Alpinestarhero
11-08-09, 01:50 PM
So this time last summer, I was all set to start a PhD at University College London. I was excited, and I was also thankfull that I had managed to secure a PhD after I got messed around by someone at Queen Mary University.
I started at UCL and gently settled myself in. I had a few problems, I generalyl do when starting in new places, but I soon settled down. After 3 months, I felt ok. So i felt I could go on. After 6 months, I started having doubts. I was becoming quite unhappy. After 9 months, maria had noticed I had changed, and in a very open conversation we had, she admitted she had never seen me so sad and angry before, and was scared I didn't love her anymore. I finally admitted that I wasn't happy at UCL. I left.
A couple of weeks later, I got a phone call from one of my old lecturers at Kingston University. She had heard I was now a free agent, and had rung my parents to get ym mobile number to contact me - a quite flattering effort in itself. After a good talk, she offered me a PhD. I wasnt sure, so took a week to think about it, but duely accepted.
I've also managed to blag some summer work, its only volenteer work on a small chemistry project but I get some money to cover the costs of travelling, which is great :D and I start my PhD proper in october
After being at a big academic institution like UCL, I realise I feel at home in the humble, modest setting of kingston university. I felt UCL did scientific research to uphold a reputation. There where big ego's, but I had made some good friends there. I was sad to leave the good people, but was not sad to leave UCL.
Maria has noticed I'm happier and relaxed again (or, at least, I'm just grumbling about my bike :lol:). I'm looking forward to returning to kingston, to getting involvd in a project which has very little previous research. I'll have supervisors that are interested and willing to give me their time.
This is gonna be great :D
Just thought I would share, I'm a happy 'hero right now
Matt
I started at UCL and gently settled myself in. I had a few problems, I generalyl do when starting in new places, but I soon settled down. After 3 months, I felt ok. So i felt I could go on. After 6 months, I started having doubts. I was becoming quite unhappy. After 9 months, maria had noticed I had changed, and in a very open conversation we had, she admitted she had never seen me so sad and angry before, and was scared I didn't love her anymore. I finally admitted that I wasn't happy at UCL. I left.
A couple of weeks later, I got a phone call from one of my old lecturers at Kingston University. She had heard I was now a free agent, and had rung my parents to get ym mobile number to contact me - a quite flattering effort in itself. After a good talk, she offered me a PhD. I wasnt sure, so took a week to think about it, but duely accepted.
I've also managed to blag some summer work, its only volenteer work on a small chemistry project but I get some money to cover the costs of travelling, which is great :D and I start my PhD proper in october
After being at a big academic institution like UCL, I realise I feel at home in the humble, modest setting of kingston university. I felt UCL did scientific research to uphold a reputation. There where big ego's, but I had made some good friends there. I was sad to leave the good people, but was not sad to leave UCL.
Maria has noticed I'm happier and relaxed again (or, at least, I'm just grumbling about my bike :lol:). I'm looking forward to returning to kingston, to getting involvd in a project which has very little previous research. I'll have supervisors that are interested and willing to give me their time.
This is gonna be great :D
Just thought I would share, I'm a happy 'hero right now
Matt