well done everyone!

I've done my 3rd analysis (16/40 done). I've also planned out my methodology chapter - I'm going to try and write a section for it each day, so hopefully in a months time it will be done.

I'm going to read through sups changes to my paper tonight!

have to say that although I usually get a few per show - mostly music and art (even though I do psychology :$ ) I wouldn't actually want to know some of the stuff the contestants do - I don't want to be THAT geeky lol

Oh no! I know its confusing, but make the most of the advice. My sup rarely gives me advice about writing, in fact she never even commented on ANY written work until 3 weeks ago - I'm in my 3rd year, due to finish in october. So although its annoying, just take it in and then see how you think it best fits. Perhaps ask them to CC each other in when they send you requests like this?

one step at a time Ev!

I've just had my draft of a paper sent back by sup. She has 'tweaked' (re-written) it and it looks pretty good. Problem is its 3000 words over the limit of any journals in our field, but no matter how many times I have raised it, I get ignored! How can I just cut 3000 words?? - its written very concisely as it is!

On with the analysis while I get my head around it!

my friend was on it last year, and she was great on it, but unfortunately for her team, they were all undergrads. Most of the winning teams seem to have people that have done about 7 undergrad degrees and 5 PhDs!

hmm I did social science because everyone assumed I would be a performer, all my family are and I got stubborn because everyone assumed it! So I have become the 'black sheep' of the family.

thanks sascha!

This has been a VERY hot topic on another forum I frequent. They love a bit of a debate about feminism. However, I essentially was chucked out of the forum for saying that many of the UV contestants are socially retarded :$ - they are a bit though aren't they!?? (please don't chuck me out!)

haha I've done 2 analyses so far today - good going I think! I have now done 15/40 that I need to get done probably by the end of this week!

I've also been really motivated today and decided I'm going to start writing up my methods chapter - doing 200 words each day on it.

I'm off to walk the dawg 8-)

Button - sounds like my schedule altho hubs leaves for work at 6am so tend to work from about 8am - 6pm (around multiple dog walks). And then watch trashy tv (hopefully NOT football!) for the rest of the evening. Occasionally I do work in the evening, but hubs turns into a whiny puppy and demands I come and sit with him - Men!

A life outside of a PhD is definitely doable. Especially if like me, you reckon you can do the same about of work in 1hr that others take 4 hrs to do! If your uni has push email though - that is a killer!

Come over to the one goal thread and give yourself one goal at a time to do. EVen if that goal is 'turn on computer' its something! I know how you feel and I think we all go through patches like this!

EVERYONE goes through this, so do not worry! The PhD is like a linegraph - your motivation at the beginning is always really high, then it takes a massive crash in the first year and then for the next two years will continue to have peaks and troughs. Its just the process.

Practically though, it really helps to have something to aim for - i.e. why are you doing the reading? YOu may find it helpful to write little sections about the things you are reading. I had a load of 2000 - 5000 word pieces at the end of my 1st year that all summarised sections of the literature and they have been a godsend when I've gone to write up something 'proper'.

Try and find a mentor in your department, like another PhD student who is further along, or perhaps a recent postdoc, who you can bounce ideas off and get them to help you understand some of the more complex stuff, without having to go to your supervisor.

However, if you really aren't understanding some of the stuff you are reading, there is no law against going to see your supervisor. Book in a regular meeting with him, so you can discuss where you are going and what outputs he wants to see.

If you haven't taken a break since starting I would advise taking a few days off as well! works wonders

It is, I'm slowly going insane, or maybe I'm fully insane now? who knows!?

I think that's not just because of PhD, but getting older :-( my hubs is a lot more exhausted than me from his 9-5 job, AND I work all weekend and into the evening, whereas he becomes KRATOS - a greek demi god who is determined to kill zeuss and all the titans (its a ps3 game that's taken over his life).

haha, i have this, but with ONE supervisor, who wants me to re-write it each time because she forgot what she told me the week before! I have no advice to give, apart from copy them into all your emails and state what each has required you to do. e.g.

To: sup a
CC: Sub b

Just to confirm from our meeting on tuesday, that you asked me to change x, y, z......