Has anybody else been so stressed they find themselves doing mad things? At the moment I keep sending texts to the wrong people - with no embarrassing mishaps so far but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone gets one which is meant for my boyfriend's eyes only, if you know what I mean. The other week I found some cheese in the cupboard, which I had put there instead of the fridge! If I wasn't doing a PhD I would be worried about Alzheimer's or something but I think the stress I am under explains a lot.

No, I'm at home and don't have enough time to travel to the library at uni.

I would agree with the train being a journey - a journey of knowledge, and your friends represent the knowledge you are acquiring but sometimes you feel lost and can't find out the things you want to or the results you want are not forthcoming.

Sometimes it is easier to talk to people at lunch (as long as you don't try with a mouthful of food!) Instead of having to approach someone, you are actually sitting next to people and it is expected for people to ask their neighbours where they are from, what they are working on etc.

I've got a headache and I'm trying to work and now next door have put on annoying music of which I can only hear thump thump thump. I've put on my own calming music to drown it out but can still hear the thump thump thump. I think I may go mad!

Hmmm both very interesting. golfpro, do you have a supervisor or other figure who has recently taken over from someone you prefer, or has someone who you enjoyed working with recently left and you wish they would return?
birdsandbees - your dream obviously means that you want more recognition for the work you are doing and the biscuits are a metaphor for the tangible praise you would like.

I am so tired I can barely function. I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep. Then I give myself a bit of a lie in but I'm still so tired and I have so much to do. In fact I had a dream last night (when I was asleep obviously) about a tidal wave engulfing me - I think that must be a metaphor for all the work mounting up. However in the dream I managed to survive so perhaps I should take note of this and not worry about drowning in my work. Has anybody else had any interesting dreams which relate to PhD stuff?

Hey AnnieG that's a really good idea. It's a conference at my own university and it is interdisciplinary so not everybody will know much about my area so doing it your way might actually be better. My work is very visual based so lots of pics to talk about might work.
Thanks

Does anybody else feel like this? I have so much to do and physically do not thing I can do it all in the time I have. I feel so under pressure but can't think of anything cosntructive to help the situation. I am trying to prioritise but I have to have a revised literature review in by wednesday, I am presenting a paper at a conference on Thursday and I am on research visits from Friday which need work doing on before I go. All of these are important and can't not be done. I feel like hiding under the duvet and hoping everything will go away!

How long does it take people to write conference papers? I will have to write one in a very short space of time as I have had other priorities to work on and now I am getting worried I wont be able to do it. I am having a short lunch break at the moment, hence I feel I can justify being on this forum instead of writing my conference paper!

I would agree that getting an Independent Financial Advisor is paramount or you will spend ages checking with lenders whether they will accept the stipend. Let someone else do the work. Also make sure they do not charge a fee. You can find advisors who make their money from the lender so they are more likely to work harder for you as they won't make any money unless they find you a mortgage.

I'm half watching it while trying to come up with an idea for a conference abstract!

If you have looked at the other posts you will see the trials and tribulations I had trying to get a mortgage. I would say it is even more difficult now. One thing I would say is get it in writing that your stipend will be accepted as salary before you do anything else or pay out any money whatsoever. We went with Nationwide who said yes that would be OK, we sent money, got solicitors, sent documents etc etc only to be told about three months down the line that they never accept stipends. we actually made a complaint and were given a small amount of compensation for all the hassle we had. Eventually we went with Godiva Mortgages which is part of the Coventry. It does depend how much deposit you have - if you have 10% it will be easier. I think Lloyds will accept that. But I warn you, if you think doing a PhD is stressful, be prepared for much worse. The irony of my situation is that my hubby and I decided the new house and new start wasn't working and now we are getting divorced!!

I think confidence goes up and down very erratically and probably in no relation to anything concrete. But generally I would say confidence will increase over time.
My confidence has been all over the place recently. I felt great I had done 10,000 words of a literature review, then it was criticised and I felt like giving up, spoke to some other PhDs and found it it was normal so confidence up again, then realised I had no idea how to re-write it - confidence down, had a great meeting with my supervisor - confidence up, felt useless after teaching an undergraduate seminar (see post on graduate teaching) - confidence down, then had a paper accepted at a conference - confidence way up again - see what I mean?!

Remember, however many conferences you have presented at, however many publications you have, if you do not get your PhD you will not be able to get a job in academia. At this stage getting the groundwork done and writing, writing, writing, is going to give you a much better start than spending time trying to get published etc - there will be time for that later.
Everywhere I go the message from everyone is - the priority is getting your thesis written.