Granted I have only been doing a PhD for 7 weeks but I am having problems with feeling like an idiot.

Do you ever misunderstand things or get muddled in front of your supervisor? I have very good supervisors and I've got a few things wrong or missed the point in meetings and then I can't help but dwell these things for a long time, and get paranoid that they must regret hiring me.

Having come from a job where I'd been there long enough to know it all inside out I'm finding it hard. These thoughts are not productive but they keep popping back into my mind. It's hard to know if they're valid and I should be worried, or if everyone goes through these things and it's just because it's early days..

Any thoughts?

Inapickle please don't feel stupid - this sounds pretty common and I think you can count yourself normal

Remember you're only just starting out & a PhD is an apprentership. That's why we do it - do know more. If you knew everything now - you'd be amazing. Supers are used to it and that's what they are there for - to stop and make you think. If you can unerstand yourself that you've got a bit to learn, then I'd say you're totally on your way.

Good luck x

I have exactly the same feelings - I feel so stupid in front of my supervisers and I think sometimes they regret agreeing to supervise me! Having spoken to other people about it, I think everybody has this feeling at least once... remember that your supervisers have probably been doing this for years and they don't expect you to know everything at first.
I am hoping it will get easier the more I relax (I'm sure nerves are a huge part of it), and the more I get into my topic.

come on, guy, you just start your phd, if you know everything ,you dont need this degree any more.

:)
Thanks for the replies....

I know I've just started so it's not about wanting to know everything already.

This is about getting something quite fundamental wrong, or missing the point and that feeling of horror when you realise you thought you understood but you don't, at least not entirely..... when that happens in plain view of your esteemed and respected supervisors it's quite painful.

It's happened more than once already. Maybe I'm just way too sensitive. Maybe I'm just dense. It's very embarrassing though.

Someone once said to me that when you start, your knowledge is far lower that of your supervisor. At some point, as you go on, you will be about the same and by the time you finish or about to, your supervisor may have no idea what you're talking about anymore (a little exaggeration) because you would have acquired so much knowledge that your supervisors wouldn't have.

Everyone feels like an idiot! It's just that some people hide it better than others. I am in my final year and have encountered soooooo many people saying the same thing. I always thought it was just me but it's not, even the people that I thought really knew their stuff think it. All accademics do is find fault in other peoples work and try to do better than their colleagues, it's the nature of the profession! Just hold onto the reason you want a PhD and keep some perspective, DO NOT let the ego bashing influence other areas of your life. I hated my first year and was constantly told I should quit coz I wasn't good enough and I now think they had a point but you dont need to be a genious to get a PhD (although I'm sure it makes it much less painful) you just need to be bloody minded and keep perspective. Good luck.

i start from scratch as to my subject from Oct.1st, At the first month, I did nothing but try to settle in the new environment, i concentrate on my paper review from last week, now I read a world of papers. Bit by bit I get the hang of this subject from fundamentals theory to the specific problems. I think it would be not difficult as long as you work hard on it, but it does take a lot of your time and energy that otherwise you can hang out with your friends or go to travel.

Hurrah, I'm not alone! Right now I feel a right muppet, having done a complete 180 turn into a field I know next to nothing about because it sounds intriguing.

Hey, I also feel stupid sometimes when talking with my supervisors. I always get nervous about meething them. However, I would advice you to do some preparation (i.e. jot down questions or comments you want to share with them) before meeting them.

Dear InaPickle, you sound just like me. I frequently feel utterly stupid and dwell on the stupid things that I say for days (or longer). My partner is a lecturer and assures me that the studnts he feels most frustrated with are the arrogant ones who think they know it all, coupled with the ones that are clearly not putting any effort into their studies. It takes time to get into the flow of academia and even learn to feel comfortable with the language and the ability to articulate your thoughts clearly.

I agree with everything everyone has said, in summary we all feel stupid at the beginning. Those who don't may be arrogant as nobody knows everything at the end let alone at the beginning! Stick with it, as time goes by you will understand more and will feel less out of your depth. I am about 10 months in and the second I feel I am beginning to understand my topic area another little thing pops up. The key is to not think about what you don't know but fit these things into things you do know. For example if they say something you didn't realise try and link it to what you do know, you will know something! Over time your confidence will grow. If people knew everything what would be the point of research? We all feel :-S at times but keep looking forward to how happy you will be in 3/4 years time when you can call yourself Dr. (even then you will probably have found more questions than answers and wonder if you learn't anything!)

Take a deep breath, remember that your supervisors are busy people and are unlikely to be dwelling on their PhD students all the time. Set yourself realisable, try to prepare well your meetings with your supervisor so you feel more confident, set yourself nugget sized goals for the next few months, and I'm sure you'll be amazed how far you have progressed this time next year. And remember you are not surrounded by a load of confident PhD colleagues who are breezing through their first year with ease, i.e, you are not alone!

My second message above should flow directly from first. Someelse got in there too quick