I get this sometimes although not usually in libraries, more likely at home. And if it happens, I snooze. Usually for an hour as that seems to do the trick. I feel like an old person but it does make a difference. I've been like this ever since I had glandular fever repeatedly from 2005 - 07 so I guess I got pretty used to the problem and now when it's still an issue I don't resist, just sleep. Usually when I'm not too stresses and have been sleeping well at night it's ok these days, but I still believe that if you're tired you're best off giving in to it! And if you can't or really don't want to, I'm afraid it's just espresso and chocolate as necessary. :-)

Walminskipeasucker - Maybe I'll die and it will turn out there is no God. But, although I don't mean to suggest that you have to believe in God to be a good person - that's obviously not true: I'm often not a particularly good person and there are plenty of very unpleasant people who do believe in God - I do believe that my faith will have helped me lead my life in a better way than had I not had God to ponder on, turn to, give me hope, etc, whether real or not (and of course sometimes I doubt: I'm only human). So at the end of the day, will I have lost anything through my faith if it turns out to have been misplaced? Not as far as I can see it: I'll only have gained from it during my life.

Congratulations Sneaks! And as for the children - there was a discussion on another thread of the ads and disads of having a baby during the PhD which noted the favourable maternity leave on some funding boards so there are definitely people on this forum going for it!

I was very briefly married while I was still an undergraduate to a man who turned out to be a total bastard and started an affair with a mutual friend 4 months after the wedding. Although I'm happily settled with someone new now whom I may well marry (perhaps during the PhD, perhaps not) I'm still pretty messed up and reckon it'll never really go away entirely - however awful I guess they may seem at times at least PhDs can't treat you like that! Thus the PhD is clearly an admirable lifestyle choice and not to be knocked! :p

No offence meant but I'm guessing this comparison with other people who've made different decisions from yours (and remember your choices may be different but are equally valid) probably represents broader insecurities about your PhD, rather than a sudden desire to marry and produce sprogs. Perhaps you need to look back at the reasons you made the choices you did and also consider what you'd be doing/want to do if you didn't do the PhD. Plus of course being a PhD student doesn't necessarily preclude being married and pregnant - again just the choices you make (plus finding someone to marry and produce children with obviously...).

My partner has a good salary but it's unlikely we would be able to get a decent mortgage just because it's difficult for anyone to, regardless of the fact that my income wouldn't count. Because of the economic climate deposits required are so high that we wouldn't be able to raise that sort of money (up to 25%). On the up side, however, remember that house prices are still coming down and in due course lending patterns will get better again so if we can all hold out for a bit it may work out well for us. Not that I'm supporting this hold-back on lending money as it's crucial to the economy righting itself, it was banks lending to people who simply couldn't afford to repay the loan that started the culture that brought us here. At the end of the day although I get a decent allowance from my funding I also know it's short term and I may not be able to get a job at the end, so it is quite logical not to lend me a considerable sum of money that requires long term repayment, however infuriating!

Thanks guys - especially good to know how many conferences people tend to do during the PhD. I'll have a chat about it with my supervisor tomorrow - apparently I could apply to the AHRC and department to see how much it would come up with (maybe putting all my eggs in one basket?) but I think I need another opinion from someone in my area as to whether it's worth it. This is the first conference that's been suitable for me to submit to and I haven't seen anything else coming up in the immediate future so it would be a shame to miss out, although it would also be a shame to bankrupt myself... :-(

I'm an AHRC funded Classics PhD in my first year. I've just had my first paper accepted by the Classical Association of South Africa for their annual conference. Whilst CASA isn't the most prestigious place in the world, it's still really good to have had the offer of giving a paper at an international conference at this stage. I don't unfortunately know who else will be there, other than the key note speakers who are international names although not ones I'm overly familiar with. However, although I can manage the conference fees etc, the real issue is the flights which are about £500+.

As an AHRC student I can apply to them for up to £350 once in my 3 years which is probably the most I can get from anywhere. My department does offer grants but I've been told they're likely to contribute less than this. However, my supervisor has said she thinks I should "save" this for the future. I'm a bit concerned that while I understand this point - what if I get a paper accepted somewhere really good eg. in America in the next two years and then can't go! - I won't be able to go this time if I have to shell out that sort of money myself...

Anyone got any advice?!

I know many very intelligent people who believe and practise, although they are more likely to be in an arts discipline, or I suppose most likely theologians! I was brought up a Roman Catholic, but no longer practise (for various specific reasons), and now attend an Anglican Church (a middle of the road country parish although my preference is for Anglo-Catholicism). I know very few intelligent people - particularly academics - who attend church without giving very serious and regular thought to their beliefs, exploring things they are told and generally taking an interest in theology.

Shani and Pamplemousse - best of luck! xx

I would go for email too, just because you can outline your initial ideas coherently! I then met up with two potential supervisors, one in their university, the other in a mutually convenient library. If that's not reasonable then maybe call after some email contact, or the potential supervisor is cliely to suggest something!

Smilodon - good to hear you've experiences that sort of support, and Pamplemousse - I totally share your view. But if I manage to convince my partner that having a baby say next year - which is what I really want - would be a good plan (and perhaps he'd like to marry me first!!) then I think I'd go with it regardless of how the department might feel. Admittedly I don't know how I would tell my supervisor mind you... Maybe wait until she noticed! I think the PhD lifestyle - in spite of the intense element of the work to some extent - is actually one of the most compatible lifestyles to having a baby as at least you could be around more for the first couple of years whilst still managing to do research, even if it would be moved to evenings and weekends some of the time.

I was in touch with lots of people relevant to my area, plus my potential supervisor, with regard to my proposal. People are really willing to help, I've found, so definitely worth emailing anybody relevant with questions. And definitely get your hypothetical supervisor to look at it!

Pamplemousse - yes, that is AHRC. It's really good to hear these concerns raised actually. I'm young so under no pressure really about having children but my partner is 7 years older so I guess we think about it more. I'd always thought I'd be so career minded but I've become broody and think much more about having a family. I really would like to consider an academic career but of course the job market is terrible. However, teaching would be another realistic option, and from friends' experience I think either career is quite a good one to balance with family life. At the end of the day though, however much my partner would love to be a stay-at-home-dad the fact is he is always likely to earn more than me, even though he's only 18 months into a new career path. On the other hand his keenness to be hands-on would probably mean that I know we'll be able to split things as far as possible. I also know that my parents would be great grandparents which would doubtless help, especially as they're quite local, although my father still works full time (and probably will forever - I don't think he'd know what to do if he retired). It's been said to me that you'll never find the perfect time to have a child - some will be better than others but there will always be some sort negatives to it.

Dazed is right, at least on my funding body. They'll give you 9 months paid, plus 3 months unpaid, just as a permanent job. If we wanted children imminently (we shall see...) I would definitely consider taking time from the PhD as I don't know what might happen after or how many years it will take until I'm in a job situation where I'd be eligible or in a reasonable position to take maternity leave. :-)