Thanks GSM,

You have described my exact sentiments about being a wage-slave (although I am sure that you could do quite well with an Engineering degree).


I still haven't figured out how to create my own job, but I am sure I will find a way...

Hi everyone,

I recently submitted my thesis (in the humanities) for examination, and now I'm lost. I don't want to stay in academia, but I have enjoyed working on my own for the past few years. The thought of finding a regular office job is driving me crazy. The only compromise that I can think of is to start a home business. Has anyone else had similar thoughts? Any advice?

I think it may mean that you'll need an extension in order to re-write whatever your supervisor disagrees with, and then try again. If you have already submitted your intention to submit I think you can get an extension on that deadline too (3 months, I think, depending on your uni rules).

Hi EmDee,

I am new here and this is my first post. Although I am not a mature student and my phd is in the humanities, I am pretty much in the same situation as you. I'm in year 3+, I am out of funding (currently applying for an extension), my project is a blob of writing that is half-baked and not well structured at all. And, I may very well incur way more debt that I want to incur if I decide to complete my thesis within the next year or so. I don't mean to thread-jack with my own problems, I just want you to know that you are not alone.

This is my advice:

I am considering quiting too. But...

First, see if you can get an extension on your funding. If you do, work as hard as you can and do as much as you can. Then see how you go.

Second, plan to quit. Don't quit until you have an exit-plan (either a job or another degree to study). That's the conclusion that I've come up with regarding my own situation.

-tvready