OK here goes,

I will be moving away from home tomorrow (for the first time...have gone on holidays etc, but not for 3 years)...different countries etc. I am leaving my boyfriend of 5 years behind as well. I am now not sure if I want to do the PhD, leaving all this behind. I need some support.

Thank you

hi ailicec
its satchi are you all packed?
don't worry if you are now not sure, maybe you should still travel tomorrow, and see how it goes when you get there.
If you don't go and find out, you'll always be wondering what if. You'll soon make new friends, and you can still communicate with your boyfriend regularly; he can come visit you regularly.
it'll be fine.

I have been away from home for 5 years now (including masters). I use skype a lot :-)

keep in touch, post back :-)
love satchi

How far away are you moving?

You aren't leaving behind your boyfriend :-) you're just moving to a job and will still be 'with' him, just not as often physically as you are now.

Your fears about whether you still want to do the PhD are to be expected, its not so much that you don't want to do it, as you're scared about the enormity of the move - stay calm! I think as Satchi suggests maybe its as well to go to your new uni, see how it goes... of course you'll be homesick and miss your b/f so don't make knee jerk decisions, but give it a go if you can. If you don't go you'll always regret it and wonder 'what if'. You can always go home again, you can have your b/f visit or go home and see everyone - you're not tied to one place forever. I'd be in a right mess if it were me, but I'd say try, it will most likely all work out brilliantly and you'll have a great time and also enjoy even more your time with your family and b/f :-)

Hey

Thank you for your replies...my things are now packed :D...and tomorrow I will be off (it will be a 3.5hour plane ride or so away...so quite far away)...however we should be meeting once a month, which is not too bad. He is very supportive...everyone is. I think the enormity of it all has just gotten to me. This morning I also printed my final copy of my master's thesis, so I have had some good things too...but it is very emotional...It is really strange...thinking with my rational mind (I am a scientist after all), I believe all will be OK...I have the support of everyone around me...but sometimes I am just panicking...it is absolutely not something I generally do, so maybe that is why I am a bit scared...but thank you for your replies...I will go tomorrow...have the best 3 years of my life and in 3 years time I will be a Dr (haha...positive thinking), have a great boyfriend waiting for me at my graduation and will start missing the place I would have been calling home for the previous 3 years.

Thank you again