Well, it has taken me a few days to get over the shock to actually bring this forum up on my screen. I registered on Tuesday, took 2 hours and I had already pre-registered. Ran 10 minutes into my meeting with the dept. head. Ran full out across campus to the other side of the road to the meeting where I panted my name and drank half the water on offer. Listened to a welcome talk, ate some fruit goodies and dashed upstairs only to get lost looking for my Professor, arrived just on time, again, panting from running up and down corridors. Discussed my project for 2 and a half hours and was then shown my own room! I had no idea I would get one, I only want to be there 2x week.

I am also getting 2 work placement students and I need to get the proposal finished asap and I have to start on an MSc course (free learning) next Thursday and could I possibly meet on Tuesdays and could I also attend the evening lectures, for interest, on Mondays. Took 2 and a half hours to get home and I felt shattered, exhausted, overwhelmed and utterly shell-shocked. I felt like the only PhD student wanting to give up within hours. The next day I was emailed 6 substantial papers to go through to help me with my ideas! It has taken a lot of family encouragement to pick me up and some early morning work every day to just gather myself together and somehow plan my life to fit around this 90 miles an hour Prof and the Whizz Bang PhD.

Just wanted to update you all as you were all very encouraging to me about this PhD. I am feeling a bit more composed now and I am going to be a brilliant juggler, I suspect. There are, however, going to be things I will just have to say 'no' to, like Monday evening lectures, I live over 2 hours away.

Sounds like you had a busy time! I'm kind of lucky with some of that, since my PhD is at the University where I did my undergraduate degree, so I have known all of the staff members, my supervisor etc. for years! I'm sure things will settle down into a regular(ish!) pattern soon. You sound to me like rather than be de-motivated by all of this manic running about like you actually enjoyed it, so I'm sure you'll be just fine.

wow, thanks for sharing this, PinkNeuron. as mentioned elsewhere my own first day, last year, was horrible and had me crying on the shoulders of strangers and wanting to quit before it was over. i think it is just dangerous to underestimate the whole "newness" of it all. give yourself some time to settle into the new routine, take it step by step and you will be just fine!

to your own room and desk. that's fantastic! it sounds like you found yourself a good environment to do your PhD!

This post made me smile - it is just the same as I experienced in my first week last year! In fact I feel quite the same this year I have to confess! the first month or so is so hectic with new seminars and people, social events, emails for conferences, supervisors laying down groundrules and expectations... madness! i felt just the same so don't worry at all - at least you have worked out already to say no to some stuff - that is definitely the key. And not to feel guilty if you can't attend some evenings or whatever, just go with the flow...

Lol - this is exactly how I am feeling at the moment! I have just started my PhD this week and I am feeling totally overwhelmed at the moment. Thankfully all my supervisors are lovely which helps but I am still terrified by the enormity of what I have taken on...
but very excited/thrilled also

Thanks J and b, I feel better knowing I am not alone!
Feel a bit more composed, have read the 6 papers, come up with a research outline and have another meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss. I also have some methodology lectures tomorrow on an MSc course in neuroimaging where I hope to learn how to work and MRI scanner!!
He seems ok with the no Monday lectures bit and so we will see if I can be a little more intelligent tomorrow and at least show some enthusiasm at having my own office. I felt a bit bad that I didn't say too much last week, I was too shocked, I think. I have decided to just think of this as a big project, not a big PhD, that freaks me a bit.
Good luck all of you new starters, at least we have this forum to learn and vent on!

Im actually a little jealous of u pinklneuron! my supervisor isnt so keen on all the extra things i have to do, he seems to think i should spend every second of the day reading as there is such a lot to do...although ive started 5 weeks early as i got in on a work placement! i was aked to demonstrate by an old lecturer and he wasnt at all keen but i fought my corner, i need other things to keep me busy otherwise il go mental!
everything well calm down soon, and believe me after a month and a half of just reading ul be begging to have other things to do!

Well, second day over! It was great!
I loved the lectures, especially since I don't have to do the essays! My meeting went great, we went through my proposal made some changes for me to work on. Got loads more to look up and read. I have Athens back at last, getting SPSS for only £20 through the uni and I am busy downloading some MRI analysis software right now. He wants me to start collecting data by January perhaps, so I have a lot of ground work to do. It has been taken well that I like to work from home and he hasn't even scheduled the next meeting until I am ready. It does mean I will have to share the office as I won't be using it enough but that is 100% fine with me if I can work more from home. So, I think I am getting on top of this now, at the moment
Yes, I guess I am lucky to have a very positive proactive supervisor.

I am two weeks (ish) in and finding it all a bit huge! Trying to pin things down and pull all my reading together is hard and I keep stopping rather than attempt to do that. I have decided that the only way I can start to do that is write and then see the gaps?! I hope that works as otherwise how the hell do you ever stop yourself from reading...I feel like I could read around the subject forever. Loving it though. Loving working from home too...despite the damp in my bedroom!