Thanks for the very kind and considered replies, much appreciated. I hope my DOS would be understanding, well I'm sure he would it's just hard to broach, I'm a private person and although he's the DOS, he's also rather involved in the work with the other supervisor, that makes it hard as he is quite expectant. Managing the threesome relationship is a whole other post.

The previous therapy was good, very targeted at that point for a serious eating disorder. However, it was a long road and after months of baring soul, I got bored of myself and opening up again seems onerous I suppose. But there has to be something better that this. I can't afford to go private however, I nearly fell off my chair when the doc said there were adult services and they were actually quite responsive, so we'll see, I'm willing to be assessed.

I cracked yesterday after yet another day staring at the walls and losing hours of time and so I went to the docs. She is recommending a referral to the crackpot team (no offence but I had a brush with therapy 10 years ago and so am defensively droll about it). She has recommended also that I have a doctors note for time off if needed and to give a brief overview to my supervisors to put off the writing deadline of mid next month.

So it all feels a little messy and I have no idea how to write that email. No matter how nutty I've felt, it's always been kept separate from professional commitments and so this feels difficult/wrong, even though it's right. How do I approach this?

Hello, I hope someone can advise...I've been finding aspects of this phd really stressful and as such have found writing to be slow going in my first year. No problem aside from time constraints and constantly being told by my supervisors just how much they are looking forward to reading my literature write-up...

Only, it's been a bad year, I'm stressed out, I've been to three conferences to speak recently, all ok, but in paris a couple of weeks ago, I think I had a breakdown. My marriage has been under massive stress for a while, mostly due to study and because we've not looked after each other. We've talked and are trying to make things better, but in the midst of all this, a dear friend was knocked off his motorbike and killed. I am unable to process this reality.

congratulations, thats a lot of diligent reading!

I had been using my own access database but just got endnote. I am confuzzled so can you advise on two banal things? Where do I put the passage of text I am wanting to reference and, on harvard, in the pages field, why doesn't it show up in the reference e.g. pp230-243?

What subject is your phd? I feel, having brewed on this (social science) topic and done it for an undergraduate dissertation, I'm dying to go to one and have a proper industry view, fed up of being drip fed information via limited publication.

I live at the bottom of a great big hill - one way street down, only one set made it down, bummer, I was ready too

Hello Hilly, thanks for the advice, I might email my head of department and see what funding there is. I'm carrying on my dissertation topic so pretty much know what I'm wanting to do, the plan was to attend a few, in the meantime writing up the dissertation for a future conference as well as reading...at least the proposal's in.

Hello

One of my objectives in my first year is to 'network' and one way to do this is at conferences. At the last minute I've found 2 conferences I want to go to but of course they cost lots, and one is in Rome. The first (London) I have rung to ask if there are 'student places' e.g. gratis. They're getting back to me, I have emailed the Rome lot with the same question. Is this the right approach? Aside from flashng some décolletage , how do I wrangle a place on these things?

Cheers

Hello, I'm a web designer by trade and I have implemented similar things. For an education solution that's free there is Ovidentia, look it up and see what you think. Otherwise you have three options, a phpbb type job where there are threads and posters just like this, a blog format where the main person starts a topic and users can post comments or a wiki type affair, I run one of these, people can post articles and all sorts in predefined areas once they have been approved as publishers, people can then edit and add at will.

Let me know what sounds right and I can point you in the right direction. All of these though will require access to a Unix/Linux server via FTP, apache, MySql and vague php knowledge (though not a lot).

Well thank you for the replies! They have echoed the sentiments of my husband and mother who is an ex teacher. I have to say though, I am nervous, to others I appear quite confident but away in Portugal this year I crumbled doing a presentation in portuguese. I don't know, I want to do it, it is my subject area albeit at a basic level so I know it. I guess I wouldn't consider it unless my tutor has said he's give me his slides to do and I can change them and add things in.

I am mostly nervous about 60 foundation students. I'm 26 but small and look a little younger and it would be a BIG lecture hall, and err, just me, for two hours. I'm guessing the best thing would be to deliver slides inbetween games, are there resources for such things? It would be an hour lecture and hour seminar but too many students for that...

Hello

Having a minor stress, aside from getting my proposal in for Monday in draft form...I have been asked whether I was to teach 60 foundation year students for 2 hours a week, delivering my tutors lecture slides etc. So not too much preparation...but the I am a bit overwhealmed about teaching, since I thought initial teaching might just be the odd seminar.

Has anyone any experience of teaching, is it enjoyable? Will I pee my pants? Are foundation students kind? Is this a mad idea?

Ellie

I'm s stupid, didn't think to do a search so many thanks. Looks like Scottish Widows and Lloyds will loan, phew.

Hello

I'm new here, people were really helpful with advice when I was deciding whether or not to do a Phd and I just handed the paperwork in yesterday so thank you.

The deal my husband and I made together was that if I take up another 3 years of blissful marriage with a Phd then we would finally buy a house, I can have an office to keep it separate and he can live in the country, where we'd be happy.

All rinky-dink so far, I have the deposit, actually saved money whilst at university, however, I rang some mortgage companies today and its not good. They won't consider my bursary as an income so can only quote on my husbands, which isn't a lot.

I am told there are companies out there, respectable ones without baseball bats who will take the bursary into account and I was wondering if anyone here had been in a similar position and might know who we can turn to? I am desperately avoiding the brokers who were crooks when we last bought a place.

Cheers muchly

I pay national insurance as a self employed person, its about £8 a month and worth doing. You can ring your local tax office for advice on setting up a direct debit.

Hello

I wanted to say thanks for the advice, I took all your comments on board and thought about them with everything else. I felt the interview went ok but could have done better, however they felt differently and I was offered the post the next day which is lovely. Later that week I got a 1st for my degree. All the feedback has been so positive, and with time it's all begun to sink in, I have been offered a great chance and I'd be louco not to take it. So with trepidation and excitement, I'll be a Phd student from September.