PhD support group?

talksalot81

magyar wrote:

Hello, just want to say hi and maybe join this little group of long-essay doctors (as my wife calls it, to distinguish me from proper doctors...)

Finished a PhD in 1999 (having started in 1993!) and share most of the emotions/experiences on here.

Best of luck to everyone

Never liking to point it out, but your so called 'proper' doctors are almost entirely anything but that. Most of them are HONOURARY doctors in so much as they have not gained a doctorate. A proper doctor is one who has a doctorate, a doctor without a doctorate is merely a medic!

magyar

Ah! Always my line, too!

hostie

Thank you BiggestAl it is very very reassuring to read that you have a similar experience to me. I just feel that I am not using my time effectively. I have been busy though, and I did have to go on a trip abroad to collect information that was useful if more administrative than academic... It still feels strange to have done so little. I haven´t even reached the stage you are at of finalising research questions. I haven´t even finished my literary survey. I keep thinking that I am going to get a big spree and suddenly work really hard again. Hopefully tomorrow. Anyway thank you for posting.

Hi to Maygar. Welcome. It is nice to have peope who completed as an inspiration!

magyar

I'm afraid I'm not a very good example. Timetable went along the lines of
Y1: 'learnt some of the ropes' and did a year's work that essentially got thrown away
Y2: about four months of really productive work and more work thrown away
Y3: repeat at lot of work from Y1 and 2 because now realise it was rubbish
Y4 (1st 3 months): write up 90% of thesis
Y4 (next 9 months + remaining 2 years): finish up last 10%.

So I reckon a total of 1 year in 5 was genuinely productive, but of course without the rest being thrown away, I wouldn't have achieved that... Some people, although I don't think many, work steadily throughout three years and just write up at the end. But most people seem to follow a pattern somewhere like mine.

Keep plugging at it!

hostie

Thanks magyar, that is peculiarly reassuring!

XOO

Hi,
I finished my 3rd year on the 30th Nov. I have spent the last 3yrs in teh lab working on palaeoclimatology. It has been a tough time, I lost a baby, my parents have been in and out of hospital and I have 3 children and a husband who works full time and is studying for his BSc Part time. I am now at home to write up, my funding has finished and we are £600 down a month. I usually get my studentship payment on the 5th working day of the month, and it is now that time and I am wondering how to tighten the purse strings to manage. I have actually suspended, so I am not having to pay the £350 fees per month. Well until Sept that is and I hope to be finished by then if radiocarbon dates don't take too long
One thing I did invest in in my last 2 weeks was a NUS card. Although it cost £10, I am hoping it will save me some money in the long run. I saved £1 yesterday in HMV on a xmas pressie, and 81p in Outdoor leisure!

I have been unwell the past week and I am finding it hard to want to do anything, half of me is saying relax, get back into it in teh New year, the other half of me is feeling guilty for not doing anything. I think I need to decide one way or another, and if I do have the time off, then I will put everything away.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a quick reply!!
Sue

Heth_2

XOO wrote:

Hi,
I finished my 3rd year on the 30th Nov. I have spent the last 3yrs in teh lab working on palaeoclimatology. It has been a tough time, I lost a baby, my parents have been in and out of hospital and I have 3 children and a husband who works full time and is studying for his BSc Part time. I am now at home to write up, my funding has finished and we are £600 down a month. I usually get my studentship payment on the 5th working day of the month, and it is now that time and I am wondering how to tighten the purse strings to manage. I have actually suspended, so I am not having to pay the £350 fees per month. Well until Sept that is and I hope to be finished by then if radiocarbon dates don't take too long
One thing I did invest in in my last 2 weeks was a NUS card. Although it cost £10, I am hoping it will save me some money in the long run. I saved £1 yesterday in HMV on a xmas pressie, and 81p in Outdoor leisure!

I have been unwell the past week and I am finding it hard to want to do anything, half of me is saying relax, get back into it in teh New year, the other half of me is feeling guilty for not doing anything. I think I need to decide one way or another, and if I do have the time off, then I will put everything away.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a quick reply!!
Sue

Good luck Sue, it does sound like you've had a really tough time. Where are you doing your phd? There are some people in my office doing paleoclimate stuff as well. Make sure you do take a proper break sometime over the next few weeks and don't feel bad about it (which I know is really hard). A good break will probably make you more productive in the long term.

misskool

XOO wrote:

Hi,
I finished my 3rd year on the 30th Nov. I have spent the last 3yrs in teh lab working on palaeoclimatology. It has been a tough time, I lost a baby, my parents have been in and out of hospital and I have 3 children and a husband who works full time and is studying for his BSc Part time. I am now at home to write up, my funding has finished and we are £600 down a month. I usually get my studentship payment on the 5th working day of the month, and it is now that time and I am wondering how to tighten the purse strings to manage. I have actually suspended, so I am not having to pay the £350 fees per month. Well until Sept that is and I hope to be finished by then if radiocarbon dates don't take too long
One thing I did invest in in my last 2 weeks was a NUS card. Although it cost £10, I am hoping it will save me some money in the long run. I saved £1 yesterday in HMV on a xmas pressie, and 81p in Outdoor leisure!

I have been unwell the past week and I am finding it hard to want to do anything, half of me is saying relax, get back into it in teh New year, the other half of me is feeling guilty for not doing anything. I think I need to decide one way or another, and if I do have the time off, then I will put everything away.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a quick reply!!
Sue

Hi Sue,

Sorry to hear of all your troubles. Graduates are always left behind when the funding is over, which is a terrible worry (I run out of funding by the end of this month but need another 3 months :eek: )

Can you not apply for some hardship grant? Most universities have 4th year phd living allowances that will help you with your living expenses.

And you should most definitely see the benefits office to make sure you're receiving the maximum allowance for your children. Also, how old are they? You could possibly cut down on a lot of things and kids don't really notice it very much.

Can you take a break and work for a while to get some money?

Sorry that this has turned out to be so tough for you, keep posting on here and we'll all make it through it all. :grouphug:

melancholly

i don't know about this year's deadlines, but this is another possible source of money for final year phd female students:

http://www.bcfgrants.org.uk/

cupid_s

magyar wrote:

I'm afraid I'm not a very good example. Timetable went along the lines of
Y1: 'learnt some of the ropes' and did a year's work that essentially got thrown away
Y2: about four months of really productive work and more work thrown away
Y3: repeat at lot of work from Y1 and 2 because now realise it was rubbish
Y4 (1st 3 months): write up 90% of thesis
Y4 (next 9 months + remaining 2 years): finish up last 10%.

So I reckon a total of 1 year in 5 was genuinely productive, but of course without the rest being thrown away, I wouldn't have achieved that... Some people, although I don't think many, work steadily throughout three years and just write up at the end. But most people seem to follow a pattern somewhere like mine.

Keep plugging at it!

This is getting me worried now.

I have seen loads of people on here saying it took them over 4 years. Well if I dont submit my fully completed thesis by the end of september next year (after my 4th year) I automatically fail!

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! I have had so many failed experiments and such that I'm not sure how easy it will be to finish within 4 years