I've spoken to some advice/counsellors, but I just feel so low at the mo :-( Apologies rant ahead!

I feel very isolated and alone from my university :-( no support or advice from my university other than the official viva cancellation letter and 1 email sent 3 weeks ago basically telling me that I need to wait for a new viva date. I have no idea if this viva will take place or how long they will keep me waiting! I still don't know if I'll pass the viva with major corrections?!

I was rejected from all recent job applications- (research assistant, assistant psychologist, support worker etc etc) on the basis of being too overly qualified (BSc, MSc, MSc, PGCert, PhD). I can't really apply for research associate jobs without a completed PhD. Last month, I was rejected from all my clinical psychology doctoral courses- for lack of a completed PhD and lack of clinical experience.

I'm 30, single female and still living at home because I can't afford to move out yet. Added family dynamic problems into the mix and watching friends (who are considerably younger than me) getting engaged and having babies. All adding to negative and regretful cognitions!

Anyway, I'm going to keep preserving and plodding along! I'm attending a group meeting for some voluntary work this week to give me something to do, meet new people and gain some clinical experience. Going on long walks, visiting the gym and eating well also seems to be helping!

I'll conclude with some positive thoughts! a) it's lovely and sunny outside! b) good old downward comparisons- I'm healthy and probably should not complain, c) this is (hopefully) only a temporary dip or state of limbo, d) I have lots of things going for me ie reaching the final stages of a PhD (even though I'm struggling to see it right now!), e) I could be worse off (ie worries about house repossession, dealing with relationship issues, my family are letting me stay here rent free until I find work, also other than my small overdraft and my student loans, I'm not in serious debt), f) it's lunch time :-)

ok- feeling working through the positives, I'm slightly better! Reading other posts on this forum, it's comforting to see that I'm not alone!

Sending some sprouts for productive and more positive thoughts! (sprout) :-) Looking forward to the sweet release of freedom from this PhD thesis! Apologies for posting this rather depressive post, hopefully I'll be out of this limbo land sooner rather than later!

That's not true. I know people who have started res assoc jobs before being viva-d. If in doubt, email the group advertising, tell them that you're waiting for your viva and see if they would be happy to consider your application anyway. Better than applying for res assistant posts which in truth you would be wasted on.

Re: being single and older than your friends with spouses/babies - I hear ya! No words of wisdom, just empathy.

Hey Pineapple- sorry to hear you're feeling so crappy still. It really isn't surprising knowing everything that you're going through, but that doesn't make it any better. You're doing all the right things I think, with the volunteer work, exercising and eating well- they're all the things that help keep your mood stable. I think the thing to remember as well is that clinical psychology is one of the most competitive things on this planet, and most people have to apply more than once to get on. People even apply up to 4 or 5 times I have heard! On the bright side, I do know three people in my department who got on this year or last before they had completed their PhDs (or even submitted), so that isn't always a barrier to a successful application- I guess different unis probably have different policies. And again, I know people from this department who got research jobs before their PhDs were finished, so keep trying with the applications. At the very least, it will keep you occupied. Good on you for trying to think about the positives- you are perfectly entitled to a moan about how you are feeling but it does help to try and put things in perspective as well. Damn, if only I could take my own advice! Big hugs, KB

Pineapple - sounds like you are doing all the right things but I just wanted to say one thing. At 30 I was single and living in crappy shared accommodation. At 31 I was married with a baby and living in a much nicer area. ;-) Things can and do change very quickly. Hope everything works out well for you!

Pineapple - sounds like you are doing all the right things but I just wanted to say one thing. At 30 I was single and living in crappy shared accommodation. At 31 I was married with a baby and living in a much nicer area. ;-) Things can and do change very quickly. Hope everything works out well for you!

Whoa there people!!! Why do you all feel you're missing out because you're not married and without kids?

Everything happens at a right time for everyone. Until then, enjoy life as it is.

Better to be single than find yourself with the wrong person for the wrong reasons!!! There can be single and happy, and in a relationship and miserable too. Seeing friends in relationships has this effect and it doesn't help married folk trying to pair off their single friends. DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!!!

I think this sort of feeling is quite normal in the limbo stages of life after your PhD and before something else. My own experiences about 4 years ago can be seen in this http://www.postgraduateforum.com/threadViewer.aspx?TID=6550

Just shows that this that feeling like that at this stage is common.

KeenBean and HazyJane are spot on that you can get post docs and RA posts before sitting your viva and many PhDers awaiting award do this frequently. Don't let just a single rejection make you think otherwise.

Also agree with KB about not needing a PhD to do clinical training, as my ex girlfriend was a clinical trainee and she didn't do a PhD at all, and two of her colleagues were in the final year of their PhD and hadn't even been viva'd at the time when they started. At least its not like some of the fellowships where you can only apply once, you can always keep applying again.

Pineapple29, why not be in touch with your supervisors? If you haven't heard from them i three weeks? It sounds like a lot of the disaster thinking you are doing is thinking up worst case scenarios. It sounds like you are worried about whether they are looking for a new external, that you are worried about whether they are just not going to bother viva'ing you, and worried that you might get an MPhil. Why not address these worries with your supervisors...they will be able to tell you how they are progressing with finding a new external, will be able to tell you whether they anticipate the viva going ahead, will be able to tell you the anticipated outcome, or anticipated range of outcomes. If they don't know you are worried they can't respond.