i dont know if you can live comfortably on a stipend!?

it was at a dieticians conference and the guy gave me about 10 packets(!!!) and said 'try these (not sure if this was directed at me specifically or for patients!) there new and very effective. '

a jar of honey

laxatives!?

i had a similar problem with endsleigh not playing out, in that thier policy stated doors had to be locked, except mine was lack but had been unlocked by said 'robber' with the key (where from i dont know) and thus they said there was no evidence it had been locked so wouldnt pay out. i also found in their small print there were so many clauses it was better off going with a non student insurer. and often parents household cover will cover you too.

i got chucked off my nhs dentists list because i couldnt pay the £300 it was going to cost ( i literally didnt have a enough for rent never mind teeth) , and i argued they could fix the problem for less!!!

KFC? yuk!

i dont think its ever to early to get the basics down, that said i wrote a looong lit review and intros to chapters early on but then it all changed... so it was a waste of time. if your certain that what your writing is what the final project will be on then i would start as early as possible. especially if upgrade is on 4 months as your topic is unlikey to change before then, but beware they may suggest a change of direction!

i was discussing the use of titles with some friends (phd and non phd) and their answers made me laugh. Ones without said if i used it would be a snob and except special treatment and it would make others uncomfortable. but why should me doing all this work make others uncomfortable.. and surely thats what the title is for? i dont understand why we need to dumb down what we have done not to offend others?

i usually say i will be off and my sup calls me lazy or mumbles something i cant write! he really does seem to think that in 3 years you should have zero holidays at all. he even begrudged me having 3 days off at xmas. i did once point out to him that if i was an international student there seems to be no issue of them having 2/3 weeks off in our lab to go home. even though technically within the uk it takes me 8 hrs to get home. where is the logic there!?

running keeps me sane through this phd game!! no matter how tired i am i feel so much better after a good run!

i had a smililar problem, i spent 9 months solid trying to get an assay to work which my sup insisted was essential etc etc, only to find after i got the primers etc to work he then when and did the expeiment i was going to do for my phd, and published it using the assay i had developed. nice. is there no one you can talk to, after all sometimes things just DONT work in science.

i friend of mine is mrc funded and was told if she left she would have to pay back the last month if she left just after being (i.e knowingly getting that month then leaving, but no way would it be the whole three years funding!

i dont and never have done work for the group?! its not expected (im a science based phd)

what would you do if he did admit to feeling something?

i wont be getting any before i submit i doubt because my results have been mainly negative even though i have masses and masses of data. no one has indicated to me i wont pass with no publications.