Have you tried climbing? Get yourself to your local indoor climbing wall and join an induction course. It really good for you, loads of fun, engages your brain and your body, and is a great distraction from PhD land! I couldn't manage without it!

Hey, I'm writing one at the moment too...again! Spend most of my PhD applying for funding rather than actually doing work!! Mine is in Eng Lit stuff too. Basically, you need to be really specific about what has already been done - this is where the names come in, they need to know WHO has done WHAT already, and then the vital part is that you show specifically HOW your work does something DIFFERENT (i.e. developing, refuting, expanding on whats already out there etc.). Hope this helps.

I agree with katq - talk to him as often as poss - make it obvious you're interested! If he starts to run away when you approach, you'll know its a no go!

Mmm...both, now that is a good idea!!

Re. how to get to sleep..

Could try exercising before you go to bed? Go for a run or the gym or something, anything to make your body so tired it overrides your brain!

Alternatively drink plenty of red wine. That tends to work for me.

The best thing about winter is sherry!

But if I had it my way it would always be summer.
(You can drink sherry on ice then!)

I'd've thought part of supervising you is to introduce you to other academics in your area, get you out and about and seen, not let you languish in your hotel room while everyone else hobnobs together! I agree its not very nice! Did you try to speak to your supervisor at the meal or do you otherwise try to be sociable (like
suggest a coffee over a supervision meeting or anything)? Do you show an interest in their research? Just thinking that they might have it into their heads that you aren't interested in spending time with them?? ?

Its not an inanimate object, but I wish it was: - I have a belly button phobia! I can't have anything (trouser waistbands, poking fingers etc.) anywhere near it! And seeing anyone else touching their belly button makes me gag! Euuuuugh! Why??!?!

Have you been to Holland and Barratt and bought the 'Dead Sea Magik' products? They do bath salts, moisturisers, all sorts (in blue and white packaging) and it can really improve psoriasis. I often get small patches of psoriasis when stressed and that stuff really helps, eventually getting rid of it.

I say good job we are all training to be academics!! It's better to BE a sicko than be on the receiving end of a sicko!

Yikes! From what I hear PGCEs are incredibly hard work, and so are PhDs! Doing both at the same time sounds like a one way ticket to exhaustion to me...or at least you'll need a year off to recover afterwards...

Oh noooo. I've just realised that doing a phd means you actually have to DO stuff!! I was planning on faffing around for the first year at least..!!

I've got the new album by 'Captain' on. Very melodious.

I reckon you can live on £100p/wk, but only if you don't go out a lot. Or at all. When I do go out, it ruins everything!! So £600 per month would allow you extras to do some fun things a couple of times a month, especially if its a 4 week month! However, I do sponge off my folks for clothes and stuff. Rather pathetic, I know.

I have a friend who had her first child during undergrad. She then went back to Uni and finished her degree (with a first) and got funding for a masters, which she completed (with a distinction). She then got funding for a PhD. She started the first year of her PhD but is now on maternity leave with baby number two, and plans to continue with PhD once maternity leave over. Her partner is also an academic, with funding for his PhD. Goodness knows how but they've both managed to keep going with their careers and children!

I'm female, about to embark on a PhD but with the knowledge that I also want to have children at one point in the future, so am also really interested to hear about how things fit in!!