Evolving into Dr. Slowbro!

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Reply 20

Slowbro93

So I've been full blown panicking about starting for the last week :cry2:

this hasn't helped my MH at all :frown:

Reply 21

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by Slowbro93

So I've been full blown panicking about starting for the last week :cry2:

this hasn't helped my MH at all :frown:

Huge hugs! It is quite daunting, starting a PhD, so it's OK to be a bit nervous. I'm sure you will be OK though!

Do feel free to PM me if that would help at all :penguinhug:

Reply 22

llacerta

Original post by Slowbro93

So I've been full blown panicking about starting for the last week :cry2:

this hasn't helped my MH at all :frown:

Is there anything in particular that's worrying you? Or just the general nervousness of starting a new course/a PhD? As TLG said, PhDs are pretty daunting but if there's anything specific you have worries about maybe we can help! :smile:

Reply 23

The Warsmith

I've had me eye on ya the whole time!

Reply 24

Slowbro93

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Huge hugs! It is quite daunting, starting a PhD, so it's OK to be a bit nervous. I'm sure you will be OK though!

Do feel free to PM me if that would help at all :penguinhug:

Thanks

Original post by llacerta

Well the big thing really is that I've been out of uni for a year and moving into a completely different field where the met office want results. Now I know that I'm probably panicking about it, but what about if I can't do it. That and moving to a different city has just caused me to stress sleep :frown:

Reply 25

llacerta

Original post by Slowbro93

Thanks

Moving to a new city and going back to uni after being out for a while are both tricky things, and it sounds like you'll definitely have a change of lifestyle when you start. But I'm sure you're more than capable of actually doing the PhD itself- they chose you for a reason! :smile:

It's also tough if you're working in a field where results are 'needed', so to speak; I feel you on that one. I guess the best anyone can do just is their best, and I think you'll surprise yourself! When do you actually start?

Reply 26

Slowbro93

Original post by llacerta

I forgot to reply to this :tongue:

I'm getting more used to the idea and decided to dive into a bunch of activities before I actually start so that way I can keep myself busy and meet people. I "officially" start the 1st October although I'll probably start background reading earlier and my courses that I'm attending start the Monday :smile:

Slowly I'll be able to say:

For this

Reply 27

Slowbro93

I move tomorrow and it's actually stressing me out! ****!

Reply 28

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by Slowbro93

I move tomorrow and it's actually stressing me out! ****!

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Reply 29

Serentonin

Hope the move went okay and that you're not too stressed out about everything!

(also posting to subscribe :colone:

)

Reply 30

Black Rose

Original post by Slowbro93

I move tomorrow and it's actually stressing me out! ****!

Hope it went okay. :hugs:

Reply 31

Slowbro93

So I am typing this from ... Leeds! :ahee:

As you all saw, I was moved up last week and I have to say that given everything that was going on it was kinda of smooth :erm:

Move up day

So the day had arrived. I couldn't sleep the night before as I was so nervous :frown:

In addition, I also had the unfortunate situation of still being on my crutch meaning that I not only was moving with quite big suitcases with my mother but I also had to make sure I didn't cause myself any more damage ...

We get in the cab from my home and head to the station. By this point, I am refusing to cry because my mum is next to me weeping. I am one of those people who find it quite hard to deal with my own emotions let alone everyone elses ... However, after some squabbling between the two of us over petty things we get on the train and head up to Leeds!

I find that the train guards are really helpful in moving my stuff. We get to Leeds and I have a massive smile on my face as I'm both really scared but excited. Mum on the other hand was like "you can't love the place, you're not allowed to do that etc." which was winding me up tbh. I felt that she wasn't happy for me even though I don't think that was the case... Anyhow we get to the house and I find that I am the second person to have moved in! Meaning that I was able to claim cupboard and fridge space quite quickly :tongue:

After getting all my stuff up, we head over to the uni. Now I'm still on this crutch and whilst my walk to uni isn't bad (about 15 mins) it's a very hilly walk :erm:

I just feel that I am going to get super fit by the end of my first year :tongue:

Mum was complaining a lot, saying how cold it was, saying it's not like London and tbh just getting me to go :colonhash:

a lot. We get to campus, and with it being freshers there's a lot going on (incuding the giving away of free cotton candy :biggrin:

) I finally pick up my student card (although they thought my mum was the PhD student at first as they didn't see the picture and wasn't focusing :rofl:

) and we decide to head into town. We take a few photos on campus and head to dinner.

