Good friend from my lab, started last January and has decided it is not for him. He wants to earn more money and he has had some problems with his project - microoganisms are frustrating to work with. He told me a couple of weeks ago he was thinking about it, but in all honesty, I never thought he would actually do it. Yesterday he did - and I understand our supervisor took it very well, considering.

I envy him so much. Wish I had the guts to do it years ago, but never did because I knew I would regret it in the long-term. Just wondering if anyone else wanted to quit and what stopped you?

..or after them

I quit my PhD project a few of weeks ago, but I it only because I really wasn't enjoying that particular project. I'll be starting a new one in the new year.

Sorry Piglet, this is unrelated to your initial query but all the best for your final decision.

Peter, how did your supervisor respond to your quitting and re-applying elsewhere. How do new supervisors respond to the fact that you've already quit one PhD and are considering a new one?

bravo... salute to your frnd... even after 1 year.. i am still thinking what to do...with this phd....continue here or find some better project..

I have thought about quiting many times but unfortunately, it may come down to me being thrown off phd. I failed transfer upgrade and the recommnedations made are proving more difficult to implement. I would be absolutely demolarised if this does happen. I have 1 month to get it sorted.

When I was young, I thought geting a PhD title is awesome, sounds good.
Now, I've been a PhD student for 3 months, and I don't have any great feeling at all.
It's like some sort of torture. I don't have to courage to try new things, talk to new people...anymore.
But many people think I should finish the PhD....
and I don't think a PhD will make me rich.

I'm on the verge of quitting...the thought of going back after xmas has made me feel physically sick
It's been bad for about 4 months, and I'm not even sure why! Never thought I was a quitter, but perhaps sometimes it's better to cut your losses. And I know none of us are 'in it for the money' but having some financial pressure taken off would be fantastic!

Anyone who's on the verge of quitting, can you say a bot more about what you do, and why etc? FWIW, as I've mentioned on other threads, I quit before I started, but am hoping to start a new project this September...

What do you mean matthew? As in PhD topic? My PhD is health related, My backgrounds psychology buy my PhD draws a lot on sociology/anthropology/philosophy... It's mixed methods so I do qual and quant stuff.

I will be two years in March, and I'm telling my supervisor tomorrow that I'm quitting. My reasons are not related to my project - it's because my supervisors are elitist, mean and disrespectful. I don't want to be associated with them, and I don't want to spend the next two years being utterly miserable. This made me really think about what I was doing, and suddenly I realised that I didn't really want the future that was ahead of me. I had just been blindly following a path that I believed would be interesting and rewarding...but it's really not. I have decided on a new career plan that will be exciting, rewarding and creative... But I can't work out whether I'm brave or stupid.

I have to say that after 16 months i am also on the verge. The biggest problem is the place, I've tried to adjust to living in a v small city but nothing exsists outside the student scene and I just can't get along. Sometimes i like work but most days its apathy. I feel increasing on the periphery of our research group and kept in the dark over decisions. I have no idea what i can do next, I don't know whether i can face an MPhil or a transfer. I think that a MSc is the most realistic option after this as I am still keen to learn...

trustno1 please tell if you go ahead with the quit. What are your new career plans and are you going to bother with the whole MPhil thing?

All you lot who want to quit - dont! It is an amazing feeling when you eventually pass, and that feeling makes up for the three years of hard work(although I actually enjoyed most of my phd, so I'm perhaps not the best person to advise!)

gremlin: my supervisor was great really. I explained my reasons, and he was cool - even helping to sort out other projects with other supervisors.

IMHO, a good supervisor will mainly be concerned with your welfare and overall will want the best thing for you

I went back to the uni where I did my undergrad degree (warwick) so all the staff know me reasonably well and they suggested coming back.

I am enjoying my new project, it's the one I should have done to begin with ;)