Go go go! I was in a similar position last year, but chose to stay after reassurances from my uni. The situation is better, but far from what I would hope. Your reasons for quitting are more than legitimate. Just make sure you are very careful in your wording when explaining your choice to leave to any prospective uni (but I'm sure you would be). When i was hunting around for other unis, i only applied to two and got offers from both. Neither felt that my experiences were detrimental to my ability. Undergrads switch degrees all the time after finding their chosen area/uni isn't right - sometimes we all make bad choices, it's how you make it better that counts. Any uni worth their charter will recognise that you have clearly have motivation to succeed if you are willing to make such a huge leap from one PhD to another.

Good luck x

I had a meeting today with my supervisor (who's generally great), my co- was there too. The co has only been in 3 supervisory meetings over the past year, and when he's there he constantly tries to refigure my topic to suit his research interests (he disagrees with my analytical framework, not because it isn't appropriate for the topic - he doesn't know my argument - but because he dislikes it generally). My supervisor and I get on well, she is supportive, but inexperienced, so easily influenced by the co (they are also close friends). I no way want to do the work he is suggesting, it goes against everything I believe, against my justification for doing a PhD, is on an area in which I know very little and have even less interest, and would mean scrapping the work I did in my first year (I'm a second year). How do I get around it without a major fall-out? The only other person who could act in his role is a temporary lecturer whose contract expires next summer, but she loves my original idea and her research is closer to mine than either my supervisor or co-.
Any ideas?

Hi Chris
You're in Manchester right? Go harrass the people at the Swedish Embassy on Deansgate. I did that once and got invited to their St Lucy's day party and met lots of cool Swedes to practise on!
S

I send everything through my supervisor, but that's based on the fact she's fantastic and enthusiastic. I know at least two of her PhDs who agree with me but still choose not to pass things to her, Their argument is that papers can be a pretty personal thing, and an opportunity to really push ideas that the supervisor may not agree with. I really don't think it's a problem to go it alone. it's just a shame you feel you have to!

The past 15 months since I started my PhD have been the most miserable experience of my life. Although I have a fantastic supervisor, and have made some great friends, the whole process of constantly having everything you think and say analysed is mentally and physically exhausting. Combined with the fact that I hate my uni (apart from the supervisor and friends), and the fact that I have had personal disasters one after the other, I was happier in a mundane office job.
Saying that, I love my topic, I really want to make the point I am trying to make. The only advice I can give is to get a routine as early as possible. Force yourself to work, when you say you will, then give yourself time to relax and meet friends before you lose all touch with the real world.

The media and the rest of the community? Why on earth should Lamp (or any other person) be held to the judgement of people who do not know her? As Corinne rightly identified your perceptions of right and wrong are so clearly defined that the seem to have become completely disengaged with human emotion. I would love to see you at one of my ethics lectures. (We are treated as junior staff as we PhD students all lecture and teach - just at a more junior level, as someone who did not have a PhD would do if they were in a lecturers post.)
I am not saying that Lamp's feelings are well-developed or love (see my first post where I asked if this was truly genuine). However, her priority should be to her emotional state - to her current relationship (again, as I already stated), and an assessment of that. Once she is more aware of her feelings, only then can she make an informed decision - only in my opinion, of course.

Ok, first of all what the hell should the standing of the institution have to do with someone's personal life? In non-academic workplaces although there are occassionally some limitations, it is common for more senior members of staff to date more junior members. In my uni PhD candidates are treated as junior staff not students, we socialise with staff, not undergrads.
I understand why there are concerns regarding professionalism, but first and foremost this is a personal issue to be dealt with - the relationship of two people who are already in relationship. Once there is 'perspective' (not vision of the world) on the real possibilities of that relationship, then a decision can be made upon professional grounds.

Hi again Lamp - I hope things are making more sense now. One thing I don't think anyone has considered is how often you actually see your supervisor. If you can stop the emailing (addictive sometimes when it's flirtatious), then could you reduce meetings to say, once every six weeks / two months? It seems as though you could both do with taking the heat out of the situation. Why not just email work as and when it is completed, and just go to see him as little as possible whilst making sure your PhD doesn't suffer as a consequence. Seeing each other less might give some perspective, and try to enjoy your current partner. If there are (and it's a big if) inherent weaknesses there (which you need to look at without regard to the supervisor), then end that relationship as soon as you can, focus on your PhD, and see if this guy really means what you think he does to you.
More than anything... Good Luck with whatever you choose. And know you're not the first to be in this situation

I didn't fall for my supervisor (she's a she), but I did end up with the director of my research institute last december. The relationship was difficult (we finally ended it a couple of weeks ago, but not because of uni, complications with his ex and children). But he is a fantastic guy - of course much older - and now one of my best friends, and one of the great loves of my life. The key thing is though, we were both single. You are both adults, and is a choice you need to make as rationally as possible. Is there another academic who could act as your supervisor should things go wrong? How far into your PhD are you? Is it chemistry or is it deeper than that - ie how would things work on an everyday level - do you like the same non-PhD stuff?
Age gaps are irrelevant if you truly love someone - but could you love your supervisor - if it's not going to be a long-term thing, stay far far away.

Er, I thought latex was something very very different... and much more fun than a PhD write up.

Pretty much three full days a week... but don't do much work, it's more of a social thing to avoid turning into a complete hermit. the rest I spend at home reading

Hi!
What exactly are you planning to research. I personally don't know of any migration studies depts, but a number of IR depts would offer specialists in your area.

Hi everyone
I'm not sure how far this applies but in my area (soc sci/pol) I have been rold over and over again that University reputation was once fundamental, but more and more it is the reputation of the external examiner at your viva that holds sway when you go to interview. Who cares if you went to the LSE or Oxbridge if the person who assessed your work was Dave the bin man?
I would strongly suggest that you go to a smaller university but get a supervisor who has the same outlook on things as you and same approaches. Then, when it comes to the end, get the biggest and best name you can to be external - and brag about that. You'll have had the support to write a great thesis, then proven to the best you can do it - whichever uni you have attended.
Good Luck!

Hey PinkNeuron, hope your feeling better! My funding is exactly the same. There are usually further restrictions, for example my uni says we can teach no more than 6 hours per week, which over 22 teaching weeks equals 132 hours, then they also add time it takes to mark essays/any other assessment to make the 150. The teaching is normally linked to the school your research institute is affiliated to, and it's normally acting as a tutor / lab demonstrator to first year undergrads, occassionally there's opportunity to teach higher up or to lecture and convene modules. One thing you need to check though is whether the teaching will actually be in your specialism or whether you'll just be given the stuff none of the permanent staff want to do. In which case it can be more trouble than it's worth (I ended up lecturing stuff I know nothing about!).

We've got a fat mental cat who entertains in my spare time with his weird foot fetish and bum-waving, and the vet fees are worth every penny. He knows when I'm bored of writing by sitting on my laptop so I can't work.
Apart from that yoga is a great way of unwinding and meeting non-Phd people (I used to think it was boring, but it just took me a while to get into it). Most of my PhD friends go to counselling as their hobby though!