Hi everyone,

I'm currently applying for an MA in International Relations, after I complete it I will probably look for work, but being Dr Dann80 does tempt my vanity. Anyway I've noticed how stressed a lot of PhD students are here, to the point where they're collapsing or feel depressed, and worthless and want to quit.

My question is this, isn't your whole life going to be this stressful? I mean when you complete you're PhD you are presumably going to be doing jobs that involve doing the same standard of work, maybe with even tighter deadlines. Or does is become easier as you gain confidence in your ability and you get used to producing the same standard of work?

Just a thought, I'd be interested in your opinions on the matter

Cheers

Dann80

"Anyway I've noticed how stressed a lot of PhD students are here, to the point where they're collapsing or feel depressed, and worthless and want to quit."

That's a good observation.

Life after PhD? Even thinking about it adds to the stress immensely, so I don't think about it. Thinking about this question is potentially painful and may trigger feelings of hopelessness and even desperation. On the contrary, not thinking about this fundamental question at least leaves us with a tiny bit of hope that things will, in fact, get easier.

I think you're absolutely right - a career in academia may well be like a life-long PhD - only worse :-X

Oh, can't say I was expecting that reaction! Thanks for your replies, and apologies if it offended anyone. Re-reading it, it was a tad insensitive,

Dann80

You are right, this business is stressful, but that stress is balanced with one of the best jobs in the world.

It is a damn hard journey and there are very few spots for where most of us want to be. However, the sort of people that make it are tough, smart and have the tenacity of a cockroach. The downside to this is that some people get burned and fall by the wayside. Good people that would have done well anywhere else.

That is my motto borrowed from Louis Pastuer: 'My strength lies solely in my tenacity'. Without that I'd be toast. I've often wondered to myself - should it really be this tough?

i guess that if you manage to get a post-PhD-job, then at least you will be paid for your work. as a PhD student you get insult added to injury in that although you are working hard and stressed, you don't get rewarded and your work does not get acknowledged. (ok that's an over-generalisation, i hope you get my point)

although you might be doing nearly exactly the same things day in and out, it's just a better feeling to be able to tell your friends and relatives that you are working, have a job, that somebody is paying you to do what you were educated to do, what you have studied so long to do. somebody is acknowledging your work (at least with money). then it can't be totally useless, can it?

you can always quite academia after the PhD. no one said all PhDs have to be academics. one of my friends' mum got a PhD in Engineering and she is a full time house wife; and has been since she completed her PhD. am considering taking a year out and doing an admin job post phd before i think of the way forward. i could be a hairdresser for all you know. there is more to life.

Your life will be more stressful if you are bossed around by people with PhDs. Or you cannot get that promotion because someone with a PhD got it, or one day you suddenly find out that you still need a PhD and you are already 50...

It is probably because most of the people posting are feeling depressed and those who are ok don't post...yes it is stressfull, yes it is hard but most of us (well students around me at least) are still liking it... I don't always enjoy the pressure but I like the research part and the goal of understanding better a certain topic or problem...nobody is forcing us to do phd...we should be doing this first for ourselves!!!
there should be a post "happy phd"

Hi Sy - it is interesting that you say that there should be a post called 'Happy PhD' - I seem to recall that I started a thread like that a couple of weeks ago and got attacked for being so "insensitive"!!! I think that people on this forum only want to hear the negative all the time because that is their mindset - and that is the problem - if you let everything stress you out, then yes, you will be stressed out for life... simple as that!

Anyway I'm going back to lurking... it's safer

i could not think of anything better at this stage if not my precious security coat ; my one and only PHD....its a blessing: Never circum to despair or cynicism: Barack Obama
Go guys, they all just jealous not all people can do a PHD it takes determination, bravery and guts, and we have it what it atkes:))))