Dinner was good and I've recently found out I have an allergy to wheat (no nice pizza :indiff:

) so I looked at their grilled options and they were really nice! Dinner finishes and we head back to the hotel where mum was staying. Now she thought I was going to stay the night with her however I knew for my own MH I had to face my house as this would be my home for the next 9 months. She started to cry quite badly whilst I was leaving and I headed back to my home and enjoyed having the house to myself.

A lot of description here I know but a lot has happened :tongue:

The time before my course

So the following morning I went and saw my mum for breakfast (which is so so so much cheaper than London :ahee:

) and then dropped her off at the station. It then hit me. I was living in a new city by myself and I was really starting to panic at this point. I got home and saw my first flatmate! She's nice but sort of does her own thing which I thought meh :tongue:

By this point though, I was having second thoughts about doing this and saying whether I should have just stuck with Imperial when they invited me to interview :erm:

I started to really miss home by this point. I also knew no one and I couldn't do much as I was still on my crutch :frown:

I spent most of the day in bed and regretting being here :frown:

The weekend came and I said that I couldn't just do this. I decided to get some food shopping and I bumped into my second housemate :biggrin:

She was only there for a little bit though. I have to say that food shopping was the biggest hell on earth but I did it ... Some third years did help me out with my bags though when it came to packing :smile:

Got home and just ended up having some food and watching TV for both the Saturday and Sunday. I did have a nice convo with my housemate though which is something I really did need.

The Monday things started getting better. I started some of my undergrad taught courses which started just before my research. The maths made me go "wut" as I haven't touched it for a while but I then reread the slides and it was okay in the end :smile:

I then met my supervisor! Which was kinda scary but okay! :biggrin:

I then met the postgrad society and met some really nice people there over coffee :yep:

For the Tuesday and Wednesday, I started getting into the swing of things. I was still doing things by myself but was feeling a lot better :smile:

I speak with my mum, brother and aunty on a daily basis so that I was helping with the home sickness.

Then my course started ...

Officially a researcher!

The Thursday we had our induction for the entire facuality! This consisted of my school (School of Earth and Environment), School of Geography and the institute of transport Studies :yep:

I met some really nice people but not many people from my school. Either way, it was nice to hear about people's research, where people came from and finally meeting my fellow researchers. I then started reading this one paper which I thought would have taken an hour. 5 hours later and I was like "DONE!" will need to reread it though. I then went out that night. A friend from home said that he has another friend living in Leeds and after following through with some contact we met up. I had a really good time! Although I was feeling a little hungover the following morning and I had another induction :colondollar:

The second day was really really good! Not only did I meet the people I'll be sharing my office with, but I was able to meet people in my research group, see my new desk and actually made some friends! Which for me is a really hard thing! But I was really glad how that went :smile:

After the welcome party (which they had so much ale there is was scary!) we decided to have a trashy night out. It was really nice as I was with people I actually liked and got on with :smile:

Overall, felt really really happy! I also saw my supervisor earlier that day and he's given me a really useful textbook with loads of weather pictures! :ahee:

Started reading it this weekend and so far so good :smile:

My weekend I've been quite hungover :colondollar:

And I was invited out to the rugby with my colleagues but said no due to the state that I was in :erm:

However, the good news is that I am off my crutch now! :biggrin:

And that brings me to today :smile:

I'm going to help on the sidelines with the jitsu give it a go session :smile:

I can't train still but I am glad to be back in the dojo!

Well what next?

Well now it's back to work! I have a few papers to crack on with and I also have my supervision meeting with the rest of my team this week. I'll write another post on my academic work this week :smile:

Thanks for reading! :biggrin:

Reply 32

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Yay for making friends :biggrin:

Sad times about no nice pizza though :frown:

Excited to continue reading your journey in Dr. Slowbro :biggrin:

Reply 33

Slowbro93

Have my next supervision tomorrow and I've done nothing. FML :colonhash:

Reply 34

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by Slowbro93

Have my next supervision tomorrow and I've done nothing. FML :colonhash:

That's a bit quick to have a next supervision! I swear you only just had one?! :eek:

Reply 35

Slowbro93

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

That's a bit quick to have a next supervision! I swear you only just had one?! :eek:

Well we're meeting every week I think initially so year :tongue:

Reply 36

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by Slowbro93

Well we're meeting every week I think initially so year :tongue:

Holy ****! There was me thinking my uni was a bit keen by saying supervisors and supervisees have to meet every 2 weeks in the first year :headfire:

Reply 37

Slowbro93

So I'm slowly learning my way around linux. I am getting the hang of most of the commands and going to see if I can get this course done today :tongue:

Reply 38