Ive just handed in my notice at work!! I cant wait to start my PhD. Is anyone else this excited?? Does anyone have any good advice for a first year PhD student?

Hi. Yes I am very excited about doing PhD. Have you prepared anything? read journals etc? If not we are in the same boat.

I'm excited too, this is the first time I've admitted, thought I was just sad!

I am also waiting to fly from my country in asia to UK in 3 weeks I am excited but also worried abt how I will cope especially the weather

me too! (excited that is!) although a little worried about being cosidered a "moron"!

hey, i'm really really excited about starting my PhD too. am currently finishing off my hideously boring MSc dissertation so the thoughts of starting are something to look forward to !

To Barry B. I have started to prepare; but its just refreshing my knowledge of molecular/cellular biology. I have also re-read a few references that were given to me before my interview.
To all, dont feel that you are "sad" or a "moron" i think its great and we will need all of the enthusiasm we can get for the next 3 years according to others

True. Where you all doing your PhDs? Im at Leeds.

i'm actually quite scared! I;m scared that it might be alonely process and may not be good enough...i guess everyone has these fears in them!

Doing mine at Manchester

Hi. Im going to the Royal Veterinary College in London. I am also a little nervous and scared.

Read lots of abstracts and name drop a bit in the first week till you get up to speed ;o) Rememebing how to read science again after 6 months off is a chore and should be done gradually. Good luck everyone starting this autumn. It's a lot of fun, full of ups and downs...a lot like marriage actually...and after reading what some people do with their theses on this forum it seems like too good an analogy...

I'm off to Nottingham. And reena, I have exactly the same fears, so you're not alone ! My supervisors have given me a few papers to look at beforehand but a lot of it is rather hard, i'm doing a project that i've largely never touched on before. So it all adds to the excitement... and the fear !

Hey Heather, Im starting at the Royal Vet College too - have you got an actual start date yet?

I start in ten days time..so scared but looking forward to getting stuck in. Have done a bit of reading, but have a list of papers to look up and print out once I get access to the university's online journals!!