Hello everybody,

I'm new to this forum, even though I've been a postgrad for a couple of years (getting MAs in Ancient History and Journalism).

Anyway, starting my PhD in Journalism (for which I've been very lucky to get funding) in about three weeks and I'm experiencing an odd mix of wonder, excitement and also panic and deep visceral fear! Is this normal?? Does anybody else feel this way?? I'm the first in my family and circle of friends to have done this and could do with feeling a little less isolated.

Also, I'm at uni in Coleraine, Northern Ireland and will be exploring the possibility of asserting my uni into the relevant research seminar circuits, so if anyone is interested I'd be glad of the reply!

Finally, if anyone else is attempting to do a similar project to mine, it'd be good for us to form a team as crutches for one another!

Shalom and farewell!

Ciarán Bartlett (ie Twanky)