Hello everyone,

I'm an Australian doing a PhD in an Australian university in the social sciences (sociology). I am 5 months in. I love my supervisor and she's very supportive although she is also focused in her career and is quite busy.

Nevertheless, I am a bit exhausted from my PhD because of my work conditions. The department and school are unorganized, lazy and treat PhD students poorly. Construction is about to happen and all PhDs will be lumped together in a room with no file cabinets or even book shelves. I feel very isolated and I'm starting to feel depressed. In sum, conditions are not good and might not improve much - especially the work culture.

Anyhow, you get the point. I hate my conditions and the only thing that is likely to improve is that I *might* be given a better office. So, in your experience, is it worth changing universities? How is my supervisor and university going to take this?

Also, I was awarded the APA (Au Postgraduate Award) which stays with me anywhere I go in Australia as long as the accepting institutions has the funds to continue the scholarship. So money should be no problem.

Many thanks,

:)

Are you studying at a group of 8 Uni?

I don't recommend changing uni unless things are really not manageable. After all you chose your uni for some good reason at the first place.
If you don't like your office and you can't get any better one, then try studying at other places at Uni such as libraries, nice cafes or even somewhere in the bushes.

Also try seek help from the resources available for students and specially for postgrads.
Take a conselling session at uni. They are particularly trained to help students/Postgrads. And they can tell you where/how to seek help and improve your experience with the uni.
Also you may consider contacting the postgrad association at your Uni. They should be able to offer some help and good suggestions.

Make sure you attend events organised specially for postgrads. Socialising with other PhD students help you not feeling isolated. You can also get some ideas from them how to better manage your PhD at your institute.

Good luck :)

Thank you for your answers guys. I think I'll stick to my uni and find ways to deal with the present problems. After all, they do have solutions if I want to find them. And Mathcomp, I'm not in a group of 8 uni and I chose my uni because I like my supervisors during my honours years and the application process with this uni was made very easy for me being a previous student.

Thanks again :)