Our uni has the same kind of policy where all PhD students are supposed to have a permenant computer and desk space to call there own. Saying that I'm in an what was originally a corridor but now doulbes up as an open plan office with shoulder height walls. There's about 20 of us, but there's so little storage space it's ridiculous - I've literally got a desk, computer and small chest of drawers. I asked to have some shelves put up but was told I couldn't have them as the wall would fall down! So I have desk space but nowhere to write!

Thanks all for your responses, it's good to hear other people say what I'm feeling! cc and sue - you've kinda reaffirmed what I think in that if I want to stick it out, as you both seem to have, I ought to know why I'm doing it. Can I ask what's keeping you guys going? Sue, you said it was originally 'obsessive curiosity', is that still the case?

Before I did my degree, I took two years out and consequently I had total motivation and commitment when doing my course; I got a 1st and new why I was doing it. Now I have no idea why I’m doing this and hence have no drive. I’m thinking of either taking a suspension or leaving and going to see what else I can do/find out if a PhD. is really what I want or need. However, then I feel like I’ve wasted 6 months work, my supervisor’s time and might not be able to walk back into a funded Ph.D. in the future – I know how extrememly luck I am to have done so. Still, that doesn’t mean I should do it. I still love science, and like my research topic and could talk about it for hours, but I am going crazy thinking about all of this and it’s making me miserable. Plus I feel like a moaning idiot for continually talking about it with my friends. Has anyone ever left a PhD and then successfully taken up another at a later date? Advice would be appreciated.
End of rant.

Now for me: I don’t want to do any of the lab work now – it scares me/doesn’t interest me; I lose motivation, stay at home surfing the net/playing games/watching BBC News 24, then feel guilty for not going in and so don’t want to face the music and don’t go in. I’m sure I’m at least a month behind schedule now and I’ve got no real want to pick up the pace and get on with it. I’ve not done any work for 2 weeks! It makes me feel rubbish and I just want to stop it.
Yet I have nothing else to do – no other career plans, and I spoke to a careers advisor the other day and she said it sounded like I needed structure in my work (as I’ve also read on here) but I just don’t want to do it now.

So as for the conspirary: for the first 6 weeks I had no desk to work at, I worked pretty much at home but after 2 months of holidays it didn’t exactly feel like I’d started work; our floor is divided into two by a wall – the quiet half and the not-so-quiet half – I’m in the quiet half, and I mean really quiet; everyone else is older and more experienced than me (29/30 with Masters/RA experience); my closest friend quit after 3 months and I haven’t really clicked with anyone else; one of my supervisors is real moody, another is rubbish and doesn’t do stuff when I ask; so far my experiments haven't worked and it takes me yonks to do anything.

Hi Westibeast
Thanks for the advice. I think I've calmed down a bit now :P and like you said you have to start somewhere. I'm going to speak to my supervisor tomorrow and let him know how I feel - about my lack of confidence, but that I want to try and conquer it.
PS. good use of the word 'green' :)

A lot of people seem to want to quit due to supervisors/workplace/type of work, but is there anyone else doing a PhD who is a) scared of lab work for fear of being discovered a fraud, and b) doing it for reasons which seem to have all but vanished?

Unlike some of you less fortunate people, I can't complain about my department - they're all really friendly people. The only downside is I'm 24 and most of them are 28+ with years of lab experience etc. which only serves to feed my constant worry that I know nothing and am a total fraud. I've been at it for 4 months now, I've done a lit review which I'm not proud of and haven't even started my lab work - which I appear to be terrified of! Is this normal? My supervisor was my undergrad supervisor too, so I feel like he should know if I was capable of the work, and I also sort of feel like I owe it to him to carry on.
I've not been in for the past couple of days trying to sort it all out in my head - as you wonderful people have suggested not making any rash moves (have been v helpful btw, thanks ) but still I'm no clearer.

Hi all
I've been reading around these forums the past few days and - at the risk of sounding like a parrott - I thought I'd join in on the 'to quit, not to quit' discussion.
I too am wondering whether to carry on with my PhD, I'm only 4 months in but like so many others I have had my doubts since day one. It felt like I was just charging on ahead into a PhD without really knowing why or what I'd do after. When I signed those papers to say I'd accept the position, I lost all motivation enjoyment. All I can think of to keep me going is that I enjoy science and my research topic, with vague thoughts that this might actually prove useful someday.

Hi guys
You really helped me out with my previous query with telling lecturers about my application, now I have another!
I have been offered the choice of two PhDs in a similar area: one in biofilm growth and one in biofilms and antibiotic resistance, with one with my supervisor and one with my second marker (for my undergrad degree). I don't know which one to decide! The first has an almost definite job at the end, but I just can't decide! I find them both very interesting, but I feel like I don't want to dissapoint my supervisor if I choose the other project. Help! Anyone been in a similar position? I have to decide today!

Hi, OK, so here it is.
I'm a final year biological sciences student and I want to do a PhD when I graduate. I've been speaking to one of my lecturers and he thinks he might have one, and it's in my general area of interest which is good. However, he's never very forthcoming with specific details like the exact topic or if he'll be able to get funding.
I also did a placement and my undergrad project at a local research lab, and they also have PhDs available. Two of them are on the same topic and with the same supervisor as my undergrad project (with funding) and I really want to apply for them, but my dilemma is this: both institutions and lecturers communicate a lot, and so do you think they will be annoyed, or even less likely to take me on, if either find out I've applied at the other place?
Any advice would be great! Thanks.