Hi, I'm new to this forum and have been reading a few of the threads and it seems really helpful, really in a bit of a pickle at the minute and don,t know what to do so would really appreciate some advice/thoughts.
I am currently a Masters student and applied for a studentship going at my University on a set interdisciplinary topic (English and Music) not expecting to get it (my tutor encourage me to apply as I had the relevant musical knowledge required, my degree is in english). I have now been offered the three years DEL funding and I really can't decide what to do.
Firstly, my plan was after I had finished my masters to go travelling with my boyfriend for a year, its something we've both wanted to do for so long now and have kept putting off and if i do this thats another 3-4 years potentially 'wasted', whilst i'm only 22 and would be coming out of my phd at 26 I propbably will not have the money to travel then (i have some put by at the minute) and will have to start looking for jobs straight away.
Secondly-the set topic is something I’ve never written on before, and whilst it’s not a million miles away from my research interests it would be something new that I’ve never looked at, although looking into it I think it would be interesting and I would enjoy it (I've also met the supervisor who seems so nice and has even agreed to help me come up with a dissertation on the topic for my masters as way of an introduction to it)
Thirdly-I found out only one other person applied for the studentship as it’s so specific which is even making me question my capability to do it (I didn’t get one of the coveted studentships for my own research idea, probably the uni are just so keen to avail of this funding opportunity I feel sort of co-erced into it)
Finally, and most importantly I really don’t know if I want to pursue a career in academia and even if I did judging from my research and the current climate, I would be very hard pushed to get a post so I’d be potentially over qualified in something so specific that is of no use to any employer and back to square one 3-4 years later when I could be searching for other jobs and living my life now.
Friends and family keep saying things to me like ‘it’s a good way to ride out the recession’, ‘there’s no jobs going anyway, by the time you come out maybe things will have picked up’ and ‘it’s money’. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/advice from anyone, especially anyone who is or has been in the same position as me? I keep thinking If I don’t take it and can’t get a job I’ll always regret it and this will be my only chance to do a phd but to be honest I don’t even know if I really want one or I’m just doing it (as i’ve done with the masters) to give myself more time to figure out what I ‘really’ want or see what comes along. Help!