Is your supervisor approachable? I suggest you talk to them about this.

Yeah this happened to me too and still does a little but I had to tell him to back off and let me get on with things. Obviously he didn't really like me telling him that but our supervisor-student relationship has been better since we can openly discuss things and say whats on our mind. We have had a few arguments but we've managed to overcome it and he remains supportive.

Economic Left/Right: -4.62
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.90

Sorry yet another person in the same quadrant as Ghandhi and everyone else here it seems!

PhDs really do get in the way of relationships don't they? We all seem to have had some bad experiences and I can totally relate. My boyf split up with me earlier this year because he wanted to stay in his home country (which isn't the same country I'm doing my PhD) and I said I would join him after I finished my PhD but he wasn't prepared to wait. I guess if they are the right person then they would want to stay together no matter what?

Also had my laptop stolen last month when my flat was burgled and I was kicking myself for not being insured. The burglars had got in through an open bathroom window at night and my flatmate was asleep in his room at the time! Would insurers have paid out though if I had been insured??

I took three weeks in June to go Oz. I was really worried about taking that much time off and dreaded asking the boss but he was absolutely fine with it. Everyone needs a decent break away from their PhD. BUT be warned... although I felt refreshed the first week back.. within two weeks, I'm feeling very isolated and depressed being stuck in the lab/office again. That three weeks of freedom has just made me crave more!

In my first year, my boss gave me a deadline to have my introduction written, which I've done. Now in my second year, he's given me a deadline to have a chapter written. This is the one good thing my boss has done for me because I want to finish my Phd within three years, and the thought of leaving it all til the end terrifies me! I think it's a great idea to write up as you go along although some of your chapters and your introduction may need adapting, atleast the bulk of it is there.