Hi Ogriv

Having a partner and studying can absolutely be done. I met mine when I was an undergrad, but we've both studied as post-grads and managed. You're right, you do need to allocate time to relationships, whether they be friends or a partner. I set aside time for us to spend together and then spend the rest of my time studying, and that's fine, he goes off and does stuff he's interested in. Before I started writing up I used to go out a bit, and it can be done, going out with friends, time for a partner, studying - and I was also undertaking paid work too. It's always helped me to have a routine, so I know when I'm studying and when I can have free time. Don't be put off your MSc by concerns that you won't be able to go out and meet people, start and maintain relationships.

Congratulations!!!(up)

Wow, from first to final version in a month - that's amazing!! That gives me hope! Although I'm not a particularly fast - or good writer - but great to know it can be done!

Hi Social Research

I sympathise with you feeling miserable! It's really hard getting a piece of work back that you thought you did well, but others have criticised. As Natassia has said, it's great you have the content though!

Academia is hard, and we all get negative criticism - it's part of the learning process I'm afraid. I've received some really awful, soul-destroying feedback on my work, but when I've calmed down, let the piece of work sit for a bit and gone back to it, I can see the points the reviewers/supervisors are making. As I'm writing, I'm now constantly asking myself whether that phrase made sense/had meaning/was precise enough; whether I really can make that conclusion based on the evidence; whether that that paragraph really linked to the previous one etc etc. I think a lot of structure is about how you build up the evidence and also about precision, making sure that the argument does flow and there's no gaps in logic/evidence. Sit down with the person who reviewed your work and go through it, you might be surprised at how things can fit together.

As everyone's always saying here, a PhD trains you to be a researcher, and you're not going to do this correctly straight off. Also, I think you need to let go of comparing yourself to your previous grades ie have always done well and so should be doing well now. Your good grades are what got you in to the program, but now you need to start again as a novice, in training, and build up to being a really good researcher.

Take heart, you'll have victories along the way! And just keep going!!

Hey Bilbo, 3 hours is really good! You're powering ahead!! Well done!!

And that's great AL, knew you'd be a star lecturing! That's a great achievement. Enjoy you're nice w'end with your partner, you deserve it. Good luck for Monday, that's very exciting. If you find you get a bit anxious about the new job, just remember, little by little - you can't know everything all at once. Enjoy the world of paid work!

Thank you everyone!!

Gosh I'd be lost without this forum!! Your advice has helped me enormously, and yeh, I know that 6 mths isn't long, and when I'm back in the rat race I'll probably look back on this period fondly...and yes, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I'm smart and have achieved this, for the rest of my life. Hoh boy, I'm going to use that title every chance I get!! I don't understand people who don't call themselves 'dr', out of some kind of humility - sod that!

Fricklesnarp, you're right about goals. I do make 'to do' lists, but they tend to be short eg write chapter 6, edit chapter 6. So I might break these tasks down a bit more, so I can see I'm getting somewhere. And yep, like you and Kaymoy, I get excited seeing people when I go out! I only tolerate exercise, but go the gym just for the humanity. And thanks everyone for the other suggestions too, will take these on board.

Stressed and Kaymoy, nice to know you're in the same position and also not having a lot of fun (!). It's helped knowing that you're both there, working away in solitude, with maybe a dog for company. Yes, we'll all get there, but what a journey it is...thanks again. 

I'm in the writing up stage, as those regulars who keep me sane know, and have at least another 6 mths to go. I'm really appreciative that I have the resources to be able to study full-time and concentrate on writing this thesis - I know it's a luxury.

But it's starting to get to me. I don't live near my uni so spend most days in my study, studying. I have a couple of nights and mornings off a week, and go to the gym. But apart from that, it's just me (and sometimes the dog), in this room. Another 6 mths seems like a very long time to keep doing this...

My partner keeps me sane and I chase up a couple of friends occasionally. To most of my 'friends' though, it's like I've fallen off the edge of the world, and I haven't heard from them in mths. And I don't contact them, thinking that I need to stay here and study anyway - and am also slightly resentful that they haven't contacted me. However I try and build in things to look forward to, getting out of this tinpot town and visiting friends in a decent, large city a few hours away.

I'm starting to really look forward to going back to a 9-5 job, for the interaction, and also because I won't have to study all the time! And there will be a separation between work and home, even if I do decide to write journal articles etc after this thesis, while I'm in a paid job. And when I go back to a 'real' job with an OK income, I'm going to throw out all these student clothes I live in and buy some nice new ones!!! Am getting to hate shapeless jeans!!

