I completely agree!!

Where I'm at we have hot desking but at the moment there isn't too much demand for the computers so most people stick to the same one. However we a moving to a new building shortly, and there will be a lot more students all based in the same place, and the demand for computers will be much higher so I will also experience real hot desking. I'm not really looking forward to it but I can't complain overly since I am lab based so don't spend too much time using the computer. I am thinking of bringing my laptop in though on days that I know are going to be slower that way I will have definate access to a computer but not necessarily somewhere to put it.

I get that a lot or people say 'so when are you finishing University' particularly from my boyfriend's parents. I've mainly given up and embraced it so I tell everyone I'm going to be at University forever because I never want a real job.

I was able to get a £2000 interest free overdraft in September. That was with TSB.

Hi Vilhelm, is the MRes funded? If you are planning to self-fund this and then the subsequent PhD then you will have problems but if you are looking for funding then there is no guarenttes that you will get a PhD at the institution after completing your MRes. If it is a field you are really interested in and want to work in then I would strongly consider the PhD you have been offered now. On the other hand if you are not 100% sure if this is what you want to work on then maybe the year of research will benifit you but remember this will not guarentee you a funded PhD at this institution unless it is advertised as such.

I spent three months of my masters working on the same failed experiment over and over and over again, changing little bits but seeing no improvement in the results. I did various things, went for walks, treated myself to something nice and even when into what I like to think of as an academic coma (where I basically ceased to function for a couple of days). The only thing I never did was cry over it so I'd definately go down the celebration route anything to stop you from becoming too disheartened. I'll keep my fingers crossed for experiment number 6.

I agree with everyone on here. It would be very difficult to make a legal case and you would be much better off just doing the revisions a lot of other people manage to make time to do them around other commitments.
However if you do still wish to persue this route then one thing I would check is, did the university have a set amount of contact time a supervisor should have with his students? At my university we should have an average of 1 hour a week (this includes replying to emails) if this was specified anywhere then it would be easier to prove breach of contract.

I think a big part of who owns your research will depend on who provides the funding for the study. If the university itself provided money for the study or for a studentship then typically they will retain the rights. This may be different however if your old supervisor funding everything from his own source of money. Have you spoken to your new supervisor about this? He will have a much better insight.

This was a really interesting article. I am an incredibly social person and find that isolation makes me depressed very quickly but luckily where I do my PhD we have a fabulous postgraduate community.

Actually I'm completely sincere. I so excited just by my PhD stipend so to think I'll be on double that when I finish is great. I've always lived on a tight budget and I don't plan on changing it now I'm getting paid its just a chance for me to start saving.

Plus I think the rate of pay is pretty amazing.

That was depressing to say the least but at the same time I think that a lot of the comments are overly pessimistic. I'm not saying it isn't horrible for some people but I have been carrying out research at my Univeristy since September and I started my PhD today. This was completely due to luck I admit but I still plan to maintain a sensible working day even though I am now being paid. I've worked late evening and weekends when necessary but this is mostly due to poor time management or other commitments in the week meaning I need to make up for it. I'm really looking forward to working in academia and hope I get to continue for many years and even if it's hard I'm willing to put the effort in to continue and if that doesn't work there's always McDonald's.

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm halfway through a master's degree and I have been offered a PhD fully funded mainly because of how well it's going. The PhD wasn't advertised and I'm starting straight away instead of finishing my master's. I did have to go through the application process but my supervisor had most of my stuff on file so he was able to do it his end. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.