This is the story of my PhD! Even when I started my PhD I could never see myself finishing truely, and when doing my PhD I still always think Im going to completely fail my viva assessment. It doesn't enter my head that I might do well, nor does it enter my head that if go to submit some work for publication people might like it. I think I'm just stuck in a wee negative cycle. Nice to know Im not on my own though!

Goodness my PhD resolutions,

-To do some f**king work! Stop arsing about between being overwhelmed by it all and trying to persuade myself its going to be fine. It will not be fine if I do nothing.

-To organise myself properly, I feel happier and healthier when Im organised on paper it helps me see what needs done.

-To stop procrastinating, it only undermines me.

-To make myself get some work ready for publication.

-To make more of an effort to network so that when i EVENTUALLY get finished I might know some people!

Non PhD but still pertaining to PhD in the overall wellbeing department

-Eat less crap, yes it might be quicker and easier but it is not helping me.

-Lose the weight I put on doing my PhD the first 2 years.

-Buy new stationery. It always makes me feel like I know what Im doing.

I think I have another ten million of these but may I point everyone to the latest Harvard study which points to our inability to keep to the changes we try to make, due our body's own misguided attempt to deal with the underlying anxieties we all suffer, the behavior we dislike is quite often a self soothing technique. Until we can challenge the ideas which cause us to perpetuate the behaviour we dislike we may never change it.
Lol, happy new year all.

Yeah theyre all mad! Anyway as long as it gets us through...isnt that what matters, I just wonder why we take the hard way?

If you refuse to read what we have advised, why ask? We have already said, go and seek some advice from those whose JOBS are to offer advice to you and your fellow students.
We have told you the best we can do is tell you the generic responses by universities which we have done. Now take heed and stop panicking.
People have told you, your supervisor has told you. Stay away from this post doc, shelve publication till your postdoc leaves and till then get your head back in the work and start to produce good work to earn everyones respect back.

You've completely lost me now. You intoned to us that they knew about the fight etc and that they were talking about it. That it was the physicality of the fight etc which would jepoardise your position.
I don't know what to suggest apart from what I have already suggested which is going to see student support and asking them for your university's policy on such matters.
They will be able to give you much more sound advice as we dont know the full extent of what has been going on. Im pretty confused about it in general.

Now there is a hard question. Ok Im in third year and Id say by the end of second year I had a good idea of the theory I wanted to keep and the theory I wanted to discard. It really depends on the type of thesis you are doing. Those who are critiquing what came before them and building up a literature review in that respect should probably be advised that it will change and shift depending on the scope creep of your thesis. Those who are going out into uncharted waters with more multidisciplinary approaches have a harder time in my opinon because they have to deal with rival theory not only in one subject area but quite normally in 3 or 4. So I would say expect a little bit longer if you are multidisciplinary.

To make the whole thing cohesive is the hard part, you have to be pretty ruthless and almost write a disclaimer in your introductory chapter with the theory you will and will not be mentioning. I find a nod toward it is more than appropriate and a reason for its place (or lack of) in your thesis.
Its a real process though and in my opinion in the humanites you only really get a hold on your paper toward the end of second year. Certainly people talk about writing up and doing this and that in their first year, its not a bad idea to start writing early but be prepared to heavily edit and keep very little of it because your points and focus may have shifted away from that position.

I know I still battle theory. It is the stuff of many sleepless nights. Certain theories of my theoretical framework are underdeveloped and could be construed as difficult to defend so I have had to anchor the thesis with contexual framework also and some more theory heaped on top for good measure along with some phenomenology just to finish up.

There is no right and wrong time, I just think quite often PhD ideas in first year are still very sprawling which is a good thing because it gets you reading all that you need to, but they need tuned and tightened up which is done with time and mulling over with you and your supervisor. I know I sound bizarre but a thesis sometimes needs to mature for you to really see what its going to be about primarily.For me it was finding a particular philosophical area I liked and worked well with my analysis rather than the semiotic one that didn't suit me.

I think you need to try a few out for size and see which suits you, it may all change but hopefully you can still use some of it.

Hello lovelies!

Merry Christmas to one and all! How are we doing my tinsel bedecked scholars?
I think we should have a roaring fire and a great big crate of champagne and a load of selection boxes, plus lots of beanbags.
Does anyone else think the ability to stop time and continue about in your own capacity would be more than helpful. Think about it gang, stopping time around 11am doing your work and all the reading you have been piling up then starting it back up when ydone. And you havent missed a second of the day! Hurrah.
Is this just my delusional fantasy. God I wish I was a wizard like Harry.

