======= Date Modified 10 Jul 2009 09:48:37 =======
Hi there,

Wont bore the others who have read my story many times, but yup, I joined my phD last year at 23, I gave up fully funded places/fellowships, have the best funding I could have been given, and still work part time to pay tuition (partly), and living. Am international so imagine the costs! Yes, i'm depressed half the time thinking of money :-(

Am the youngest in my dept (but that makes no diff, it's just fine), am also a rather solitary person (so dont really mind the rather unsocial life of PhDs), but am considering a hobby club (an ambition for a long time).

As far as your PhD goes, try working part time on a project or something. Something collaborative...something that's gonna get in some cash, go in your CV (i.e. not serving coffee) and that will introduce you to scholars/researchers from the field.

For your thesis, the first yr is meant to feel like that, with every piece of writing you are struggling to finally *get it*, the what, why and how of it all. That shan't happen of course, but keep writing. it all builds up!

PS: While you're reading the book (and crying!) don't forget to make a note of what you're reading. Do that with Endnote, realy helps to keep an eye on references when you need them.

And SMILE, it's going to get better :-)

Natassia, relax a bit too! Take some days off, plan a break :-)

(This comes from a workaholic who hears these very words thrown at her by everybody)

Just popping in on your thread to say CONGRATULATIONS Mrs Sneaks! Have a lovely life ahead :-)

Oh yeaaah HP fan :-)

Hmm, i am a media and comm student and *neevr* compare the book with the movie lol and for me the two always somehow seemed to complement each other (i find it useful to not compare actually!)

But whatver, am sooooooooooooo excited!!!!!!! Cant wait... am going on the 16th, evening!!! (right after supervision!)

SMC is a very good place. Bad sleepy, bad sleepy. Grr. Never say anything but nice things about SMC.

Bekee, you don't listen to anyone. Go and study there. Employers will of course accept you. We are all waiting to hear your feedback and then join SMC. Or else our lives will be wasted.

(Sleepy are you the harry potter fan on this site? If so, on a completely different note, are you going for the movie next week? Or was it liminalplace? There's an HP fan here on the forum, apart from me...)

I do not understand this. The story lacks credibility because I think right now it misses crucial points.

1) Was your friend a registered Mphil to PhD candidate i.e. waiting to upgrade? In which case, a discontinuation of registration can only follow institutional evaluation methods (for e.g. an upgrade submission, evaluation and viva)

2) Was your friend registered i.e. fees paid? In which case it is impossible to chuck someone out unless they are being expelled for whatever reason (reminds me of school)

3) Was your friend being funded by her supervisor from one of their grants? In which case they would still be a registered PhD candidate, and still be under isntituitonal procedures.

These procedures are often misused, abused, under-used, violated etc etc, but all I am saying is, "chucking out" isn't merely a dramatic procedure, but something that follows something else.

Perhaps she has been told that her supervisor shall cease to work with her. In which case, the department must arrange for alternative supervision.

Please find out what exactly is the issue and then you can help her?

Hey misspacey, here's my perspective from another angle. I work on a pan EU project and am interacting with academics from all these countries. Hmm, perhaps you will find some *systems* different. Portugal for instance has a 2 yr much more comprehnsive masters than the UK, PhD systems in Germany are different (i.e. you cannot become a professor without completing a second thesis, hence German profs are called Prof.Dr.So and So). I just returned from a conference in the Netherlands and find that most speak English, they are warm and approachable and host many international scholars. France I hear is slightly old fashioned in terms of technology use in classrooms, however these may all be one off experiences.

For sure though, it will be a cultural difference. Of course, that goes without saying. And for me personally, although I speak French moderately OK, whenever I have visited non UK Europe, the first adjustment has doubtless had to do with language and my first query was how deep does their English go (i.e. is it only on paper or does it run deeper). I personally find it difficult, even isolating to be in a place where you approach everyone slightly tentatively, worried that you may be too fast/too weird/ or just incomprehensible even, because of the language issue.

Make sure you're comfortable with that, altough having spent 3 days with Dutch academics and students, I wouldn't say there is a need to worry!

Based on what you say I strongly doubt if anyone will be able to offer any concrete advice. You have not provided any indications of your subject area, why you want a PhD, any awareness of prospective supervisors/advisors, funding situations and much else!

And he chanced upon this website and this thread at just the time when it was needed... I hope the OP is happy with all the information they have received...

Hmm.

there you go Eska, your post has inspired many a recollection of daft moments!

LMAO!!! Smilodon, you're worse than me, 2 years ago, when I was at college, I texted nasty rubbish about a horrid prof to my dad, but sent it to the prof himself.

Dont worry about mistakes, we all make them, my sup is so forgiving, she even forgets my mistakes sometimes!!

The other day I sent her my work to read with four files embeddd inone, she printed and 1000 pages came out in place of 25.

In such cases, get it down to two options: (A) Not telling your supervisor and not going (B) telling your supervisor, facing any subsequent music and going/or not.

I think, if you do not tell her, you cannot go.

If you tell her, you may go, if it is in her power to stop you, for whatevr reason (is she funding this?) then she may.

In the first case, you wont go for sure. In the second case, you may. So, the deal is that you tell her.

What do you tell her? the truth. I would be honest with my sup (although I would never do anything without telling her, but that is not an expected rule, it is just my own practice).

I have seen coming clean (not that you have committed a crime, but generally sups feel it is good to be informed of stuff) is a good idea. If you have an okay relationship, tell her the bf issue or tell her it;s personal reasons, and say you did some prelim enquiries as your homework and would now seek to propose to her this idea, and would seek her counsel, adding the personal reasons for wanting to do this.

But it all depends on where you are with your research. Hionestly, suddenly visitng a US university wil not significantly alteryour CV and for sure, it will definitely not make up for anything else being absebnt (i.e. publications). It seems clear to me, that your personal resaons have been crucial behind your wanting to do this. (i.e. why US? Why not Canada? Germany? France?)

Anyway, now that it is done, weigh your two options and decide. My model is an unnecessary model to follow, I share all aspirations with my sup who has till date been nothing but actively, astonishingly and promptly supportive.