Hello all, (apologies rant ahead!).

I'm sitting here contemplating about my life following my PhD. Ok, I'm waiting on my viva at the moment, so I'm not exactly free of my PhD. Reading the PhD/job post, I'm wondering if I've made a big mistake with investing my savings into my postgraduate qualifications :( (with the exception of my PhD which was an ESRC CASE PhD studentship).

By 2011, I will have 5 degrees, 1 undergraduate degree and 4 postgraduate degrees (1 PhD, 2 MScs and 1 postgraduate certificate). My degrees are psychology related and each of my degrees reflect stage 1 or the starting point for a career in a specialist psychology field in order to broaden my options with a career in psychology (either clinical and/or health psychology speciality). I have also worked in various assistant psychology positions and research associate and research assistant posts alongside my study (so not all studying!). My dream career would be a split career path ie chartered psychologist (in either clinical/and or health psychology)alongside research (with my PhD)- so postgraduate degrees are animportant pre-requisite I guess!

I'm 29 with only about 8k worth of savings, no debts, no job, a partner who has no intentions of getting married or buying a house and I'm currently living at home with my dad and brothers.

Given the current climate, I'm wondering if I have made a big mistake!:( (especially as I've already received feedback that I'm over qualified for some jobs!) I'm feeling a bit glum as I know people I went to school with are married, with children, with good jobs and with their own house/flat.

I'm aware the above is probably a case of 'grass is greener'. I can only hope that all the sacrifice and effort I've put into my pre chartered psychologist journey materialises into something! I know drawing comparisons is probably not helpful to anyone, but I can't help it! On the flip side, I have friends in my life who have explicitly stated they wish they could have the things I have so I'm aware that I'm probably walking on a fine line of coming across as ungrateful (I'm not ungrateful at all, I've just had a few lucky breaks!).

Anyone else experience anything similar?

:(

Not even remotely similar... contemplate all you like, but 4 degrees and a certificate by the age of 29 is a hell of an achievement and it's definitely worth a sh*tload of respect! There will be jobs out there that fit your interests, and with a profile like yours (degrees and good work experience)... ever thought of starting your own practice part-time?

Hi Pineapple,

I can empathise with the wondering whether it was worth it feeling. Especially as doing a PhD essentially means signing away your twenties (if that's when you do it) and missing out on the stage where everyone else seems to be settling down and getting well paid jobs. I also look at my friends and the fact that they can go on holiday, are starting families etc. But 29 is still very young and so many people are just starting out at our age.

Plus you have amazing qualifications which will help you in the long term, even if right now things may be difficult. And if I "only" had 8 k in savings I would be dancing from the rooftops! In fact if I was only 8 k in personal debt I would be laughing! Even having any savings must put you in the top few percent of wealthiest postgrad students.

So I undertstand how you are feeling and you totally have the right to feel like that. but just enjoy the fact that it's over (almost) and who knows what the future will bring. Good luck!

Hi Pineapple,

as you are waiting for your viva, it is understandable that you think things like: is it all worth it? Did I do the right thing? See the others around me, they seemed to have made better choices etc.

However, I am not sure whether these types of thoughts are going to bring you very much. I am in a similar situation, waiting for my viva (still do not know the exact date), and I am sure that other choices in my life may have been "better". Yet, I try actively not to think about these issues at the moment, as I cannot change anything about these choices. On the contrary, for me, thinking too much about these issues only makes me feel insecure. As such I try to concentrate on the viva, try to have a structured approach to preparing, re-read a lot etc. Once I have managed to pass the viva, I may concentrate again on other things. Perhaps it is a male feature just to concentrate on one thing at the time, yet for me that works best.

Head up, you have got good qualifications, now to look at the viva, how you pass it and how you will celebrate that!:-)

Rick - males are lucky in that way.

Pineapple - i feel exactly the same way. we're exactly the same save for the fact that you have a boyfriend. i have none. :-( and the thought or relearning the dating game is doing my head in. plus.. i have no savings. have a 500 pounds debt. ( i know its small but its still debt. :-( )

Phdtodo - i was always felt that i was signing away my twenties... now i feel very doomed. in reality i regret the social implications, but when i look back am glad i never married anyone i met up til this moment. that would have been a bad mistake.

Rick - i will try your method to keep my sanity. lol.

Pineapple..have some faith..u r qualified and maybe once you get the final big one things would turn up (up) :-) maybe I sound too positive but we need to keep our smiles for the interviews right?

I'm in a similar place, similar field but not with those qualifications or work experience (10 yrs since I started my uni education & a family along the way). So, I think probably we should just concentrate on the viva and perhaps the job applications as well.

Time answers lot of questions. sometime we have to suffer to gain the good (oops..this sounds bad,anyway..)

I had similar thoughts the other day, when I found out about a friend getting pregnant. Which made me feel such a slow starter as I'm the same age as them, I've only just started my first proper job, and yet they've already worked for many years, on the property ladder and starting families. And then I reminded myself that this is what I chose to do because I like research, and everyone's life works out differently.

I read an article about happiness the other day and read this quote: "happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have", or something along this line. So I guess that explains how you felt comparing yourself to your friends, and vice versa.

Like others have pointed out, having all these qualifications at your age is great achievement! It shows that you have the brains and the motivation to work towards your goals and get what you want. I'm sure your career will work out fine! Good luck!