Thank you to everyone. What a minefield this is!! I'll avoid my usual uniform of jeans and trainers then...better get myself down to primark- I don't think I OWN 8 days worth of smart clothes!!!

Hi

I'm packing to go away for a conference ( a whole week) and as it's my first I'm wondering what the dress code is for these things. I'd assumed just my regular uni clothes for the day time (i.e. jeans and a t shirt), but there are a few pre-organised evening events and I'm wondering what people do...do they get changed? Do people 'dress up' for the evening social events?

I have visions of me being either completely overdressed or underdressed. These things do bother me......

Ta!
Silverbobs

golfpro: "it was the 'HATE going into work every day'. That could have been written about a LOT of PhD students on here. "

I wonder how many of them have actually done any industrial experience though. The chances are that the 'HATE going into work every day' PhD brigade would hate going into ANY work everyday. Work isn't fun but by many industrial standards, academia IS as fun as work gets- at least you have some say over what you do and when you do it.

The last post was spot on! I was in the same position. I'd been on a 12month industrial placement as part of my undergrad and the company had offered me a position on graduating. The guys doing the same job at this company were on 30-60k, so I had a real dilemma. However, I remember when I was there and I used to actually CRY (and I'm no pansy) before I went to work some mornings because I knew that the day ahead would just be unbarably boring and unchallenging. I couldn't even see myself getting through the next 8 hours. You can't live your life like that- not for any amount of money. The PhD has been a breath of fresh air in comparison.

Don't be fooled by the 'image' of people in 'proper' jobs- they are not always as they seem!!!

Ooooo nice Jojo, you're not perhaps a social sciences PhDer?!

Seriously though- it's quite interesting, I'm just imagining how dissapointed my hubby and parents would be if I failed. Hmmm...im off to write out some actions for tomorrow now!!

Hmmm, but how do you know whether you are suited or not? My supervisors seem really happy with my progress, my advisor even said that my preliminary literature report was one of the best he'd ever seen. So it would suggest that I'm doing alright at it and I don't want to quit (but only for the sake of not quitting, if that makes any sense!).

Those guidelines that jojo posted are really good, I'd recommend them to everyone!!

jojo, Sincerely- Thank You. You hit the nail on the head- when all you have to aim for is a "Pass" you 'can' lose that drive that makes you want to achieve.

On another note, in the last year my life has moved to exactly how I wanted it- I've got married, bought my own house and I've just started to wonder whether a PhD would make a smidging of difference to my already happy life?

That's an interesting perspective. Infact, my supervisor has taken on another student this year (self-funded), when I asked what her PhD will be on he said "x y z" which is the SAME as I am working on- and it did get me riled a bit. I could do with a pacemaker- during my undergrad there was this girl who was really clever but I always put that bit extra in to made sure I finished top of my year. I don't really have that competition anymore and so my pace has almost grinded to a halt. I shouldn't need to compete or compare against to others though to keep myself going......

How do people here motivate themselves? What drives you to work hard every day?

After always being a kind of 'perfectionist'- I wouldnt rest until I had all A*s at GCSE, to A's at A level, to a getting a 1:1 for my undergrad but with my PhD I just don't care. I know that I don't deserve this PhD funding, not because I'm not capable- but I just don't want it as much as everyone else seems to. When others are going in at weekend and working late nights I feel guilty because I have NEVER (and probably never will) worked a weekend. I've just lost all motivation for academic study, infact I lost all ambition.
Ive not done any work now for 2 solid days and I know this can't go on...has anyone else been through this? How did you get out of it? How can I make myself care?