Overview of Piglet

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Where were you in your academic career when you first got published?
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I had a life too.

In fact, I have always felt a bit of a slacker in regards to the results I have generated and the papers I have published. Some people have the burning ambition to publish, and although it felt good when I did, I am not that driven to publish more. My supervisor just nags a lot and I feel an obligation to publish for the sucess of our lab.

Friend of mine also in science published 9 papers during her PhD and presented at about 5 international conferences, plus was invited to Japan and Denmark to teach other researchers about the techniques she had developed. Now that puts my achievements in perspective.

Where were you in your academic career when you first got published?
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In science and my first article was a review of my field and it was published 1 year into my PhD. My second paper was results from my PhD and was published 3 years in (I was very slack at writing that paper - should have been done about 18 months in!). Now that my PhD is almost over, I have 2 or 3 more papers I will write after I submit my thesis, all of which are results from my work. I also got one conference paper.

Christian courtship during PhD away from home
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You should know, thecambridge, I mean thecoastman.

News from Athina
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That is wonderful news, Sara. Please pass on our best wishes when you go to see her.

need help with self-motivation!
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I have had slumps in motivation before and I can sympathise - it really gets you down.

What I do is set myself a couple of achieveable goals to be completed in a set time (say a week) and then set myself a reward to look forward to when I finish the goals.
Example: I will finish a draft of this chapter and email it to my supervisor for comments by 11am on Friday, and as a reward I will meet my boyfriend for lunch in the city on Friday to celebrate.

Also, telling people about your goals helps you stick to them. If I tell my bf we are having lunch on Friday and I don't get the chapter done, he says "no lunch and you have to stay home on Saturday and Sunday until you finish your chapter".

Also, once you get going with work, it is easier to keep going. It is just that initial push to get started that is hard - we PhD students follow Newton's law about staying at rest until acted upon by an external force! Good luck and set some goals now!

What are you up to?
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You are not alone in being a blood-donating loser.

My first attempt, the blood would not flow out of my arm, no matter how much I pumped that little rubber thingy with my hand - ended up with a grumpy nurse (like it was my fault!) who ripped the needle out in disgust after I had only filled half a bag because I was "too slow".

Second time, all going well until a nurse dropped a bag of blood from another donor on the floor and splash, blood everywhere. Too much for queezy me and my blood pressure went through the floor. When I came round, I had 3 nurses, my mum and my sister peering down at me in concern, a fan blowing on my face and my feet up in the air. They politely suggested I wait a couple of years until I try again.

Wish I was a bit more robust so I could be a regular donor.

What are you up to?
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Guessing that last comment was a conversation killer!

What are you up to?
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Oh, I enjoy it very much! Even my parents said "Are you sure you can do a PhD in that stuff?" when I started.

Mind you, I look at other peoples work and have a giggle at what they do all day - like the lady who developed a classification system for the clitoris during her PhD!

What are you up to?
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Science, microbiology and molecular stuff. In a field that is completely irrelevant in the UK, but is relevant here. I am sure most of you would laugh at what I do, but I won't tell you what it is for fear of exposing myself!

What are you up to?
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Nah, mate. Australia - where the English cricket team are currently being given cricket lessons.

Watching TV in the UK
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Is it true that you have to pay to get television reception in the UK? Are there any free-to-air channels, if so how many? How much does it cost?

What are you up to?
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I am bored. It is 3pm and I am B-O-R-E-D, Bored.

Everyone I know is at work, all of you are asleep, nothing on telly and I am unmotivated. How is a girl meant to procrastinate when there is nothing to do?

I can hear my mum saying "Only boring people get bored", well bugger it, I must be boring. Hmmm...maybe I should make a chocolate cake - that'll fill in half an hour. Later, sleepy heads.

The most critical point in time...
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Gosh, Jen. That is not good. Here is an electronic hug from me...(((((Jen))))). Hope you feel better tomorrow.

I'm so lazy
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Completely changing the topic...jojo is back! Long time since we have heard from you, jojo - where have you been and I am glad you are still out there.

Living cost of a PhD student
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With about 30,000 km of coastline (and I am guessing on that), surely you can write off a trip to Australia as a PhD-related expense, Coastman?