Oh dear! I'm an undergraduate and I'm certainly not rude or arrogant and I hope I'm not too demanding. I get just as annoyed as lecturers when people are noisy in classes and I fully support the tough stance that some of them take. I also find it infuriating when people don't bother to go to lectures or prepare for seminars, I remember going to one seminar before Christmas and I was the only student who bothered to turn up! To be honest if I go to lectures,do the required reading(or at least some of it) then I find I don't need to ask for too much help when it comes to essays.

But, there is another side to this. I've got seven essays to do this year, some of them were handed in before Christmas and I won't get any of the marks back before the last one is due to be handed in after Easter. That means if I am going wrong somewhere I won't know about it until it's too late to do anything about it and my whole year's marks may be affected. I handed one essay in last week and received an e-mail yesterday from the marker saying that we shouldn't expect any marks until the end of May as he's so busy with international teaching etc. Well I'm sorry but I'm paying for this, the Uni states that essays should have a turn around of four weeks-in reality it's at least ten.

In my opinion this is because we just have too many students,class sizes are way too big and the only individual attention we get is via e-mail and through essay feedback-perhaps this explains why some students seem demanding.

Oh dear-confession time:$

I'm also watching One Born Every Minute-daughter No 1 is a midwife-how on earth does she put up with it?

For totally pointless TV, I love 24-Jack Bauer rules. Daughter No 3 and I are totally hooked on Roadwars,I have an inappropriate crush on Simon and daughter just loves Yorkie and Dixie. How sad are we:-(

Hi Eska,

I'd stick with the cat-or a dog(up)

Over the years I've changed from a hopeless romantic to a hardened cynic where relationships are concerned because I've observed so many dysfunctional partnerships. I've also been a part of 2.

I decided some time ago that I'd be much better off on my own and that has proved to be the case. A little part of me still wants the Knight in shining armour to arrive, but it's unlikely now as women become invisible past the age of 50!!

Don't get me wrong, there are a few exceptions in my circle of family/friends, but generally I listen to all the problems, pick up the pieces and provide the shoulder to cry on whilst mentally giving a huge sigh of relief that I don't have to put up with all this stress anymore;-)

Hi JillW,

You are certainly not too old!!

I'm a 53 and doing a first undergraduate degree, and at no time apart from first day nerves have I ever felt too old! Although most of my peers are 20ish, they have been very welcoming, so I'm sure that PhD students will be even more so.

I have posted on this forum as one of my module leaders suggested that a question I put to him should be turned into my dissertation with a view to doing a PhD later. One of the students that this guy is currently supervising is 77! So my experience so far re age has been very positive. Just got to get myself a first!!

I am a regular 'lurker' on here in order to find out what PhD life might be like and despite my course buddies being very accepting of me, I think I probably have more in common in terms of mindset and determination with those on here-which is why I keep coming back!

Go ahead and enjoy!!

Hi Mark.
A friend of mine had the most terrible fear of flying,it became a real problem as her family and partner were abroad and driving for 4 days to reach them wasn't really an option. The only way she could get on a plane was to get drunk-not pleasant. It all came to a head when she had to spend several days in bed after a particularly bad flight and I suspect she had alcoholic poisoning, I'm not talking the usual hangover scenario here.

Her partner bought her a course of hypnosis, we were all very sceptical as this was not a fear,it was the most debilitating phobia. The hypnosis involved her imagining she was in a place that was very special to her whenever she became panicky and this helped to calm her down. Yes, she had to get on a plane as part of the course, but the first time it didn't move,she just had to sit on it,the next time it just moved along the runway and so gradually and in stages she realised she could do it.

The course worked and she now flies regularly and with ease; she'd still rather not fly, but  she can cope. I would certainly think again about having hypnosis,you have nothing to lose and the whole world to gain. I hope you are able to overcome this, just think of the prize.

Hi everyone-I hope you don't mind me joining in as a mere undergraduate:$

I've been lurking around for a  couple of weeks as I'm considering a Phd, although that's a long way off yet.

Two things have struck me whilst reading the forums;1. a Phd won't be an easy option and 2. what a lovely bunch you seem to be-so supportive of each other.

I'm doing things the wrong way round,am extremely old(compared to you!) having had many years experience in my field. Always wanted to do a degree; the time was right, life's too short etc etc. So, here I am and loving every minute and whilst my undergrad buddies have been lovely and very welcoming, I find I don't have a great deal in common. I've long since passed the party for England phase of my life and I couldn't if I wanted to as I still have a daughter at home and a mortgage to pay:-(
I'm very serious about my degree,I'm passionate about my subject and I can't afford to fail-financially or otherwise.
A chance question to a lecturer led to him suggesting that as a subject for a dissertation building in a proposal for a Phd. I had been thinking that I would like to carry on but can't quite believe it could be that easy and not sure I want to commit myself at this stage-which is why I've been lurking around trying to find out as much as possible-so thankyou for all the insights.

Happy New Year and good luck to you all.