Wow thats fantastic news - well done!! How did you find out?

My day was brightened a little bit today - my PhD application seems to be going well but it's early days so it could all change; and less importantly I have a date this weekend!

Thanks Bilbo and KB for replying,

Bilbo - it must be so lovely to have your PhD completely finished - I'm sure you can't wait to get it back from the binders! Enjoy your recuperation..have you got a holiday planned for the summer?

It all seems to be progressing quite well, I might have a meeting with the PG research director next Tuesday, she asked me who was supervising my MSc dissertation as she said he would be a good starting point as a possible supervisor, so I told her who was supervising me, as well as who I'd been speaking to about my application. She said that she is going to speak to them first then I would have a formal interview with her and the supervisors. I'm a bit concerned that she hasn't asked me to fill in a form yet, or provide an actual written proposal - I guess she will in due course, hopefully.

I was talking to another tutor who I get on quite well with today about it, and said that I was worried that the supervisors would be expecting me to move on to a different university rather than staying, and think I was in some way 'outstaying my welcome' by staying there. She said that I should "banish those thoughts" (her words!), and that its a good thing for the department to have students that stay with them. When one of the potential supervisors told me that she would supervise a section of my PhD I asked her whether it was negative to go from UG to MSc to PhD at the same place without any gaps in between (as I want to do), and she said it wouldn't look bad at all, that it was rare to do that at my age but not damaging for a future career, providing that I publish and network to be recognised outside of that department. I know this all sounds a bit jumbled - but do these signs look positive??

Natassia xx

Hi Bilbo - nice to hear from you what have you been up to after your wonderful viva?

Self-funding will be a last resort although it is possible, my parents have some savings that they are happy to invest into my future, so that I can do it full time. I have done a lot of thinking as I don't really want to take the money from them, but it will be a definite last resort; the main thing that having it there allows me to choose where I want to go based on the department rather than the funding. My field is new and therefore good departments are few and far between, I really don't want to move from where I am.

I will still chase any funding that becomes available - there were three studentships available last year and they weren't advertised until September, there is a possibility that will happen again this year. Unfortunately I am not in a position for research council funding as I have not finished my Masters degree yet. Thanks for replying, Nx

Dear all, firstly thank you to everyone who has helped me so far with thinking about my application - I have come to the decision to apply to the department where I have done my UG degree and am doing my MSc now, I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else and they are perfect for what I want to research.

I have emailed the director of the postgraduate research degrees, a member of staff who hasn't taught me and so doesn't know me. She took a few days to reply then sent me a positive-sounding reply that thanked me for my email and my interest and that I hadn't left my application too late, I was concerned about that. She said quite clearly that there were no funding opportunities that she could offer me at the moment, and that she wanted to hear more about my proposed research in order to check supervisor capacity, I imagine this would be to check that the relevant supervisors are available? She said that there were still vacancies but that she wanted to get my application going properly.

I am pretty sure that one of the tutors who would supervise me does not have any PhD students at the moment, and so she should be able to supervise me, the other two who I can imagine will supervise me have a few each (I think, I'm not certain), but I don't think they are the main supervisors for anyone. How namy PhD students does the average academic supervise, or is that a silly question?

I emailed her this morning and still haven't had a response, I'm not bothered about that though, she took a few days to reply to the last one. In my opinion this all sounds quite positive at the moment, but this is the most formal enquiry that I have made so far, apart from a conversation with a professor from another university, so I have nothing to compare it to. How do you all think it is going? I probably sound a bit neurotic, but this is so important to me, as you can imagine.

Thanks, Natassia xx

Oh Emaa, I'm sorry to hear that you're having a bad day - I hope things work out between you and your husband, especially for you, I think you need to spend a few hours away from him, although he may be stressed and not mean it, it sounds as if he is really getting you down.

I was at work until 1.30 today so haven't been working all day, goal for today is to finish the first draft of my research proposal ready to present it tomorrow...only an informal presentation but still worrying!

I'm doing my Masters so still being taught, as we don't get a lot of taught hours I always go into uni if I have a seminar, even if I feel terrible! Normally I just dose myself up with Lemsip and drink loads of coffee and I'm ok, having something to concentrate on seems to help. I work from home the rest of the time, if I'm unwell I sit on the sofa with a blanket and read, rather than stare at a computer screen...sometimes I just need to sleep it off though.

