GOGSoc Episode VIII: I&#x27;m a surviva!

Original post by Noodlzzz

As a psychologist I’m worried about getting participants to travel across London to come to uni for experiments. Hoping all is blown over by next academic year but not holding my breath :frown:

Yay for supervisor though!

It's really frustrating how open-ended this all is. I know that no one can help it, but it starts to trigger questions like "will my university take these delays into account?" and "will I complete on time now?" :indiff:

Reply 42

Original post by PhoenixFortune

It's really frustrating how open-ended this all is. I know that no one can help it, but it starts to trigger questions like "will my university take these delays into account?" and "will I complete on time now?" :indiff:

From talking with someone at my uni who had a similar experience - basically her supervisor left 8 months in, she was given 8 moths at the end of the 4 years with no extra fees

Reply 43

Original post by Noodlzzz

From talking with someone at my uni who had a similar experience - basically her supervisor left 8 months in, she was given 8 moths at the end of the 4 years with no extra fees

That's what I will push for. At least I can have regular phone meetings with my supervisor now.

I wonder if any PhD students will ask for refunds? Those that require labs/rooms/equipment may be at a disadvantage. A friend of mine requires eye-tracking equipment, and another needs access to the MRI scanner (which also requires a technician to be present).

Reply 44

Original post by PhoenixFortune

That's what I will push for. At least I can have regular phone meetings with my supervisor now.

I wonder if any PhD students will ask for refunds? Those that require labs/rooms/equipment may be at a disadvantage. A friend of mine requires eye-tracking equipment, and another needs access to the MRI scanner (which also requires a technician to be present).

I am eye-tracking too :colone:

I'm hoping that we get an unpaid (tuition fees) year off to write up what we can and then start back Sep 2021. God that's a long way away.

Reply 45

Huge hugs to everyone who is being affected by the pandemic. I feel so lucky that my Stockholm trip went ahead and just in the nick of time! Feeling bad for the rest of you, reading about how your projects are impacted :frown:

My uni is way behind others in that they've only just decided that face-to-face teaching isn't a good idea this week :rolleyes:

Their inaction has been a bit worrying!

@Anndee , hope you are able to get reimbursed for all flights/travel and accommodation for your European trips. @PhoenixFortune , really glad your supervisor is finally back at work, even if you can't meet them face-to-face atm :yes:

Interesting question about asking for refunds. My research is pretty much unaffected (to the point that I might end up actually doing PhD reading/writing properly for once :eek:

) but this must be a nightmare for many postgrad students :frown:

And of course the undergrads, feel bad for them too :frown:

Reply 46

Anndee

11

Just checking in from my fully locked down country ... It's strange, for once I am home but still cannot meet family or friends. Husband, cat and me are in good health and we have plenty of food, and even loo roll, and for now, we're not losing our jobs, either.
All my teaching has moved online, which in theory is great, but in practice a nightmare - neither the university nor the students or staff were prepared, so I am spending most of my time working on a mountain of panicked emails and trouble-shooting for students and colleagues.
I've also encountered a rather unexpected problem: The hard copies of my thesis have still not been delivered, and once I have them, I am technically not permitted to leave the house to post one to my university, as I fear I won't be able to argue this is "essential" on the same level as getting food.

Reply 47

Original post by Anndee

Just checking in from my fully locked down country ... It's strange, for once I am home but still cannot meet family or friends. Husband, cat and me are in good health and we have plenty of food, and even loo roll, and for now, we're not losing our jobs, either.
All my teaching has moved online, which in theory is great, but in practice a nightmare - neither the university nor the students or staff were prepared, so I am spending most of my time working on a mountain of panicked emails and trouble-shooting for students and colleagues.
I've also encountered a rather unexpected problem: The hard copies of my thesis have still not been delivered, and once I have them, I am technically not permitted to leave the house to post one to my university, as I fear I won't be able to argue this is "essential" on the same level as getting food.

You could check with your uni whether, given the circumstances, they are willing to waive the need for hard copies? I know my uni has said people submitting in the next few months only have to submit an electronic copy (usually 2 hard copies would be required too) :yes:

Reply 48

How are we all holding up, peeps?! :grouphugs:

Reply 49

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

How are we all holding up, peeps?! :grouphugs:

My uni has assured us we can have time added on the end of the 4 years depending on however long this thing lasts for all those who need to use labs/human participants :smile:

and you TLG? how are you holding up uni wise?

Reply 50

Original post by Noodlzzz

My uni has assured us we can have time added on the end of the 4 years depending on however long this thing lasts for all those who need to use labs/human participants :smile:

and you TLG? how are you holding up uni wise?

Oh that must be a relief to hear! :hugs:

Phew!

