...and very excited! Have loved looking through these forums to prepare myself! I have a million questions and worries in my head about life whilst doing a PhD...will i ever be able to buy a house? Will my boyfriend put up with me? Will I ever fit a desk into our small one bed flat? Will I be able to get a dog now? I can't wait though and I look forward to making use of this forum as i progress.

Hi ya Lu!!!!
Well I'm just coming into my second year and LOVING it!!!!
Well done on taking the leap...officially yes you may get a dog but it must be old baggy smelly and you must make it wear a spotty bandana round its neck (this is academia you know!!!)
you'll have a blast and my DH is still putting up with me so it can't turn us into complete freaks! lol Dazed

I am glad I am getting the important things sorted now! I am still waiting for my start dat but think I have ten days holiday left to take in my current job so will maybe take the time then to research the important puppy issue!

You can't go far wrong with a chocolate labrador you know.....it drawls, farts, piddles when excited....probably akin to many supervisors
Alternatively you could get a cat that will pee on the article you took three weeks to obtain, vomit on your laptop and spread hair and dander over the shirt you put out for a conference....decisions decisions!!!