but emmaki, if they told you you have 10 minutes to talk why did you prepare 17 minutes? that can only go wrong, in my opinion. it's important to keep to the time limit, shorter is no problem but longer is.

i always gave out questionnaires to the students mid and end of term with stuff like: i would like more of.../less of.../i liked this.../i didn't like this. very simple. i though it was cute when one of the guys wrote "i would like more of - you!"

go to the library and stay there. that's the only way i can keep off cooking/baking/cleaning/surfing/tv.

it's lonely, boring and isolating - but you get the job done. and that's the most important thing after all.
give yourself a treat (cinema/evening in front of the tv/dinner with friends etc) when you've reached a milestone.

go to conferences. it's worth the money. i've been going to all the relevant conferences which i could afford for the last 7 years and it's been worth the money even when i only had cup-a-soups and bread for weeks. it's easy "networking" over a cup of coffee and discussing the last talk. i now know all the top people in my field.

how about talking to your main supervisor?

i've noticed that if i have a practice run on my own i'll quickly find out if the presentation flows (or doesn't) when i speak about it out loud. you don't want to notice a logical error or a missing argument in the middle of your talk... embarassing. i've seen it happen often enough to other people.

endnote is fantastic - it eliminated at least one horrible major step in writing theses for me! ask another student to show you around it for max an hour and you'll kick yourself for not having used it before

i am also considering buying one of those sonic electric toothbrush thingies so i don't get that many holes.

i'm also trying to get my insurance to pay for a new pair of glasses (at fielmann's) before then too. they pay up to 350 euros/pair, the rest is on me (i have weird eyes so i have to get expensive glasses). i have found a place here that does glasses at 80 euros/pair all inclusive but they don't test your eyes, so i'll maybe get that done somewhere else and then bring them the details. you don't need a prescription, so that's an option for next year or so too when i'm not insured here anymore. i've been googling for nhs info, but it's very confusing!

i'm also organising tetanus and diphtheria shots too... i am trying to think of anything else i can wheedle out of my medical insurance till then while it's still "free". any ideas?

urgh! i hate changing medical systems!

i'm just having my dentist fix me up optimally before i come in september. i pay 135 euros/month for medical insurance which also covers most dentist bills - all of the basic stuff i need doing anyway. i'm having my teeth cleaned up, polished, holes filled, old fillings replaced etc.

i am a british citizen, just haven't lived in britain since i was 5. how about glasses, do you get them for free or do you have to pay?
and how come you can't get into a dentist's because there aren't enough? sounds weird...

i have an office at the institute where i work so i don't have a problem with my tv right now - when i was still a "normal" student who had to study at home i sold my tv and dvdplayer because it was way too distracting. when i go to england in september (fingers crossed!) i won't be getting a tv because i'll have to study at home again. i'd always rather do anything than study (even clean). on the positive side: will have an extremely clean and tidy room.

i do have a problem with the internet though, so whenever i have reading to do i grab my stuff and go down to the library and sit there. i take a break when i start to get tired (usually after an hour max) and pop up to my office to surf/mail/make a tea. i use an egg-timer and set it for about 15-30 minutes and i can do whatever i want during that time. otherwise i tend to lose track of time on the internet, but there's no excuse anymore when that egg-timer rings!

i'm going to move to england and i'm not sure how health insurance works there: you don't pay regular monthly amounts, but you have to pay for everything directly or how is it?

mwaahahaa! i love idealists.

if they're good then they're busy. that might just be the price you have to pay for having a top scientist as a sup.