Hey guys!

Anyone know of a room/looking for a house mate? I'm a PhD student looking for somewhere for the next 7/8 months. Really not having much/any luck *sigh*. Need somewhere that’s:

a) gay friendly
b) under 700 pcm including bills.

pm me if interested! Haven't been able to find somewhere that’s not a complete dive / wanting months min. Any advice also welcome!

Ok so I have had some time to think and been working with this prof from outside the university and realised what real supervision is like! My God I have never felt so stress free! And passionate and motivated about what I'm doing! Its amazing! Unfortunately he's not hanging around and going back to his university.

My problem is definitely my supervisor and the fact that I get no say in the research direction, he's in no way passionate about research and I was, I was so passionate, I still am I just need to be around someone who respects me! who doesn’t treat me like I'm disposable! I've also thought about a slight tweet in field and there's a PhD in the university just across the way that would make great use of the skills I have developed thus far.

There is no one in the my department that I can change to, so is it worth an application to a new PhD? Will I even be considered for funding if I look like I'm jumping ship? My supervisor is getting more PhD's in next year and there will be 15 of us in total! (I was number 4, we are up to 12 now) he say he wont have time to help me out at all next academic year, he already never reads any work I send him and my transfer reports are way overdue/have been sat on his desk since last year! I doubt he'll even read my thesis!

But: how will I know if this superior is any better? I think I need to leave my current supervisor - he/this university are the root of my depression and its way too unhealthy to continue working in this toxic workaholic environment . Good thing is the field is the same (just different application) and I'm only a year and a bit in so I think I could get into the swing of the new phd very quickly. thoughts? Either this or a job. Cheers guys!

Hi Smoobles, thanks.

Its not so much the hard work I begrudge but its the amount of time I spend working/researching with little or no gain - little pay, no respect from my department/supervisors, no reward other than intellectual stimulation and spend most of my time feeling very overwhelmed and stupid :/ - partly because my supervisors response to everything is "this is trivial" and then can't go on to demonstrate it himself.

I know about the actuary exams and they sound challenging, but I'm far better at exams than I am research, also my Phd is in applied math, I love math, I'm really good at math, I enjoy learning , but I don't love research or academia - so actuary looks like it could be a way forward? My Phd will either lead me into a low paid industry/engineering job (based on those phd which have left our department) or a quant job (high pay but very stressful lifestyle :/ ). Even if I left now I can get a masters/Mphil so it wouldn't have been a waste of time. I might take some time off the phd and try and do an internship and see what I think?

I agree I shouldn't assume that the grass is always greener - but exams are my strong point, research appears t be a clear weakness. Also sometimes/a lot of the time research/coding just doesn't work - so very frustration too, I could get over the frustration if I thought well at least I'm being paid enough to do this / I can own my own home / have a decadent lifestyle given the number of hours I put in. Does this make any sense? :/

Thanks again.

Ok I have discussed it with a few close friends and we have a plan. I'm going to focus on fishing the two papers I'm currently writing and then in a few weeks take a 3 week break - No work, just play. If after that break I come back and still can't face it I will walk away with an Mphil. Anyone know what the chances of getting a job after leaving a PhD are? Could I get into actuary or finance? Has anyone done this? My Phd is in applied Math and computing, really enjoy the subject but I want a life also!

I don't get how to balance your life with a Phd - I think that's a skill in its self? I want a partner, I want to live in a home, - not a gritty run down student house and a job that on an average week I can knock off at 6 and have a life! and have a weekend! God how I want a weekend! For hobbies! I use to play piano! and draw and go to the gym! How do you all do it? The stress gets to me sooooo much! My department always need me doing something, attending conferences, courses, giving talks, lectures, computers fixing, codes debugging, reports left right and centre! my research doing, entertaining visiting proff's and industry experts., working weekends, late nights just to keep up! and for what?

Don't get me wrong I do hang out with friends, but not as much as I want to as I need to and when I do I always conscious that stuff needs doing. Yes I enjoy my subject - but there’s more to me, more to life than just it. I'm only 24 but I want to start a family by the time I'm 28! I want kids! soon! Did I get over ambitious? I no longer know why I started the Phd?, maybe it is just burnout, but maybe its me doing something I just don't care for any more?

Hey guys thanks so much for the replies. Been to Dr and gone on anti-depressants (again). Visiting professor coming over in a week and I'm suppose to be writing a paper with him so can't take a break at the mo :/ - but I think that may be the straw that breaks me - really unproductive at the moment.

I think the main thing that’s stressing me out is my unrealistic superior - he wants 6 papers out this year alone!? But I think also its the academic culture which is really getting to me. I was sat in a talk the other day and two profs started arguing - basically semantics - and it wasn't even a discussion, it got really personal. I was sat there thing what the hell? Also in my department there are so many underlying grudges between the academics that seem to spill over to the Phds. For example a fellow phd is working on a topic which another academic in the department is a specialist in - however he wont help that phd because he has a feud with his supervisor. Its pathetic! All I keep thinking is why am I even bothering with these childish unprofessional lot? I think the other thing is the lack of respect, I'm treated like a child and I'm sick of it! On top of this I'm wardening and that is equally as pathetic, the university moves you to supervise a different hall and gives you like a months notice to move? The hall supervisor calls meetings last minute and demands you drop your evening plans left, right and centre.

I'm a year and a half in so if I do quit how would that look with potential employers? I was thinking maybe trying to get into actuary? but at nearly 25 not sure I could become a trainee/get on grad program? An I too old?. I'd like a carer that allows you to also have a life :/. Cheers.

Early second year PhD student in the UKand also a warden in university halls, i.e living in halls and looking after freshers welfare and organising events. So I'm a full time PhD and working a few evenings a week. I think I'm a workaholic (or at least was) and completely burn out atm. From what I've read I need to take take a few months or so off, but my supervisor is so demanding. I've had to give 5 presentations in the last 4 months he wants 6 papers out this year and has Proff's form all over the place coming down for last minute visits that he expects me to entertain. My schedule is full booked for like the next 5 months. I'm at breaking point and just want to quit - but I dunno if I can get a job in this recession, also PhD is in a good field (guaranteed industry job) so feel like I shouldn't just walk away - I'm so tired sick of life, how do I get better? I feel trapped :(. How do I tell the university I need time off? Presumably I'm not paid for those months - but I could rely on my savings, but they wouldn't last long - also don't really get on with my criticising parents - they would love that I've burnt out, it would provide fuel for their negativity - so moving back with them is not an option. Has anyone else gone through burnout? I feel like I NEED to work but just can think straight or concentrate! help :/