Thanks for the advice, like a few of you advised I didn't do the girly thing of waiting for him to ask me and being all coy...I gave him my number and he's taking me out this week! I'm nervous now...haven't dated for a little while but have a good feeling about this, wish me luck! Nxx

I am an Aquarius, I have to say I do believe in my horoscope as it to an extent it tends to come true quite a lot, and I am quite a typical Aquarian! Any others around??

Well done Lilbobeep - I am so pleased for you, I hope you're celebrating this weekend! Nxxx

Emaa that would depend on the type of article it is. Most of the ones I read are theoretical and therefore take quite a long time to read as they can be difficult sometimes. I also like to make a lot of notes in the margins, I never just read something. For a paper like that I would set aside a good two hours if it is important...but then I am a slow reader and I like to take everything in. A research paper that I can read more stragtegically - about on hour.

Can I join in on this please?

I've had to go to work this morning so haven't had much time. Today so far I've had a good long phonecall with the leader for a project that I'm doing some research for, and written up the call in my research diary which should help with my critical review of the organisation. I've also started researching the area that I'm doing a presentation on in May, but need to email my tutor to make sure that I am doing the right thing! Will do that and need to send a few more emails before going to the stables.

Then when I get home I need to finish reading the book that my dissertation supervisor has asked me to review...only 30 pages to go now!

I'm trying to get so many different things done for different modules, have quite a lot to do in not a lot of time but I guess thats what a MSc is all about!

KB - thats so sweet that your supervisor gets you all birthday cards!

Lostinoz, it sounds like he wants everyone to know about his birthday, to be honest I would find that quite irritating! I think you should just say happy birthday to him unless there is a card going around the department that everyone is signing, no need to make any more effort than that really...I think your relationship with your supervisor is probably improving without you needing to do anything else, in fact anything else might not seem right.

I'm only at MSc level but have done my UG at the same university so am quite familiar with the staff, but I only know one tutor's birthday, because she mentioned in a seminar that it was her birthday that day. I wouldn't send her a card though, it seems a bit innapropriate and unnecessary. However, I appreciate that the relationship you have with your supervisor at PhD level is closer than at MSc level.

I hope he's an admirer and that I'm not just deluding myself!

Sneaks - I think I'd sound like an idiot if I asked him about football as I know nothing about it! He is quite chatty but thats generally him asking things about me, I'd get to know him a little better. Phone number exchanges are so difficult, usually I wait for them to ask me but I think I'll need to do a bit of work with this one; I think firstly he needs to know that I am interested but that feels quite awkward as well!

This is going to make me sound ridiculous and immature, I do honestly have a lot of more important things to be thinking about, but I need some opinions!!

There's this guy that I've known, not very well, for about a year, he works near where I work and live. We've chatted on a few occasions and I get the impression that he fancies me, like he seemed to know where I worked before I even told him, he remembers everything I say, he seems to be a bit nervous around me etc....also I've caught him looking at me quite a lot. I have to admit I am attracted to him, he is so different to anyone I've been out with before, totally unrelated to academia, very 'blokey', not my usual type at all but there is something about him that I really like. I am terrible at showing my feelings and don't usually make things obvious so he probably has no idea....I just think I need to do something about it!

So girls, would you make the first move? I'm tempted to just give him my number quickly, whats the worse that can happen, but I don't even know if he's single? I'm supposed to be a bit of a feminist and believe in equality, so I shouldn't be worrying about this as its so silly and girly, but I don't want to get knocked back!!

Thanks, Nxx

Satchi you make me laugh! I totally understand though, I really hate people eating loudly especially when I am trying to work, I don't like eating in front of people unless they are eating as well so I don't really understand people eating in an office anyway. My main annoyance is people eating in seminars, there was a girl in my class who was generally annoying anyway, but always used to eat messy sandwiches in class, loudly as well...I was quite pleased when she dropped out!

I think its a very difficult thing to bring up in a serious way that would make him change his behaviour, I think you are doing the right thing by going for a walk!