I have just completed my 1st year in graduate school and I feel really demotivated and fristrated in my current situation. My PhD project is not well-defined and my supervisor doesnt seem interested in research at all . Initially at the time of lab rotation I was stuck with my current lab as an option only ,a decision which I now regret . My supervisor has not discussed my project plan with me even once but only asks me to come up with my entire hypothesis ,work plan ,methodology etc etc . Two previous fellows had left the lab before I had joined and my only senior in lab (into his 4th year ) is also demotivated ,has lost interested in his project altogether as it is stuck without any positive results .He has no publications yet .I fear that my interest for research is diminishing day by day in my current lab as I find no direction or motivation in my work . All my batchmates have made significant progress in the projects assigned to them by their guides ,I feel I am lagging behind :( . I currently have 3 options : I have fellowships via which I can join other research labs and start fresh or I can switch labs in my current institute or I can continue to struggle in my current lab praying that somethig might work someday for me. Chosing the 1st option will result in a year loss :( and switching labs in my current institute is a complex situation altogether . Any advices on what to do ... I was thinking of applying abroad for PhD but the application process itself may take a year to complete ?? Any advices .... :(

Remember a PhD is supposed to be your own work, so it's not unusual for your supervisor to ask you to design your own project. If you are struggling to do this, ask them for more advice, or whether there is someone else you can ask for assistance.