May I recommend going into a specialist computer store I have found the independant ones very good. Not the large chains where a gormless teenager on a saturday job stares at you like you have no idea what you are talking about. I got mine in a small business, they make up a laptop to your specifications so will be much more ready to listen to exactly what you want and avoid all the things you dont need on it so you could actually tailor it to your own needs.
They are often very reasonable as well. No harm in ringing for a quote and dont be shy in telling them youre a student and your budget is only...Also tell them you're ringing around. You'd be surprised what a little competition can do to prices.
Anyway thats what id recommend. Get the yellow pages out!

Scared I think you have been offered some very sound advice. As a third year I often hear about the spats between post docs etc and who doesn't like who and these things fly round the department. Now you as the others have said have the option of either taking hold of this or running away from it.

Now personally Im not sure what you want us to say, you're telling us the same thing over and over again and we are advising based on it. Your next review panel is a good way away yet and there is enough time to get some good press again but only if you rectify the story by either going on record or letting it be known to your supervisor etc.

Staying hidden which is what your supervisor suggests sounds to me like the easy thing for them, because there will be no reports and no difficult questions coming from above. Thats what it sounds like to me anyway and everyone will retain the same impression of you because it has not been rectified by you.

Personally I'd be straight into Student Support, you should have one where you studying and talking to one of the staff there who will be able to advise you about the channels to go through and what implications they have.

You dont give any time indication, like did this happen last week, last month or what, and also why things got so volatile. Surely if this postdoc has been there for quite some time the staff would be aware he is prone to volatility.

It doesn't add up for me. And I agree with my fellow poster, you sound like you want us to tell you to leave your PhD, which we aren't going to do. If you want to leave it thats up to you but this incident doesnt merit your future qualifications if you were the victim.

You need to be mature and take responsibility for your part in this. I think only you can answer the questions you asked us because only you can change peoples impressions of you by making sure it is documented and you arent being blamed.

As for the paper, can you put it on a back burner for a bit until you get this sorted and work on something else not involved with this person.

Take the advice you have been given and speak to the objective staff at student support and they will help you see your options. Sticking your head in the sand, doing nothing and hoping everyone will still like you isn't a good idea.

Dazednconfused Im totally relating to you. Listen try not to worry about it too much -bit rich coming from me eh? But I find when I freak out about it it makes it ten times worse and 100 times less productive. Have u tried drawing a diagram? I find diagrams of my thesis very helpful. I just got some feedback and my brain hurts. I mean I actually dont understand some of the things my supervisor means, God Im feeling stupid right now!

Have had the crapest week ever. No work has been done of consequence at all, grrrrr I just seem to be stressing loads and getting nothing done!!!

Ah well thats good, I use the world vision alternative presents site. Bought some aids teacher training and a toilet block for my parents the last time, and they were seriously chuffed it was very sweet.

Ok well firstly with the jargon business, I think being able to present work in a non jargon form for those not in your discipline illustrates both ability and understanding. I know many people who when asked to summarise their work in 'general terms' say the same jargon laden thing only shorter. The AHRC on their documents demand a summary section in 'real terms' and I don't know about you but I think its a tool to hide behind jargon when you're a bit insecure and want to sound really intelligent.

I wouldnt worry about seeming kiddish, as quite a few people have told me, proposals that are easy to read, get read and understood. If someone on the board is able to understand clearly what u want to do, its going to stay with them and be remembered.

Have you not been offered any guidelines for the length of your proposal? Is there anyone you can email to ask? I can't see the wordcount being as high as 10,000 words though. Sorry I cant help more but I would suggest emailing someone about it.

Gosh Olivia I feel for you petal, have you thought about getting a private rented house or apartment to share?
I live in my own rented apartment rent is sometimes a pain in the arse but its quiet and my bathroom and kitchen are my own. And I have an office in my house mainly cos in university I got tired of being moved around like a flipping wheely chair.
Its a pain with rent but sometimes the benefits do wonders for your work. I turned my apartment into a wee zen haven where I reside pretty much 24/7 only leaving to squint at the sun and shuffle along to the shop lol

oh im with you phdbug dont worry about it.
Im just sitting counting the days to submission and the lack of work I have done. Plus i just got some feedback from supervisor and have to overhaul a chapter...sigh.. bah bloody humbug