Sounds like a change of scenery could really help you... I think libraries are starting to reopen so you can work outside the house, even cafes - if it's out of the question to move out of your parents' and rent somewhere for yourself

What methods did you use to motivate yourself at undergrad and masters? I think at PhD level it is your responsibility and not your supervisor's to motivate yourself and make progress[/quote]

I totally agree a change of scenery would suit me - to Motivate myself at undergrad and masters levels i would do exactly that, change my scenery, i worked (had a job in the library) and studied in the university - so i have never been in the situation where i have to motivate myself from my bedroom where i work, sleep and live, in the past it has been solely for sleep.

I agree it isn't my supervisors job to motivate me either, but i thought when i joined a new university i would have met more than one person.

It was both great and not so great reading this. Great that people are finding themselves in my exact scenario, and not so great that you guys are in my exact scenario!

I feel i get nothing done at home, then at my weekly supervisor meetings i get made to look like an idiot. I am a new PhD student and I have not even been in the university for a single day due to the pandemic.

I have mentioned to my supervisor, took up student counselling and done a lot to try and organize, focus and motivate myself (i have gotten very lazy).

The same advice is continuously given - create a schedule and follow it (I have done this so many times, but i never end up following it for whatever reason). Set aside a designated work area (I stay with parents and work around a quarter of a yard away from my bed on my desktop that i use for my studies and there are no spare rooms in this tiny house). Talk to other PhD students (I have literally met nobody and know nobody so this is also difficult).

I often say to my supervisor if i didn't hear from him on a weekly basis i would just be a guy who sits in his bedroom and occasionally reads and looks into stuff of somewhat interest.

Hi All - get comfortable this is a long one!

So, i started my PhD in march and outwith the supervisory team have met nobody in the uni. I get no work done at home and i have never stepped foot in the university since i started (covid & i had no work station for starting).

My supervisor has missed 6/7 weekly meetings. I have been told not to pursue research areas that were listed on the advertisement. I have been told i should be an expert in databases by now (i have no idea why my course has virtually nothing to do with databases).

I have developed high levels of anxiety and have lost all motivation to work from home. A few weeks was fine at first but now getting into week 16 it is too much. I feel i have been robbed of a real PhD experience through unfortunate circumstances and i constantly feel like an idiot!

I have had issues with my supervisor (being late, making odd comments, giving generally unhelpful advice such as "when i was a phd student i would go into uni every day to make sure i did the work" - not great when the university is closed). I have been told to speak to my personal tutor about these issues and also about my motivational issues, the problem is my personal tutor is also my second supervisor and my supervisors PhD student from last year - so there feels a huge conflict of interest there that makes it uncomfortable to speak to him about.

The experience has been a disaster, i was thinking of perhaps doing a masters then returning to PhD but i have no idea what to do I'm so conflicted! As an added bonus i found out the other day there was a seminar to help PhD students working from home - I was not made aware of this event and not invited to it and was then forwarded an invite to a date held in the past.

Help?

I am sorry to here Dyel. I am a new PhD student also and i actually find it very difficult to focus given the current Covid19 circumstances and working from home. I suspect you maybe have had some issues also.

I found it harsh why they dismissed you from the course especially since there will be ways to improve your writing skills regardless if they are good, bad or somewhere in-between.

In addition surely at the proposal stage when you applied they would have received a piece of writing from yourself - they could have mentioned it at this very early stage.

All the best