Hey! These are two completely different degrees and as such are not comparable. Even if you have an MA is from Cambridge, you will not be able to apply for jobs that a PhD from Central Lancashire (or anywhere for that matter) would enable you to apply for (i.e. post-doctoral positions). If you were comparing an MA with an MA, then Cambridge has a much better reputation overall (obviously!). If you were comparing a PhD with a PhD then it would depend on the specialities that the two different universities offer, and the potential supervisors etc. All being equal, then again, Cambridge has a much better reputation. But the argument for choosing somewhere to do a PhD is a lot more complicated than just choosing the university that is higher in the league tables overall. I think you need to decide whether you want to do an MA, a PhD, or both, and then take it from there! Good luck with it, KB

Hey Wal! Good to hear from you! Congrats on the interview- sounds like you're really passionate about your research and this potential new job! And you have a few publications under your belt too which I'm sure will stand you in good stead. I know what you mean about the strange feeling post-PhD...I only finished mine a month ago and it's a very odd feeling that I'm struggling with. I think you're totally right to follow your dreams as well. I'm leaving my current uni to take up a post-doc in a completely different subject that I have always hoped I would have a chance to get to be involved with. Even though it's only one year to start with I will be turning down a 5 year contract at my old uni to do it. But life is about making decisions and sometimes taking chances. Are you going over there for your interview or having it by video link? It all sounds very exciting, can't wait to hear how it goes :) Good luck! KB

Hey Ender! Very good advice from Baseline. When I started I did pretty much office hours, usually about 9-6pm. I stuck to this throughout most of my PhD, but did start to stay later some evenings and came in most weekends when the work really kicked in and I needed to get things finished. Most of the PhDers in our department stick to office hours and seem to get by fine doing that, although there did used to be a fair few in at weekends when I came in. You'll probably fall into a routine quite naturally anyway, but I think it's important to be flexible. If you're having a productive day then stay and make the most of it, if not then pack up and head home/to the gym or whatever you like to do. It is important to make sure you have enough free time so that you really are able to focus during the hours that you do work on the PhD. Some people also work better at certain times of the day, so you might want to work around that as well. Try not to compare yourself to others- as already mentioned, some people stay at the office around the clock but spend a lot of time doing nothing very much! Good luck with it, KB

Hey! I think I've learnt that actually I can be pretty resilient in the face of difficulties. The first two years of my PhD were pretty much plain sailing with no particular problems, but the last few months were really hard for a number of reasons. Still I carried on and got through it all. To be honest, I think that anyone doing a PhD has to be pretty resilient- very few of us get through it with no difficulties at all! I'm also a little on the impatient side- I don't like things hanging over me so I get everything done as quickly as possible so I can move on to the next thing! KB

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Hey RLD, I'm actually not sure where she's from (UK based but can't remember where!), but it was a gerontology conference in the US. I just know that I saw her everywhere I turned! Still, I guess by the time you reach that level of academic awesome-ness you are entitled to dress how you want lol!

Best, KB

Hey Rachel! Smart-casual and comfortable should be fine. I've seen everything from nearly-naked to suited and booted at the ones I've been to, and you certainly don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons...although there was a very well-reknowned prof at a conference I went to in the US last year with bright pink hair, a very small dress and loads of tattoos, and I sort of admired her for standing out lol! I tend to go for tunic-style dress tops with a black cardigan and decent shoes whether I'm presenting or just observing. Hope you enjoy it! KB

Fab news Beajay- it's always nice to hear success stories and you must be over the moon! Best, KB

Hey Zinar! I have to say, I enjoyed the vast majority of my PhD. The last few months were very stressful, naturally, but for the most part I loved it. There were dull bits to it, but sometimes I actually didn't mind doing the dull bits to give my brain a rest! I don't think you are alone in not enjoying your PhD though- there are many people who treat it as a job and aren't particularly enthusiastic about the subject, and still get by and do a really good job at it. What is it specficially that you don't enjoy? Best, KB

I alwasy did it the way Corinne has suggested- I never got the hang of page breaks but I managed fine without them! Although my colleagues tell me that they make life easier if you learn how to use them- I'm just not very technologically minded! Best, KB

Hey! I have heard of people doing this but I do not personally know anyone who does. I do know that quite a few academics take beta-blockers occasionally to impact on nerves/anxiety before a big presentation, and it is apparently possible to obtain these from some GPs for this reason. Personally I wouldn't take anything stronger than a good dose of caffeine to get me through, and I know even that is too much for some people! Taking time to think things over in terms of your work is nothing to worry about- everyone works differently and that is fine. Better to be careful than plunge in and make a mess of it! Leave your amphetamine-loving student to it- they'll only do her harm in the long run anyway, I very much doubt that this is a long term solution for anything! Best, KB

Hey Podge- I get my stipend every 3 months, so basically I get a quarter of the full amount per year at a time, 4 times per year. I think this is the norm for most funding councils, but others will be able to comment too. I'm from the UK, so can't comment on changing bank accounts from a different country, but I have banked with NatWest since I was 12, and had no problems with them. However, you may want to look around as different banks may have different deals for students in terms of interest-free overdrafts etc. Others will probably be able to give you more specific advice than myself! Best of luck with the move, KB

Hi Delta. Well I think that if they are unable to provide satisfactory feedback (or any at all for that matter) then you are perfectly within your rights to ask for help elsewhere. I totally get what you mean about the reference thing, you are most likely to need them sooner or later, so best to keep things as friendly as possible. Having said that, you do need to get feedback and get on with the PhD process. Do you have people in mind who would be willing to look at your drafts? Best, KB

Hey Runner. Really sorry to hear you're having difficulties. I guess it is normal to feel stressed at this time, but clinical depression is really debilitating, and definitely should not be a 'normal' feature of a PhD. I would definitely look into taking some time out to get yourself better and then decide whether you want to continue. To be honest, you sound so close to the end that if you could just get over the hurdle of feeling so rubbish, you might finish it quite easily without taking too much longer. If your doc is willing to sign you off then the department should really not be able to argue about it. Is the submission deadline for the end of your 3rd or 4th year? The other thing to bear in mind is that if you are very close to finishing, a few errors in the submission will not affect your final result. If you could get it to a good standard by the deadline you could just submit it on time to the best of your ability anyway, and just be aware of the things that might need changing that your examiners will probably bring up. Personally, I would take a bit of time out and look after yourself! Pineapple has got to be the most inspiring person on here in terms of perseverence and a great result :) Best, KB

Hey! This is frustrating. I totally gave up on getting feedback from my second supervisor but was lucky because my primary sup was very quick and thorough with her feedback. Could you ask them how long they need to look at each chapter and agree a date by which you will pick the feedback up from them? Or present them with a visual timeline for your work including X number of weeks for feedback for each chapter so they can see how quickly you need it and how it will affect your scedule if they don't stick to their promises? I suppose that's a bit cheeky, but needs must I think! Best, KB

Well, Stuff, perhaps not. There are just rather a lot of coincidences. Anyway, I'm not going to concern myself with it any more. As I pointed out- this is a forum and we all have a choice about what we read and respond to, so I have made my choice! Best, KB