Am not sure what I want people to say really...am not depressed, just starting to be over this...and needed to shout out to the world...and don't tell me to take more breaks, this is how I work. Maybe being sick of this lifestyle will motivate me to work harder, so I can move on....So, don't know really, but thanks all.

Hi Ev

It's fine to not have a lot to show for the first 3 mths, and yep, it seems for a lot of people it does take till at least the 8th or 9th mth to know what they're doing and produce stuff, so don't worry about that. And maybe don't focus on time spent working so much, but on tasks? Which ties in to, I think you need deadlines. My sup gave me a firm deadline when I need to have my lit review done, and then with progressive goals all the way through my PhD. I presented a conference paper at the start of my second year, and spent the first year doing the lit review to present at this conference. So, I think you needs some firm goals and deadlines, and you also need to get your sups sorted out. That sounds really frustrating! Put them all in a room and get them to sort it out! Is there someone above them that could help? Am not able to give much advice about this as I don't have a sponsor and just have one sup who's fab.

So, don't commit to 10 hour days, just plan to read more, make some notes and see how you go.

Hi EV

Don't feel guilty, that won't help and it just makes you feel bad! Put that day aside and tell yourself that you're going to do better today!!

It is hard to focus and I think it does take some training. Basically, you need to force yourself to start, to focus and build in rewards. I tell myself that I'm going to work for 25 mins then take a break for 5 minutes. Or work for 50 mins then take a break for 10. Make a list, cross things off, see how your work grows week by week. Lately I've even gotten into the habit of not letting myself change screens, so it's just me and the chapter I'm writing. It is a different way of working - cramming won't work, this is a marathon, so yo need to go slowly and steadily!

But it sounds like your not getting the guidance you need either. Can you try and get your supervisors to agree on how you should be progressing? Could be that once you have a plan and definitely know what you're doing, working will become a lot easier. It's hard to focus if you don't know which direction you're supposed to be going in.

People do PhDs for lots of reasons, and not necessarily to stay in academia. If you've decided not to work in academia and you know you want to work for private enterprise, great, you've made a decision. Will your PhD help you in the private sector? Or will your Masters be enough to get you a job in a research lab? If, like most jobs, you don't need a PhD, maybe you should start looking around for a job. A job where you could do research, and get paid decently sounds like it's more important to you than undertaking a PhD.

And yeah, you do need to talk to your wife. Sounds like you both need a good job! And do you really need to provide for your wife? Doesn't she have her own career hopes and dreams?

Go Teek!! That's excellent!!

Meanwhile, I've spent 45 minutes on one paragraph - there is an original idea here somewhere, just can't quite seem to grasp it - aarrhggghh!! Will find it tho!!

Thanks Nichola, I needed a laugh!! :-)

At the risk of sounding terribly boring and serious, my chapters also focus on case studies, and my sup has said to bring them to life by telling them 'as a story'. Find the hook, the big main theme/finding, then start off with this as a teaser in the intro then build up the evidence to the final exciting conclusion! In reality, the chapters are still really linear and descriptive, but am trying to make them interesting. I also include some analysis as I'm going, relating what I'm finding back to the literature, then the discussion chapter will do this to summarise the whole thing. This might not be applicable to your work tho.

OK, back to today's exciting story!

Hi AL

Good luck with lecturing tomorrow - you'll be a star! And be kind to yourself, don't stress about not working on your thesis for a bit. Have a few days off before your new job. It can be hard transitioning from one job to another, so you need a few days break (at least!) to clear the head before it gets filled with new info. Spend some time with your partner and enjoy! Before you know it you'll be lecturing, working, and writing again, so take it easy for a bit.

Hi all, I'm here too.

Teek, starting with writing a chapter from an article sounds like a good place to start and doable! Jump into it! I've doine that and it is much easier than starting from scratch. I work on one chapter at a time - it does get to me but I really like the sense of satisfaction from getting a chapter done as quickly as I can (relatively speaking!), so prefer this to writing 2 at once and taking longer to finish both.

Go Sheena, have some coffee and push thru! And hi Bilbo, glad to hear it's going well and you're building up to your major edits.

I had a really productive day yesterday - worked solidly all day and night and got 18 pages rewritten. Another 4 to go and then that draft is done, will put it aside for a few days, then back to it. I find it really difficult to be inspired for 2 days in a row. A good day, then am drained. Tired today, and can't seem to write properly but also need to push thru and keep going.

Coffee for me too - it's going to be a long day...we're all making progress tho!! Keep going!!