Signup date: 15 Jan 2017 at 2:49pm
Last login: 16 Jan 2017 at 12:51pm
Post count: 3
Hello everyone, I've just joined, so please be friendly,
I'm approaching what would be my second semester of my PhD. In my first my supervisor instructed me to complete another module on top of three other compulsory modules, which added 3 hours contact time and another 3 hours of study time on top of my week. He also insisted I conduct all exploratory research for two papers he was writing. On top of this he expected me to carry on with my own reading for my own PhD topic and produce results on par with spending full time hours on it. Despite repeatedly telling him I had too much on and couldn't cope, he continued insisting I "find time". When finally I didn't deliver the research for his paper on time, he emailed me implying I was ungrateful for the opportunities he had given me. In response I sought advice from the Doctoral Student Life department at uni, who confirmed he was out of line in making me do his research, and that I would be advised to swap supervisors. I emailed him explaining what I had been advised, and that I would not be able to complete ANY work outside of my compulsory modules, and the extra module he had insist I take, until the beginning of next term. This also included work on my own thesis. Despite this he has emailed me asking to meet up so I can 'show him the reading and research I have been doing' and I now again have this panicky sinking feeling of knowing that he is expecting a ton of work that I simply haven't had any time to do, and that he hasn't listened to me at all. I am not trying to be a precious snow flake, but I am also not willing to work more than full time of this. I am reluctant to swap as he is the best in his field - however I am only studying his field because he told me to in the beginning, I do not have a particular interest in it. Please be nice and don't call me lazy, I honestly am not. But I also have not stopped working over Christmas, and today is the first day I have sat down and actually had a day off. Perhaps I am just not cut out for academia.
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