Hi! I've just been offered a PhD in Scotland, so I'm thrilled about that! Especially after years of trying. The only problem is, the place is kinda remote, and I'm not sure that I'll really enjoy myself there. The topic is great and interesting, but I really need to have a life, too. Has anybody got any opinions on what I should do?

I'm not sure if you noticed but 99% of PhD student's don't have a life for the duration of the PhD. Although some may argue that you can have both-I doubt it. It's definitely not comparable to Master or UG studies.

If you want the PhD, then don't care about a remote location. Just go for it (IMO)..

especially as you said 'after years of trying'. You might never get the chance again

when you first go to a remote place to study, it is awful - you feel so cut off and isolated from civilisation. after some time though (perhaps several months), im sure you will learn to love it - remote places are charming in their own special way, but you wouldnt necessarily want to visit once you leave!

So in the long run(PhD's are quite long!), going Scotland to do this PhD, which you obviously want and deserve, may well be the right choice to make.

Thanks for the replies 8) I realise there's so much work to do in a PhD, and so I'd get little time to myself anyway. But I'm concerned that if I feel physically trapped, it'll counter my enthusiasm. Also, and especially when the PhD gets to me (as it does to everyone, so I hear!), it'll be so much healthier to have people my age to talk to. I'm not sure that'll be the case.

I'm erring heavily towards going, though, cos as you say - I might never get another chance

Sim, you sound as though you've experienced what I'm about to. Do you mind if I ask where you went, and how you felt about it at the time?

Scotland is that remote, unless your phd is with the Highlands & Islands (I know folks who work for them & doing their PhDs). I am orginally from Scotland, so it isn't that remote in the major cities, Gla is good for Shopping, Edin (my home town) for culture, abdn for drinking (spent 5 happy years there), Dundee...some has to go there, Stirling lovely campus!

I did my undergrad in aberystwyth (sea-side town in Wales). I went there to get away from the city for a while (im from London). the adjustment period was veeeeeery long, during which i felt very lonely. But eventually, i found happiness in the form of really good friends (and it does take time to form actual friendships), and i started to warm to the town itself.

Its true that abersytwyth doesnt offer nearly as much as a city -there are plenty of things that serve as a constant reminder e.g. lack of music scene, lack of culture, only one woolworths! - but there are a small number of things that aberystwyth does offer, that a city doesnt (e.g. sunsets on the beach right on ur doorstep, cleaner air, rolling hills for as far as the eye can see). And its these things that make you think..."this is s***, but its not so bad"

Does that answer your question? or do you want me to be more specific?

Aberystwyth, eh? I did my Masters in Bangor, which I think is probably about the same size. That wasn't too bad, because at least there were lots of people there - well, at least enough to provide some hustle and bustle. I'm from London too, and where I'm going (Millport) is tiny, and on an island. A big change, even from Bangor.

Fifi - are you at all familiar with Millport? I know it's near to Glasgow, but "near" isn't the same as "in" lol. In fact, in this case, far from it :s

I'm just very concerned the loneliness will get to me.

Ah yes Miliport, where Glasgow ppl go for sunshine! I have found location matters if you want it to matter. Visiting the place for a few days, and see how you find it, if it seems to isolated and remote don't go. I live in Lufbra now, it is a small town but I have Nottingham, Leicester & Derby all near by if I want them.

Sim- I went to Lampeter, 30 miles from Aber - you were the big city for us!!!

lol! Aber.."the big city" i see what you mean though, Lampeter is tiny, apparently

i00t2000 - I guess my situation was different to your's, eh.

There a few ex-Abers in my dept, so I hear lots of jokes about the place!

See! Aber's awesome! In Millport, there will be _> Who will I connect with? 8`(

In all seriousness - that kinda scares me. It's killing me, cos I really wanna do a PhD, and this MAY be my only chance (I've got another couple of applications in at the moment, and I'm in the process of applying for a DREAM PhD in New Zealand)... But what's the point if a lack of people my age to speak to is going to depress me? 3 years is a long time.

Just making a correction cos something went weird there... top line:

in Millport, less than 200 people aged 15 - 35...