is anyone else struggling with their thesis or am I the only one? i sometimes feel like the whole world is on top of my head. supervisors chasing me, family's expectations, friends etc., I have recently become a loner, coz i can't take it any mo. all these questions, all this nagging, all these deadlines, all these expectations...... :-(.

is this normal - today i just turned down an offer to publish my paper in a book, coz they wanted it editted in the next two weeks when am gonna be polishing my literature review for what feels like the hundreth time.

i feel stressed at the thought of all these people and their deadlines, i just want to be allowed to do things at my own pace.

i will publish in may or june independently in a journal. when am not so stressed.

Struggling??? you bet. I feel as though there is so much pressure for me to conform to other peoples expectations instead of my own. If I was just left to myself I'd be enjoying this. They want me to have a certain point of view, write in a certain way...I had more autonomy as an undergrad!!
But part of me keeps saying this is my work and I keep proposing compromises, some of which I get away with some not, but it makes me feel still in control of the process.
You have done the right thing turing down publication at this time...if its good enough for publication now it will still be good enough in a few months. I'd say contrary to how you feel you have a good grasp of whats best for you and are staying true to that course...so if I were you I wouldnt feel down about it but congratulate yourself on being strong enough to handle the mechanics of it and if you can do that managing family/friends/supervisors will be a piece of pee!!

I'm not writing up yet but I have become impossibe to be with! I can't cope with my family and friends, they just get on my nerves. Doing a PhD def makes you bad tempered. I know how you feel.

You have got my sympathy as well
I agree that the whole thing is not easy, yet you seemed to have made good progress so far if you are asked to have it publised!

thanks guys, where would i be without you. .

dazednconfused - thanks for reassuring me that am not the only one and am that i made the right decision.

Jen - thanks for reassuring me that am not the only one who's finding people impossible to live with.

rick - thanks for your vote of confidence, in what at the moment seems to be a walk in the dark. you must be right tho .

am off to the gym to let off some steam. . i find that this helps.