My experiences as a PhD student

becky170

Hey,

I've started writing a blog about my life as a PhD student to provide some light entertainment for other PhD students (and everyone else!). Most PhD students go through the same experiences at some point in their PhD, so it's always good to know that there are other people out there suffering as well! Anyway feel free to have a look.......

I've decided to call it a day on the blog, but PM to share your PhD woes

Bec

kte

Hey Bec, thought I'd say hi...one PhD student to another...I'll take a look at your blog...

celyn90

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1030

These guys sum it up for me.

becky170

I love the phdcomics as well! They do sum up life as a PhD student really well

melancholly

"I've seen an advert for a PhD project in my lab. I think I'm going to have to hide when people come for interview, because I don't what to answer any awkward questions about my experience in the lab. It would be hard to bite my tongue and not say 'don't do it, go somewhere else!'."
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

"To be honest I already work on most weekends, it's just that my supervisor is never there to see me working. "

just wanted to say that i feel your pain...... i was in at 7.30 am yesterday and by 4.30 needed to go home and have a sleep to feel human again. i was made to feel guilty for leaving, even though no-one else was in before 11am to even see me.......

edit - this phd comic is one of my favourites and seems pretty apt for you:
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=970

becky170

melancholly that phdcomic was spot on.....it made me laugh! The phone call from someone more important really hit the nail on the head

kte

"Deciphering Academese
'The data agreed quite well with the predicted model' = if you turn the page upside down and squint it doesn't look too different
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=405

Love it! Thanks celyn90

celyn90

You blog is great - I feel your pain too :rotfl: Do I work with you?

melancholly wrote: »

"I've seen an advert for a PhD project in my lab. I think I'm going to have to hide when people come for interview, because I don't what to answer any awkward questions about my experience in the lab. It would be hard to bite my tongue and not say 'don't do it, go somewhere else!'."
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Last time we had a visitor come to talk to us he asked me what hours Dr Jeckyll expected - I just shook my head, looked at the floor and pointed to the sleeping bag on my desk. No sense of humour some people. Never seen the colour drain out of somoeone's face so fast.

(I had lent it to someone at work and they had given it back that morning)

Realistically I do a 12 h day 6 days a week minimum and still get told I'm not working hard enough as I should only need 4 hrs sleep. :eek:

12 weeks and I'm outta here

I think the worst thing is that nobody actually listens to you even if you do say that your lab is scary - because they always think they know better. Nobody warned me I would end up working for someone that made Hannibal Lecter look like a nice bloke.

We actually have a lab voodoo doll. It has syringes stuck in it. I'll see if I can get a picture up later.

bigdavieh

If any of you really need to work as hard as you say then I don't think you were cut out for a Ph.D in the first place. 9-5, Monday to Friday, and you can be finished in three years no problem.

NicolaJH_2

You sound like you're in a similar situation to me a couple of years ago. I finished my PhD in four years submitting about this time last year and then having my viva at the end of August. I didn't enjoy my PhD and am now pursuing a totally different career. Just persevere with the writing up, you'll get there in the end, I know it doesn't feel like it at times but you will.

becky170

bigdavieh wrote: »

If any of you really need to work as hard as you say then I don't think you were cut out for a Ph.D in the first place. 9-5, Monday to Friday, and you can be finished in three years no problem.

Well I think that depends on what subject you do your PhD in. If you are doing a non-lab based PhD or a lab based computer/genetics etc it is possbile to do a 9 til 5, but when you are doing cell based research where you need to do time courses and week long experiments then 9-5 monday-friday isn't really realistic. I only know one person who finished in her three years and she defintely worked weekend and long evenings. But if you're just (or did) doing a 5 day week 9-5 then that's great, everyone's PhD is different and every university/department expects different things of their students In my department most people are at the end of their fourth year before they finish and most work weekends, but I wouldn't say none of us are cut out for doing a PhD, it's just what is expected in our department.

Thanks for all the words of support, I really do appreciate it. I hope your Viva goes well NicolaJH, and celyn90 I hope your last 12 weeks are productive