Are you doing a humanities PhD?

If so, don't read this. It's American, so the figures and comparisons aren't entirely relevant, but the general trend is accurate: PhDs take a very long time, a lot of people never finish, they fit you for a very narrow niche, and there are very few jobs in that niche. On the plus side, most humanities PhD candidates are so socially inept or nerdish that we're unsuitable for any other job anyway.

UK PhDs are shorter - 3 years minimum, 4 years average. I took a bit longer, but I was teaching basically full-time (not for full-time pay, I should point out) and I'm extremely lazy it took deep thought.



I'm almost 35 (I was studying for something from the age of 5 to 32), broke, I don't have a permanent job - and yet I'm having a great time and I know things about stuff you didn't care existed.



So ignore the Jeremiahs: postgraduate life is wonderful. Most of the time. And you may even get a job later. Perhaps even one related to your knowledge.