I can't believe how early you're submitting - I'm still collecting data!!! Having said that, I'm not allowed to submit by the uni before Oct anyway (not that I'll be submitting then either :-( ) As for a name change..... ermmmmm....... dunno lol lol lol lol - has to be a Bug in there, you're Bug, you always have been, would be sad if Bug wasn't around anymore :-(

Owwww that's nasty!!! Does 'chopped my finger off' class as extenuating circumstances? They'd probably tell you to use the voice recognition software lol. Hope it gets more comfortable soon, sounds very painful and 8 steristrips is some cut! x

I was watching a programme that included light boxes (like the alarm clocks) yesterday, and apparently they help you wake up easier by mimicking dawn and cutting down the production of melanonin (or something like that - historian, not a scientist) As for the light boxes - I have a friend who used one and she felt them to be amazing, made a huge difference to her life - depression that haunted her all winter lifted with the use of a light box so obviously SAD was a big factor for her. I haven't used one myself but think that they seem very very useful.

All I know is that the second I told them that my partner had moved in they stopped the lot. Income support, housing benefit, everything. In fact, the letter to the housing benefit people was delayed in their paper mountain and I had a visit threatening me with court through non-disclosure until I showed them the dated letter and the evidence of posting! It is totally bizarre, and don't forget its all changing now too. My friend has no job, no income and STILL can't get HB. Be very careful, don't lie, if they have any suspicision at all that your partner is that and not a basic flatmate then you're for it big time! As I say, my husband earns much what your partner does, our rent is higher and we have 3 children.. we can't get it.

======= Date Modified 26 Oct 2010 09:15:52 =======
Hi, I can't see how you could get any form of housing benefit if you're living with your partner and he is working f/t on that salary, you're classed as a joint entity as far as benefits are concerned. When I was about to marry my husband and he moved in I lost my housing benefit, income support, the lot and he was on a similar salary - slightly less. If you live with someone, even if they are staying with you 3 nights or more a week (or that's how it was 10 years ago), then you're classed as a 'couple' sharing an income. Now, with 3 children, he's on 20K a year and we only get a small amount of child tax credit - no housing benefit, nothing like that - you have to be earning far far less to qualify for 'benefits' as a couple than 18k

I feel your pain, and understand your typos - it has that effect on you ;-)

Its a nightmare, utter nightmare- and I too am thinking wtf is the point.... not in a good place right now :-(

I'm not 100% certain as things may have changed, but its always been that you can apply again - I did. As I say though, it might be different now.

======= Date Modified 12 Oct 2010 15:23:33 =======
I just find it all absolutely shocking - probably more so as I have flu and everything feels awful but omfg!!!! What's making me desparately upset right now is that my son is due to go to uni in 2011 but my daughter in 2012... we could have possibly afforded it all but if this comes into effect its unlikely - why should she find herself in 2 or 3 times the debt of her brother? How the hell is it justifiable to charge that kind of money, expect the unis to do that, still turn out world class research, and most likely be Jesus College Cambridge comes to you courtesy of McDonalds with a golden arches replacing their coat of arms. The University of Warwickshire in association with Currys, the home of cut price electricals and so on - dear God help us all!!! Its the only way unis will survive short of charging students impossible rates and going out of business anyway! What makes me really sick is that Browne and his cronies would have had grants.... free bloody places. If this goes through we can wave goodbye to education for the lower middle classes, lets roll back 50 years shall we - social mobility?? Not unless you can afford it!

it goes without saying that if this had happened a few years back I wouldn't be here now - no chance - and that will I'm sure go for most of the coming generation of kids, not to mention mature students like myself who could never risk tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt with no guarantee whatsoever - the end of education and learing for its own sake - tragic - RIP the university system of GB

lmao.... oh dear!!!! ha ha ha, yeh, I thought it was going to be the sup/boss too - now that would be absolutely excrutiating!!! he he he - I'd either send a text or just let it go, personally though i'd be flipping impressed if someone who was out of their tree could recite pi to 100 decimal places - I can't even remember how it starts :$ lol lol lol - I don't drink much either - last time I threw up in my MIL's flower beds then sat on a hedge on the way home and wanted to go to sleep lol -argghhh!!! I have to see her regularly :-) I'm sure whoever it is is either a) majorly impressed, or b) wetting themselves laughing ;-)

Oh heck what a worry for you :-( its likely that its nothing, the vast majority of these things are, but you're young, you're fit and healthy so if it were to be something dreadful (so unlikely) then I'm sure that they could sort you out with no problems xxxx For now try and relax and be kind to yourself. Work if it helps, if not then do something fun. You won't take your mind off it, how can you... but it might just help you get through the next few days xxx Thinking of you

Oh, and if you lot send me your email addys on Saturday once its confirmed that I've won I'll pay for all you to have tooth whitening and new jumpers etc too :-)

Oh I've had this conversation with hubby - but yes, tooth whitening is pretty much the top of my list too! I'd also buy the house I live in and then get it done up so it doesn't fall down and install FULL central heating and have it on full blast cos I could afford to (very ecologically unfriendly I know but its just a dream right now...) I'd also give a bursary to my uni for hardpressed mums so they can actually have enough to live on and study. I'd get lots of new books, some new jeans, a treadmill with auto incline, some new socks, some nice jumpers without holes/fading, some new running clothes, maybe a new car (well, newish) and a flat screen HD ready tv. I'd have a holiday with the kids as they haven't had one, and I'd also get my hair cut and coloured - haven't had it coloured in 2 years and the grey bits drive me mad, haven't had it cut in nearly a year and I look like I've got a lump of roadkill stuck on my head. Ermmm that's for starters lol, but I'm sure I could enjoy it for a bit. The best bit about it all though would be the end of worrying about where the next penny is coming from, and the rising sense of horror that next year is completion, there is no bursary, and if things stand the way that they are now then its actualy very likely I will have to drop out and never complete as we simply can't live on hubby's salary :'(

Personally I'd just ignore it, if she says anything it will make it even more certain! The lady doth protest too much.....

That's brilliant, just brilliant :-D Massive congratulations Dr (up), so happy for you xxxx

How far away are you moving?

You aren't leaving behind your boyfriend :-) you're just moving to a job and will still be 'with' him, just not as often physically as you are now.

Your fears about whether you still want to do the PhD are to be expected, its not so much that you don't want to do it, as you're scared about the enormity of the move - stay calm! I think as Satchi suggests maybe its as well to go to your new uni, see how it goes... of course you'll be homesick and miss your b/f so don't make knee jerk decisions, but give it a go if you can. If you don't go you'll always regret it and wonder 'what if'. You can always go home again, you can have your b/f visit or go home and see everyone - you're not tied to one place forever. I'd be in a right mess if it were me, but I'd say try, it will most likely all work out brilliantly and you'll have a great time and also enjoy even more your time with your family and b/f :-)