Overview of bluegrass on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of bluegrass

Signup date: 27 Oct 2018 at 11:38am

Last login: 16 Nov 2018 at 8:04am

Post count: 4

Recent Posts

Entirely lost motivation and interest in PhD (after 1+ year)

bluegrass 4 posts
6 years ago

Quote From doradorawis:
Buddy, here I am, same boat.

I am a soc sci grad student in a very prestigious dept. My PhD isnt self-funded, but I am miserable nonetheless. So miserable that I stopped going to classes and fail them. So miserable that I have virtually no friends in the department, and don't want to make one.

My partner moved to this country for me, but that is not the light, that is a burden. He sacrificed his career for me, and I can't prove his sacrifice worthwhile with a stupid, useless degree.

I struggle to follow the rules in academic because, deep down, I find them to be B.S.

But, like you, I have always been a top student, I know I am smart. I have never disappointed my family, and to think about disappointing my parents is devastating to me. My partner is also a grad student now, but pnly because of me. He has been supportive about my constant thoughts of leaving academia, but still I feel very bad about dragging him into this.

I am 32.

PM me so we can talk more about this?

Hi doradorawis,

I've just sent you a PM.

My partner also moved here, got a good job now, and I'm about to say "hey, I want to leave this place". Not perfect... So, I fully understand your problem. Seems to look quite similar... Let's continue via PM

Entirely lost motivation and interest in PhD (after 1+ year)

bluegrass 4 posts
6 years ago

I would like to thank everyone for their replies, which I all consider as options. However, I don't really know. Maybe I need to see some career adviser, but I'm not very confident that this will help...

Entirely lost motivation and interest in PhD (after 1+ year)

bluegrass 4 posts
6 years ago

Quote From Tudor_Queen:
Fixed-term RA posts might be ideal - interesting projects, short term then you move on. I find this rewarding and varied. Disadvantage of course is the lack of security.

Thanks Tudor_Queen. I have not come across any of those, which wouldn't need a PhD. At least not here in the UK.

Entirely lost motivation and interest in PhD (after 1+ year)

bluegrass 4 posts
6 years ago

MAIN QUESTION: is anyone with a similar experience out here?

Hi all,

Please let me give you some context. I had a very successful time during my Bachelor's and Master's and certainly the best time of my life in nearly all aspects. After I graduated I found a job and started working. I've been working there for about a year, but had to leave as things were deeply dissatisfying (I was doing "intern" tasks with no end in sight; small town and zero social life). I went then for another year to Asia (to work), which did not turn out to be much better. Then I came to the idea to do a PhD as I always enjoyed uni, did well, and loved the atmosphere and everything. I found a PhD position (self-funded), but lost the interest in my PhD quite quickly. This is probably also the reason, why I never managed to find a topic. I have not really done anything for my PhD in several months and I'm only coming into uni to work on one of my three jobs (tutoring, research assistant), which I more or less enjoy. The rest of the time, I'm trying to work on my PhD, but instead I am only procrastinating and get nothing done.

The rest of my life did not improve (social life, living conditions), the only light is that my partner is present and came to this city because of me.

If I would have an alternative, I would had already quit, but I don't have any and I also don't even know what I possibly do with my life. This may sound quite surprising for someone at a PhD level, being self-funded, and being 31 years old.

If someone is or was in a similar - unfortunate - situation like this,I would like to hear about your experience. general advice would also be appreciated.

Thanks in any case.

bluegrass