Hi Ian,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it sounds like it was terrible and I do feel for you. I hope you are all sorted now though! I just wondered how common it is that people get bullied in academia as it seems to be a recurring theme on the forum and it shouldn't be that way. Thank you to Pikirkool for your response too (up)

Hi all,

I just wondered if anyone has any experience of being bullied in academia and what you did to deal with it? Also whether you were supported by the university? Do you know anybody who was bullied and what happened to them?

Morning all,

Hope you are all well this morning!

I've just got the same goal this morning as I've had over the past couple of days -just getting on with Chapter 3, I ended up working on Chapter 2 yesterday as it's an "easier" job but I really must crack on with Chapter 3 today!

Hope you all have a good day, wherever you are :-)

Good luck Batfink, it's nice to have a bit of time to prepare for a job interview so that sounds good!

And welcome to the thread Xtiny, newcomers are always welcome! Hope you find the one goal thread as useful as we all do!

I've managed to make a bit of progress this morning I think, which is good! At the moment my thesis doesn't really knit together as well as it should do so I'm concentrating on creating a tangible thread through it but I think I might have had a breakthrough this morning so fingers crossed it'll go down well with the team!

Hope you're all having a good day!

Morning all,

Hope you are all well, hope you're feeling better Natassia! I hate being sick above pretty much everything else (even the dreaded cold or migraine) so I sympathise!

Today I am going to do some more work on my third chapter, I think it needs a re-structure to be honest which I've been putting off as thinking about it makes my brain hurt! But I think today will be the day! Wish me luck and have a good day whatever you're all doing (up)

Hi Batfink,

Yes the thread has been quiet hasn't it! Hope you're feeling better, colds really are quite nasty aren't they! I've just been working away on some of my chapters, but I don't really feel like I'm making any progress! It's really annoying but I suppose we just have to stay focussed and concentrate on the end goal of getting the thing done! Hope you're having a good day anyway! (up)

Aaaw congratulations, that's great news, enjoy the celebrations Dr! :-)

Good morning if anyone is out there today! I'm working on one of my chapters today, I'd really like to get this chaper into a reviewable state by the end of the week so that's my goal this week!

Hope you all had a great weekend, and have a good day today (up)

Hi, really sorry to hear this. If you sincerely feel that you have not received adequate supervision then why not complain? Take it to the head of school or the student union and see if you can get a re-sit or something. I think it's really rare that they'd fail someone in their first year so I'd be suspicious. Can you get a report of your review panel or whatever? Really hope you can get something sorted, what an awful position to be in.

So glad to hear you're getting on well, Bath really is a beautiful place to be so glad you're enjoying it! I bet you never imagined when you were in your darkest phase that you would make it out the other side so very happy for you :-)

Morning all,

I know that feeling Batfink! Sometimes it's just as good to take a break away from it rather than just keep sitting at your desk not making any progress! Randomnly I always have the best ideas when I'm away from my desk but somewhere annoying where I can't make notes like in the shower or driving! This PhD stuff takes over your brain doesn't it!

Glad your horse is feeling better Natassia, my rabbit is a boy but they pretty much recommend that you have them 'fixed' whether they're male or female now, plus I would really like to get him a companion for when I start full time employment so at least if he's neutured it makes it easier to match him with other rabbits (and they're really hard to assign gender to until it's too late :$ ) I hope everything goes ok with your supervisors, I'm worried about submitting mine too so you're not alone!

And yes Button, I agree with Batfink - stay away from work until you feel better! That's (almost) doctor's orders from us! :p

Well today I am re-reading through chapter 1, I can't wait to see the back of it but equally nervous about getting feedback on it! Oh well! And then later on I'll carry on working on a different chapter. Hope you all have a good day (up)

Aaw Button, sorry to hear you've not been well :-( hope you get better soon, get lots of rest and come back when you're ready.

I've finished working on my chapter now, I'm going to leave it til tomorrow then look at it with fresh eyes before sending it off. I'm looking at another chapter this afternoon just to have a break! Will finish a bit earlier today as I started early this morning. Hope you're all having a great day (up)

Hi Imantawhid,

I know exactly how you feel, I didn't do a Master's either and I've really struggled with the upgrade from undergrad to postgrad. Is there anyone you can talk to at university about it? Fellow students you can talk to? Honestly, you are not alone and I think if you talk to others about how you feel you'll find your experience is quite common. That PhD student you mention sounds like he's not being honest with you, if he only started a few weeks ago then he's in a different place to you. The best piece of advice anyone ever gave me was not to compare yourself to others! He'll feel the way you do now one day believe me!

Is there a counselling service at your university you can talk to? Someone you can offload your problems to?

At the end of the day, if you really decide it's not for you then there is no shame in quitting. It doesn't mean you can't ever come back and do it again in the future when you feel more prepared. It's up to you at the end of the day, but I would strongly recommend you find employment before quitting as it's tough out there at the moment.

Good luck and remember you can always come back and talk to us (up)

Good morning, I've been working since 7am today, that's not right, is it?!

In my experience Batfink, they'd rather you sent them a few fully fledged chapters and then some notes detailing what you're going to do rather than really rough drafts of all the chapters, otherwise you'll end up doing what I'm doing :-( Rargh! Pretty fed up with the chapter now so I think today will be the last day I work on this one for, I'll do something else tomorrow!

Hope your horse is ok Natassia, I hate it when animals are poorly. I have a little dwarf rabbit who will be going in for the snip in a couple of weeks time and I'm dreading it to be honest. I've had to do it to another rabbit previously and I swear he never looked at me the same way afterwards...!

Anyway! Hope you all have a good day (up)

Hi Batfink and Natassia,

Hope you both get on ok today, I think what you've said is true Natassia, if you've tried your best then what else can you do? I also hate getting feedback so good luck! And Batfink, I'm sure you will be fine! I'm just working through my chapter and I'm really fed up of it now, there's only so many times you can look at the same piece of work without getting word blind!