Hi, I'm new to this forum and have been reading a few of the threads and it seems really helpful, really in a bit of a pickle at the minute and don,t know what to do so would really appreciate some advice/thoughts.
I am currently a Masters student and applied for a studentship going at my University on a set interdisciplinary topic (English and Music) not expecting to get it (my tutor encourage me to apply as I had the relevant musical knowledge required, my degree is in english). I have now been offered the three years DEL funding and I really can't decide what to do.
Firstly, my plan was after I had finished my masters to go travelling with my boyfriend for a year, its something we've both wanted to do for so long now and have kept putting off and if i do this thats another 3-4 years potentially 'wasted', whilst i'm only 22 and would be coming out of my phd at 26 I propbably will not have the money to travel then (i have some put by at the minute) and will have to start looking for jobs straight away.
Secondly-the set topic is something I’ve never written on before, and whilst it’s not a million miles away from my research interests it would be something new that I’ve never looked at, although looking into it I think it would be interesting and I would enjoy it (I've also met the supervisor who seems so nice and has even agreed to help me come up with a dissertation on the topic for my masters as way of an introduction to it)
Thirdly-I found out only one other person applied for the studentship as it’s so specific which is even making me question my capability to do it (I didn’t get one of the coveted studentships for my own research idea, probably the uni are just so keen to avail of this funding opportunity I feel sort of co-erced into it)
Finally, and most importantly I really don’t know if I want to pursue a career in academia and even if I did judging from my research and the current climate, I would be very hard pushed to get a post so I’d be potentially over qualified in something so specific that is of no use to any employer and back to square one 3-4 years later when I could be searching for other jobs and living my life now.
Friends and family keep saying things to me like ‘it’s a good way to ride out the recession’, ‘there’s no jobs going anyway, by the time you come out maybe things will have picked up’ and ‘it’s money’. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/advice from anyone, especially anyone who is or has been in the same position as me? I keep thinking If I don’t take it and can’t get a job I’ll always regret it and this will be my only chance to do a phd but to be honest I don’t even know if I really want one or I’m just doing it (as i’ve done with the masters) to give myself more time to figure out what I ‘really’ want or see what comes along. Help!

Only you can make the decision, as you'll have to live with it. I would say aside from the aspect of travel, my situation was exactly like yours three years ago and I could quite easily have written your post!!!

I really wanted a job but couldn't get one. I really wanted to do a PhD in a certain area but couldn't get funding for it but was offered funding for a set project (I applied through panic - I really needed the studentship money as I was in debt and wanted to get out of the cycle of unemployment and I took it because I felt we were in recession and it was only going to get worse). I took on the PhD and am nearing the end of the three years. For ME, it was the right decision as it allowed me to clear my debts and has allowed me to live more comfortably for three years. Doing the PhD itself, apart from some supervisor issues (trying to get feedback) proved to be far less stressful than I anticipated. I've never felt emotionally connected to the project but have viewed it as a job and just tried to get on with it.

I can see reasons as to why you should go travelling now and I can see reasons as to why you should do the PhD (mainly practical reasons like me and for the reasons suggested by your family). However, I'm a play safe kind of person (my nature which I cannot change) and that can make for a boring life and life is short...

I hope you make the right decision for you!

The opportunity to do just a year's travelling (i.e one chunk) was never practical for me for family reasons. I gather you and your boyfriend are all set up to go and by the time you finish your masters, you'll have been in education for 4/5 years (including undergrad).

I'm going against predictable advice and I'm going to say "Go for it, travel, enjoy the year of your life."

If you really want to do a Ph.D., have a look at what's available when you come back. I can vouch for the overqualified label (had to hide the PhD to get back into the real world) and you really should do a PhD because you really want to do it (i.e. an original programme of research where you find out something new, plus all the hard work that comes with it - god and bad you could say) and not because you've been coaxed in a particular direction.

I see your family and friends point about the PhD being a good way to see out the recession, however, I believe you should go into a PhD for the right reasons.

I did get to do litte bits of the world and (bar briefly knowing a fractious group of people in Northern India - which I found ways of breaking away from) I loved every minute of it. Life is too short and if it's now or never, make it now.

I did two bolgs / websites a while back:

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net

This is from my perspective what you face during a PhD.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/tibet/

My travels, plus photos (a bit eccentric and needs text-wise editing down).

It's your choice though at the end of the day.

I think Doctor_soul and Mackem_Beefy have made really good points and remember if you do decide to go travelling you can also do a PhD after you come back and it could even be a PhD more in line with your interests.

Do what makes you happy - that's the best advice you'll get, in my opinion.

;-)

Having read more or less all the replies to your query, I must say, I am absolutely gutted! The world is changing and may be you are young but old enough to see this surely. Why do you think you are so blessed to decide between two very different choices; spending time travelling and doing a doctorate, while most people of your age in the other parts of the world have to try their guts out to even think about anything like the options available to you? The answer is simple, you are still in a strong economy. But as I said, the things are changing. Four years ago, UK was the fourth largest economy in the world but today it's something like 9th. If you take your travel option on and come back in an year, you will find the UK perhaps in a far worse situation than that. Remember, education was completely free a few years ago and next year, kids will be paying 9000 pounds a year in most cases. Also when you come back you might find scholarships are no more but you have to pay for your PhDs, and... high unemployment. May be I am scaring you off, may be the picture is not that bleak, but not far off, missing a chance is not advisable under current climate. While doing your PhD, you could take a few months off and travel. May be you could do it once in every couple of years. Even if you didn't travel at all, it is only three more years, the world will still be there for you to enjoy!