I'm the same as you Tulip, so don't worry you are not alone!

I haven't managed to find a way of switching off. I've just tried to explain to my family and non-PhD friends that whilst they may visibly see me, I'm not really present, like you have said. They don't understand, but there's nothing I can do about that.

I just try to see and talk to people as little as possible, which isn't nice for me or for them really, but it's the only way I can cope. I have to make my life about my thesis otherwise it will never be finished. I'm lucky that I'm single, so I don't have to worry about a significant other. It's not going to be take easy for you to do.

What I can tell you is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You will finish your thesis and your life will go back to normal. I can say this now, because tomorrow I will finish my 5th chapter, and then I only have one more to write, which I think will only take a week or so. Just knowing that I am almost finished is enough to make me feel better. Just hang in there Tulip - three months will pass in no time.

To add this, I did a taught MSc rather than a research one, and this also made a massive difference. I know I would have done so much better in my PhD if I had actual research experience before starting.

I think if you have to defer at the last minute your supervisors will understand, so that should be the least of your worries. They know students rarely do a PhD if they don't have funding. Fingers crossed!

I think most of us access all areas of the forum simultaneously so don't worry about posting in the wrong place.

It's great that you are trying to support your gf, I'm sure she appreciates it. I think what support she needs really depends on what type of person she is though. For me personally, when I am having a hard time, I don't want to talk to anybody. It really annoys me when my friends or my mum call me, say at 9pm, and ask if I'm home - no of course I'm not home, I've told you 20 times I don't get home til 10.30pm every day etc... I know they have the best intentions, but I have asked them not contact me until I'm finished (in the next few weeks) but of course they don't listen, and I know that just means they care.

But most people aren't like me, and I expect other people have different ways of coping. I think you need to ask her what she needs from you, and then provide it. This might not be what you expect, but if she knows herself then it's probably exactly what she needs. Also, she might find it easier to talk to people in her lab about problems, rather than you, because they 'get it'. It's often hard for people that are not doing a PhD to understand what it's like.

In the UK, MSc courses are only one year, some have classes and some don't, and there are no classes for PhD at all. That's the main reason it's quicker.

I heard back from my postdoc at 9pm, so don't worry, there's still a lot of 'today' left!

Finishing a PhD in 2.75 years after a BSc isn't a fast track option. In theory, any UK student can do that. You can get a PhD in without an MSc and then you just follow the university guidelines that tell you to submit 3 months before the end of your funding. Theoretically, this is the case for most UK PhD students, except of course, very very few are in a position to submit within 2.75 years, but this really has nothing to do with the quality of student.

Also, there are cases I know of where students start doing an MSc and then just get upgraded to a PhD, so they never get an MSc qualification, but then they still take 4 years to finish the PhD. I guess it's possible you could do that in 2.75 years though.

yep, similar at mine, 2.75 years is minimum submission time

What's UGC? If you have a PhD or another doctorate then yes, but it's very unusual to have a PhD by distance learning.

Congrats and welcome:)

I agree that lifestyle boundaries are more defined that Europe, but more like super-rich, rich or poor. I disagree that this can't be downgraded though. Students do not need a $5 starbucks every morning, a $6 sandwich for lunch and new clothes from JCrew every month. Students do not need to have cars on credit. What's wrong with a $500 car like mine rather than using your student loan to pay for a $300pm car lease? These things can be economised but people are choosing not to.

And it's not like we live in the style of houses we like - we live in the style of housing that is available.

I also disagree that the public transport is worse in the US than in the UK. From what I saw, it was a myth. I had a bus to the city centre that went from outside of my house every 10 mins and a bus to the next big city every hour. That is the same as the UK and furthermore it was cheaper than UK prices. What I did notice was that the only people that took these buses appeared to be poor or young, so I assume this myth perpetuates because the only time Americans take buses is when they are in Europe!

This is common for all international students funded by their governments. Another layer of stress and pressure. If they fail they have to pay back the money, or they had to secure their loan on their house etc, so the government will repossess it if they don't finish their PhD or if they don't return back to their country to work after the PhD.

I know it's unethical, but can't you help your GF with the PhD?