Hey Guys

I started my Phd in Literature at the beginning of this month but i am still trying to work out the ins and outs and details of my research topic etc so i haven't actually done any reading yet. Im starting to worry that all other new phd students have done loads of stuff already, and i have a supervisory meeting in January and im not quite sure what im supposed to produce for it. Is anyone else in the same boat?

HI, AM ALSO A MONTH OLD! but i am wondering why u havent had a meeting yet or your next one's in january! My meetings are for an hour each fortnight, and I submit a 3000 word paper before each meeting, plus emails on and off, though from what i gather this is a very high amount of supervisory contact (as well as writing hehe!!)

I suggest you have a proper meeting with your sup and figure out a short term goal plan, lets say for one term if not more than that.

Do not worry at all about what you have or haven't done in your first one month of PhD. Remember PhD is a LONG journey. Try to get your overall strategy right and you will emerge as a winner. Do not worry about any initial little setbacks, wastage of time, etc. It is all very common, in particular during the first year. If your overall intentions are right, you will move ahead on the whole. This has been my experience from last 4 years of "doing" the PhD.

I wouldn't worry too much, you need the firm basis on which to do the work its not time wasted. I'm also a month in, am due to meet with my sup next week for the second time with everything having gone haywire in the last couple of weeks - my nerves are shot lol.
I see my sup once a month, submit work twice a year (for the board) and can submit other stuff in between if I choose to, so it seems that everyone is different.
It is long haul, a marathon rather than the 400m of the MA lol

my friend started his PhD october and has weekly meetings for one to 2hours. i thought that was the norm(?) im starting jan in a different uni and i thought id be having weekly meetings and hope so but no more than fornightly x

I'm not sure I could cope with weekly meetings that long lol! I met with mine yesterday for an hour and it was great, we got a lot of things talked over and planned - I see him again at the beginning of Dec (formally) but I can email him, ring, drop in any time I need to, so although the formal meetings are only once a month I have continual access to his genius lol. He also introduced me to another lecturer who I had a chat with for nearly another hour who will be on my sup board who is great and gave me lots more advice. He is passionate about my subject too so its really good - I feel like a have a lot of support and a lot of help. The dept is very much focussed on self motivation and development and so doesn't arrange weekly meetings but encourages you to search out stuff and develop your own style, but with that continual safety net of the experts to help you on your way. It seems to work well, the pass rate is, from what I understand, 100% in the dept, they said that those who make it through the 1st year all go on to do very well- I hope I'm with them ;-)
For my board in Jan I have to produce a 5-7K lit review and outline of the methodology and general proposal for discussion - eek!