My uni is being much less clear about everything, tbh. They're bloody useless :grumble:

I'm doing really well, thanks! I'm trying to use this lockdown time to focus on PhD work while my brain still decides to cooperate! :work:

Gonna try and do a lot of writing that I've been putting off :ninja:

Reply 51

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Oh that must be a relief to hear! :hugs:

Phew!

My uni is being much less clear about everything, tbh. They're bloody useless :grumble:

I'm doing really well, thanks! I'm trying to use this lockdown time to focus on PhD work while my brain still decides to cooperate! :work:

Gonna try and do a lot of writing that I've been putting off :ninja:

Ah sorry to hear that. Hopefully everyone will clarify what is going to happen soon - it’s so unprecedented.

Hope you can be productive :smile:

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 52

Original post by Noodlzzz

Ah sorry to hear that. Hopefully everyone will clarify what is going to happen soon - it’s so unprecedented.

Hope you can be productive :smile:

Thanks! It doesn't matter for me, as I've got just under 3 years left (!) and am not lab-based/can do my interviews over Skype if necessary! I feel for those who are worse off than me with all this uncertainty. Atm, the official advice from uni is just to document how your research is being impacted and for how long, in case you want to apply for an interruption or extension later on :dontknow:

Reply 53

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

How are we all holding up, peeps?! :grouphugs:

My productivity has taken a dip, but I'm getting back on it now - writing a plain-language summary of my MA research for a stakeholder charity, so while not directly PhDing, I still feel like I'm doing something worthwhile.

I'm also meant to be going to a conference at the end of June (at a university near London), but the organisers aren't committing to postponing/cancelling it yet. I'll still make the poster just in case the situation suddenly improves and it definitely goes ahead.

My supervisor has also postponed our phone meeting so she can get her son sorted (as he's now off school and needs activities etc.), so I'm just plodding along for the moment.

Reply 54

Original post by PhoenixFortune

My productivity has taken a dip, but I'm getting back on it now - writing a plain-language summary of my MA research for a stakeholder charity, so while not directly PhDing, I still feel like I'm doing something worthwhile.

I'm also meant to be going to a conference at the end of June (at a university near London), but the organisers aren't committing to postponing/cancelling it yet. I'll still make the poster just in case the situation suddenly improves and it definitely goes ahead.

My supervisor has also postponed our phone meeting so she can get her son sorted (as he's now off school and needs activities etc.), so I'm just plodding along for the moment.

Understandable for things to take a dip :hugs:

Plain-language summaries are SO hard (that's what I'm working on atm) :afraid:

Def worthwhile to be doing that :yep:

Hope you do get to speak to your supervisor soon :frown:

and that things become clearer re: conference!

Reply 55

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Understandable for things to take a dip :hugs:

Plain-language summaries are SO hard (that's what I'm working on atm) :afraid:

Def worthwhile to be doing that :yep:

Hope you do get to speak to your supervisor soon :frown:

and that things become clearer re: conference!

I'm so used to writing in academic speak (lots of technical and complex sentences), and now I have to get into the head space of someone writing something engaging that could appear in say, a magazine! It's so much harder than it seems. They said I could also include charts/tables, but they would be too difficult to explain to a lay person without using my whole word count!

Reply 56

Original post by PhoenixFortune

I'm so used to writing in academic speak (lots of technical and complex sentences), and now I have to get into the head space of someone writing something engaging that could appear in say, a magazine! It's so much harder than it seems. They said I could also include charts/tables, but they would be too difficult to explain to a lay person without using my whole word count!

I'm sure you will rise to the challenge! We believe in you! :rave:

Reply 57

Finally had my first (video) meeting with my supervisor! Feel so much better now I have a plan of action - I have to send her parts of my lit review every 2 weeks, each on a different theme to help draft my chapters. She also managed to remotely register me (as I've only been online-enrolled up to this point), so I am *officially* a PhD student now and have my own committee organised! :dance:

This also triggered my doctoral loan payments which I'm so happy about, as I thought I'd have to wait until September (or even later :sad:

) to register in person to get paid. Just need to work out when/how to get my student ID card now...

Reply 58

Original post by PhoenixFortune

Finally had my first (video) meeting with my supervisor! Feel so much better now I have a plan of action - I have to send her parts of my lit review every 2 weeks, each on a different theme to help draft my chapters. She also managed to remotely register me (as I've only been online-enrolled up to this point), so I am *officially* a PhD student now and have my own committee organised! :dance:

This also triggered my doctoral loan payments which I'm so happy about, as I thought I'd have to wait until September (or even later :sad:

) to register in person to get paid. Just need to work out when/how to get my student ID card now...

Yay I'm so pleased for you! It seems like it's been a long time coming! :smile:

Reply 59