======= Date Modified 07 Feb 2010 20:34:22 =======
I've also been wondering and sent a pm a couple of days ago - no response so far...

Come to think of it, haven't heard from Eska for a bit too - maybe they've eloped? :-x

I hear ya Chrisrolinksi!!! But you're so close now, keep going!!! I know it's hideous for you, but am envious as you're so close to finishing, and I've still got months to go. So, see how well off you are??! ;-)

And know exactly what you mean about life on hold. I've just seen a job I'd like to apply for, but the timing is not right as I'm not ready to go back to employment - but at the moment am thinking that I'll apply, as this thesis is obviously going to take forever and forever no matter what I do, so what's a few more months delay...?

Hi Angel, those are long hours! Hope you're eating well and getting some exercise/fresh air. You too Chrisrolinski. I'm also working, altho it's almost 7am where I am. So I'm here too to keep you company.

Thank you all. I'm still 4 months away from submitting, and also hate my thesis at the moment. I too will undoubtedly not end up in academia as there aren't any jobs, and am also wondering why I'm doing this. So no direct advice DanB, just another person totally fed up.

A week is no time at all. Universities are large and not terribly efficient bureaucracies, and as others have mentioned, they need to assess other candidates, and would then need to do paperwork justifying their decision. The interviewers would also have all their usual work to do, they may need to meet to discuss candidates again, some could be away at conferences etc etc, The interviews would be likely not be a priority to get finalised. So, a week is nothing. Don't give up yet.

Hi AL

Nice to hear from you! Sounds like things are going well for you, which is great.

Thanks, had a lovely day off, first one in ages and ages. Read a novel (!), cooked, slept, watched telly, walked the dog. Lovely - just like a normal life!

Gosh, bring on that virtual party for us in May/June next year!! Comforting to know that it takes so long for all of you to finally graduate too. So, am sticking to my deadline of needing to finish by June, which means I have 10 weeks to get the first draft done - yikes!!! I'm already behind, according my revised timetable. And my sup wants me to co-write another article with her...sheesh, too much work...

Ah well, we'll all press on.

Hi Someone3

You have my sympathies - and I'm not surprised it's difficult to find a job. There are so many people with PhDs for so few research jobs, it's an awful job market. I'm not in the UK, and it's an awful market in my country too. Yes, think about a plan B, where else you might be able to do research apart from at unis. Think laterally, and send your cv around as widely as possible.

No real advice really, just to let you know I sympathise.

======= Date Modified 05 Feb 2010 23:54:22 =======
======= Date Modified 05 Feb 2010 23:46:19 =======
Hi Bilbo

I'm not sure when I would actually finish - need to check this out with uni. Postdoc jobs say tho, that you need to have graduated to be eligible to apply and am not sure if this means accepted by the uni, with the precious letter saying you're done, or actually graduated. Will still aim to be all completed by the end of the year, with thesis back from examiners tho. Which means I do need to be done by June - so back to work. For today tho, am going to have a day off and try and get over being depressed/shitty.

Hey Rick, grand that you've gotten a draft back!! Keep going!! And thanks for the support - I did indeed have quite a few beers, a real whine to my ever-so-supportive partner, and am somewhat more resigned (and not even hung-over!). Am now quietly seething at my thesis, it's not my friend today, so will hang with better ones for a bit...

And CG, yes, this was the first week not working in an office, next week will be back to me and the dog studying at home. Hope you're progressing well.

And going back to this, my sup didn't even think the title was good, after all! But her comments were really useful, as always, so that's alright...

...and she didn't comment on the font at least!

Hi all

Just a quick rant - and will have a look at posts when I have a bit more time. I've been at a conference all week, it's an annual conference in my discipline, and normally it revs me up, inspires me and sets me up for the year. But this time, I just felt stupid, like I couldn't grasp the bigger issues, and once again lamented my hopeless networking skills.

A couple of peers have just snagged lecturing jobs, which depresses me, even tho I know I should be happy for them, I'm not (and doesn't that make me an awful person!?). Spoke to other people about jobs, and they all told me how difficult it is living on short term research contracts. I want to research, not lecture, as I'm not all that good at thinking on my feet. So, that worries me too.

Wanted to do a funding application for a project to start next year, and I'd have to start work on it now and I can't as I'm writing up, so that's out the window too. And to top it off, it looks like I won't be graduating this year - even if I almost kill myself and finish in June, by the time the examiners come back, then I make changes, then it goes through uni committees, it's really unlikely that I'd make the Oct graduation.

That really, really depresses me. Would mean that I wouldn't graduate till May next year!! 15 months away!! And to work hard, and still  be so far off, for jobs that don't exist!!

Have had enough and just feel like I can't be bothered, altho I will keep going. What a complete s!!t. Fri evening here, bring on the beer. Had vowed to work even harder to be done by June, but now I can't see the point in rushing... :-(

Yes, your PhD can be critical/negative of a situation. You need to make sure you have the argument and the evidence tho - not just you going off on a rant. Even tho others may not have come up with your perspective, I think you'd need to situate your criticisms more broadly in the field, to show your place, and also use others' theories to back you up. If you have a sound theoretical basis and a good lit review, it won't look like your arguments are coming out of nowhere. Even if your approach is original, there are likely to be adjacent arguments/theories etc. And then of course, there's the evidence you're going to present to back up your arguments. Be critical, but be robust!

1. Soups - pumpkin; roast vegetable (easy - throw some veges in the oven, cook, throw into blender - done!), potato and leek. Freeze some and take for lunch.

2. stir fries - throw veges into wok, add tofu, add some crispy or soft noodles and a few sauces. I live on stir fries - fresh and v. healthy.

3. all sorts of pasta (and carbs aren't bad for you - your body needs carbs as well) - a simple tomato based pasta with tomato, basil, olives and mushrooms; or chilli, parsley, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Tuna can be dry - go for an oily fish, like salmon or trout.

Hey Chrisrolinksi

You're getting there!! (up) Yes, there's a whole bunch of us willing you on - you can do it!! Excellent plan for eating well, also remember to take walks/exercise, and sleep too. And as others have said, if you start to feel overwhelmed, breathe.

Let us know how you're going. Good luck!