What are the arrangements for office/desk space like in your department? Do you share a room and if so with how many? I share with two other PGs at the moment but will soon be sharing an open plan room with 18 other PGs. I wanted to check what position others are in before I start complaining! We are always told that we're lucky to have any office space because PGs at other universities don't have any. (I won't mention which university I'm studying at).

I must be lucky because my supervisors are both quite good at giving feedback. The last I got was within a month of submitting the chapter - written feedback which was also discussed at our meeting. I have a timetable planned for the PhD and it's agreed that we stick to it so I submit on time (hopefully! I've also found in the past that if you chase them up about stuff they'll get round to it. If you don't already have a timetable of some kind you could give it a try because then it looks bad on them if you keep to it and they don't! (Should mention I'm social sciences too). Good luck.

I took all of Christmas off! I think I deserve it for working hard the rest of the year. My PhD is realy important to me but I also want to keep my sanity!

That is so true. We call them anti social. It's probably because they've spent too much time locked away from the 'real' world. I never want to end up like that!

Hi Zelda. I'm lucky if I get a full hour and it's usually interrupted by people knocking on the door. Should've mentioned I'm social sciences too. Finding it all a bit traumatic at the moment. This guy is my new supervisor because my original one left for a job elsewhere. Hoping things get better or I'll be asking to change to someone else It really gets me down sometimes.

Sounds like he has some issues. I can't believe he said that to you. You have done well surviving that length of time with him. One of my supervisors is so arrogant. I've only had him for a couple of months. He spends most of his time looking at the monitor too. I think he does it to remind me that he's the important one in the room and I don't matter. He is also incapable of replying to emails which really annoys me. If it goes on for much longer I'll be asking for a new supervisor. I still have 2 years to go and don't think I can take much more. It's times like this that I realise I'm really on my own.

Completely sympathise with you because I'm in a similar situation. A year down the line and I still feel unsure what theories I will use and how it will be structured. I try to visualise what the end product will be and aim towards that! Good luck

Hi. Seems to be normal to worry. I'm a year into my PhD and I still sometimes feel this way. There was one week not long ago when I thought I was losing my mind. All the pressure really got to me. But it;s all part of the experience I suppose. When I'm feeling low I take time out from it all to reflect and remind myself that I will get there eventually and it will be worth it. Maybe counselling would help but I always find other postgrads are the best support. You usually find that they feel exactly the same as you and encounter the same problems along the way. Good luck and hang in there

Has anyone felt forced into presenting their PhD to colleagues in their department even though they don't feel ready? I do and I want to pull out but I'm scared it will look bad and might be held against me. I'm only a year into my PhD and don't think I have anything substantive to say yet. I'm not even clear on what theories I'll use. I'm scared if I do present they'll tear me to shreds. What should I do? I should also mention that I'm not someone who hates presentations or gets really nervous so that's not a reason for wanting to pull out.

Yes it is finally the weekend. Thank goodness! Happy hour here I come!

Hi. I agree with Albi. I've never had a supervisor I didn't get along with but if I did the first thing I would do would be to ask for someone different. Isn't this a possibility?

Time management is not my strong point. I'm in the same position as you. I really should sit down and plan out everything but instead I'm all over the place. I'm just plodding through at the moment believing I'll come out ok in the end!

Hey. I'm based in North Scotland too. What uni were you thinking of going to? I'm probably going to give a biased opinion because at the moment I'm completely fed up.

If you have a topic that you feel passionate about then I think doing a PhD is well worth it. But I think you have to compensate for everything else in life. I'm self funded so have a job and teach some classes during term. It takes so much motivation to work on the PhD at weekends and night when you know you could be doing other things.

Also, I started off wanting a job in academia but my experience so far hasn't been too positive. If it will help your career and you have a topic you're interested in then YES. If not, then I think its a big commitment that you might regret.

Hey. I know the feeling. I found my first meetings with supervisors quite scary. I'm now a year on in my PhD and my new supervisor has told me to go away and read other literature. Now I feel like the work I have done so far is a waste. But I try to stay positive. Plus, sometimes I think having a supervisor who is more structured, with high expectations, means that they keep you on the right track.

Sorry to hear that. It sounds awful. We have a student support service at our university which is supposed to help sort out any disputes. Maybe your university has something similar? Would it also not be possible to change supervisors if they are treating you like this? I hope you get it sorted.