Sometimes when I google search, I can occasionally jump into some blogs maintained by PhD students. Some of them talk about the frustration with experiments, some talk about current issues, and many other stuff.

I think it's a good way to get through all the stress associated with PhD......don't you think so?

Sometimes when I google search, I can occasionally jump into some blogs maintained by PhD students. Some of them talk about the frustration with experiments, some talk about current issues, and many other stuff.

I think it's a good way to get through all the stress associated with PhD......don't you think so?

It's hard to choose the "dream" supervisor. You may want to work with someone at the beginning, but may then change your mind after some time in lab. Good luck!

(1) Work on a project (or several mini-projects) that is (are) assigned by your supervisor. This may be a follow-up project of another colleague, or a project with very slow progress because the person who's working on it has other committment.

Pros: You don't have to start from scratch; perhaps get 1 or 2 collaborative papers (of course your won't be the first author!)
Cons: The project may not be your real interest, and you have "wasted" your valuable time to be the labour of your supervisor.

(2) Work on your own idea (if you have any in your 1st year or before PhD).

Pros: Since it's your idea, you'll be more committed and dedicated to the project; get first-author good paper if you're lucky enough;

Cons: May get less support from peers if you're working on topics "outside" the expertise of the lab; more risky in terms of time...

How do you begin your PhD project?

I think PhD students in a bigger lab (like where I'm now, with 20+ people, mostly post-docs) tend to work closely with a small group of people, rather than working on his/her own project.

Do you think it's true?

my supervisor used to take weeks....

I just bought a MacBookPro.......1000GBP

I have to prepare a short presentation...

Sounds exactly like my supervisor too (and I'm very similar to you)! I think this is the difference between supervisor and student. If you move on to pursue an academic career, I think you may act like your supervisor at some point...

Has anyone here ever used e-notebook to keep the experiment records?

not only ebay, also facebook, and my numerous mailboxes!

Supervisors were once PhD students.......
they are not PhD students anymore, and there's often an age gap.
We're peers, and should support each other!

True, and your supervisor may spot some errors in your paper too!
(My supervisor did spot couple mistakes in my manuscript...)

Start losing interest in doing research.
I don't feel excited or motivated to think about science...
All I want now is to finish the damn 3-year PhD!

I'm going to do experiments everyday (when the equipment is available) for this entire month.

I think I'll get sick of what I'm doing for the past few months in May.

I think if my supervisor see such an email sent by me, he will immediately phone me