Hi there,
I’m 15 months into my phd. I still don't feel settled in and I do not enjoy working here. My supervisor was good up to time of my transfer report - i was told (by examiner) to resubmit in a few months due to lack of work though I had done more than others I knew! Since then not had proper 1to1 meetings. My other supervisors have their own PhD students who are more important to them I guess.

I don't get guidance from anyone (supervisors, technicians..), at the same time, I feel like I shouldn't be asking for any!

I haven't settled into the dept I am in. I wasn’t invited to lab meetings for a year (now too self-conscious to go) and I don't get invited to social events either. I don't understand why since I make an effort and am friendly with everyone.
I thought I would enjoy this PhD - I was excited by the project, now feel even more incompetent than when I started. My self-confidence with peers and colleagues is rapidly diminishing. I hate feeling like this as I was a sociable person with self-confidence in my work and myself.

cont...(sorry its over 2 posts!!)
Now I never know what to do with my work or where to start, I feel uncomfortable in the lab and like I am always looked over as not really part of the project team/dept. I’ve felt like this since I started, thought it would just take time. spoke to my supervisor about how i was feeling 11 months in and he told me to focus on my transfer, which made me feel motivated but then it was rejected and since then i feel worse, like my gut feelings were right all along! We are not as close as before so i feel i can't tell him. besides he may go ape since its a huge proj funded by important ppl with set deadlines.

I know phds have ups and downs but this is ridiculous! I don't know who to speak to about this or whether I am just not cut out for this Phd life and should never have started. I am so not happy!! :(( sorry for the huge rant but I didn't know this forum existed till now!Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks. Dory

eeek did I just read that right - you are only 15 months in and have submitted a transfer already??

I am also 15 months in and am nowhere near tranfer - we were told it was at the end of 2nd year - now by my reckoning (and I was always crap at maths so go easy on me) thats another 9 months!

oops hit reply too early

I feel exactly the same as you - see my post on confidence issues, I too have never felt like I fit in but then again I dont have a group as such, there is my supervisor, my 2nd super, me and 6 undergrads and thats it, no postdocs, no other lecturers involved.....

Dont quit, dont feel bad about your transfer - most sane lecturers wouldnt have let you submit that early!! Even mine and he is the least sane person I know!! Well he took me on as PhD student for a start!

Sorry to hear about your situation - the biggest way to get and stay motivated about a PhD is to have a lot of support around you, and it sounds like you don't.

My advice would be to knuckle down and get stuck into the work; when you're churning out good results then you've definately got something to take to your supervisor and get noticed! You should defintely talk to him/her about too about this lack of support.

One thing Clairet, everyone I know has to do a transfer report at 12 months, not 24. Here it's treated as a transfer from a theoretical MPhil to a PhD (so if what you've done in a year isn't up to a PhD you can still get a Masters qualification). Not sure about having a transfer report that late after 2 years, but I guess different Universities vary.

Dory I hope you can turn a into a !

I completely agree with thecoastman, he has given some great advice.

I am sure you can turn things around, it is a matter of sticking with it. Feel free to post here anytime and we can offer the support you seem to be missing and we all need it!

Coastman - thats what our transfer is - MPhil to PhD, strange how some are 1 year and some 2 years. I know of quite a few other Unis that do it after 2 as well - I thought that was standard!

Is your PhD 4 years? That would explain it I guess. If it was 3 years and your transfer report was after 2, that doesn't give you long to finish data collection/analysis and write up!

Nope 3!

Not 1+3? Er, well good luck then!

Thanks

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your replies! It's good to know that other people also feel the same sometimes - not for you obviously but I don't feel like a phd oddball anymore Also good to know that it's not just my paranoia and i indeed should expect more support than what I am getting!

You've inspired me to keep on going, I want to have results to show people that I am capable and I'll chat to one of my supervisors. so I will soldier on! for now anyway.. thanks again

That's great Dory!

Hi Dory and others,

I've begun my PhD study for 4 months. I didn't get any data, nor learned anything exciting/interesting. I had the same feelings that "these are just temporary for PhD....just wait.....don't need to ask help, as this may look stupid". Though this may be true, I don't think this's an efficient way to deal with things, as I've been wasting LOTS of time trying to calm myself down and to stay 'non-unhappy'. Perhaps this's just my problem because I don't know how to communicate well and to speak for myself.
For example, the project I'm now working on is given by my supervisor. I'd like to do something else, but I have no courage to tell him (and I also lack self-confidence). PhD is hard, and sometimes I think I shouldn't have started it.