it to later on tonight.
Really interesting about the procrastination research Im relating to that, for me I think its a lack of confidence in my ability, and I think thats the case for a lot of us who feel like frauds almost. I keep saying to my friends that im waiting for the no talent police to turn up and question how I got this far!

Its great though that so many of you have posted here. Lets keep it going and talk about a different way of doing PhD that isn't 9 to 5 but is ok. Afterall there is a great piece of advice that says its OUR PhD and we should do it however we want to do it. I know this is hard with people trying to bend you to suit their working models but I know when im productive! I work best when I feel relaxed so my 1000 words a day is the way forward for me. Im going for the slow and steady approach!

Keep going my fellow non conformists!!!(up)

Yes sister steve was indeed in DM today. Worryingly I seem to have seen all of this seasons loop of repeats so I get the smug satisfaction of knowing who did it.

Ah but now if only they would bring back Father Dowling Mysteries.... that would be excellent. Having a late lunch break making some supernoodles, watching Cleopatra, wondering if I could get away with that eyemakeup.
On a bonus though, 2,000 words done today already so I merit some dalliance. Woo for Ironside btw esp the themetune!

Has anyone noticed how annoying it can be to work in front of the tv. Now I enjoy working in front of the tv, mainly because it adds a bit of nice background noise and means that you can work all day but it doesn,t feel like you have been shut up in an office working all day. The downside of the old tv lark has got to be the fact that you start a schedule of programmes which everyday get watched.
we start with
9.00 The Wright Stuff
10.30 This Morning
12.30 Loose Women
1.30 News
2.15 Diagnosis Murder
3.00 Murder she Wrote
3.45 Eggheads
5.00 Paul O'Grady
6.00 The Simpsons
etc etc
You see what I mean-its a sickness!!! But at least it gets me something on in the background whist I work!
Does anyone else have any odd working habits?

Im relating this is a hard one to know what to do. When I went to a big conference this year I had the exact same thing but I took a load of different things with me, and I shouldnt have bothered, most people go in what they present in. I remember having the nightmare wondering what to wear to present in, decided on the old favourite of jumper and shirt with a denim skirt and some pumps. But there were presenters wearing everything from full on goth gear to suits so I wouldnt worry. I would say dress comfortably, I think the smart jeans and top is fine if you want to change. You may find u get there and start chatting to someone also going to the dinner and they aren't getting changed at all and you may just stay as you are. Dont worry no one will notice!!!

Hiya,
Thanks for such brilliant comments everyone Im so glad we have found our own wee niche of non 9 to 5ers! Perhaps we should all continue to post on this thread and give each other some support or show the silent particpants who are also doing their PhD's that being a non 9 to 5 is ok as well. Its so great to hear that it isnt just me!
In reply to the question though, no she has never said she is disappointed or anything, in fact she is very kind and enusiastic, I always feel very driven after I see her (although recently I have been avoiding her because I feel I dont have enough to show her) what am I like!!!
Oh Smilodon I know the feeling, infact I think I read all of those posts and related in some way, I'll deffo keep a wee eye on this one and maybe we can all giv each other some support.
I know what you mean about the last minute thing though everyone, I remember finishing my MA thesis about 2 hours before it was due and finishing my MA on the Friday and starting my PhD on the Monday -can anyone say Glutton for punishment???

xx