Hi all. Complex situation here. I've just started a PhD (just 4 weeks in). I'm lucky as it's well-funded and pays as much as a decent job. But, I have also just unexpectedly been offered a very good job which is something I'd quite enjoy and involves working with extremely intelligent people (so could be quite stimulating/challenging). I decided to do the PhD because it continues nicely on from my undergrad dissertation, and I thought I would enjoy the flexibility of being able to work (to an extent) when I want, though it would involve working with people from a less prestigious backround than the potential job.

The truth is that I don't really want to do either the job or be an academic - I think the subject area of both opportunities interests me equally but doesn't lead on to what I really want to do. I do know what I really want to do but I need to save up for about 4 years in order to follow this 'dream', and both the job or the PhD would be the means to achieving this rather than an end in itself.

And now I don't know what to do. Do I stick with the PhD, or take the job? If I was to take the job, would I be able to quit the PhD easily do you know, or would it be a nasty process? I figured supervisors would rather I quit now than later on so that I don't take more of their money. I guess I'd also like to know what the life of a PhD student is like. I want to spend the next four years in as fun a way as possible whilst I save up to follow my dream, and I thought the PhD would allow me more flexibility whilst also being interesting, but I wondered whether current students find that is the case, or find that it completely takes over your life?

I should add that the PhD is in humanities and I do already know what I would want to study for it, as well as knowing a decent amount about the subject area. Plus I am good to workin to deadlines with self-motivation, so I do feel as thouhg I could 'do' a PhD, but I'm concerned that I don't want the experience to be miserable. Is it possible to do a PhD when you're treating it like a job as opposed to the first step on your career?