• Question: does science inturupt with your personal life

    Asked by myatt96 to Pamela, Johnson, Holly, Daz, Cat on 13 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Pamela Lithgow

      Pamela Lithgow answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Hi myatt,
      Science doesn’t normally interrupt my personal life. I normally work about 9-5 Monday to Friday so that is like any job. I sometimes work a little later or at weekends but not often. I also sometimes do reading in my own time but also not too often.
      I have a husband and we got married while I was doing my PhD so you can have a normal life. We like going to the cinema (lots!) and dancing.
      Hope that helps
      Pam 🙂

    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Hi Myatt96

      Yes, it can do, is the short answer. I would add though that the benefits of doing this – of which there are many – do make up for it, but some experiments really do take your nights and weekends, at least in my field. I do a lot of fluorescent work, so I have to work often at night as the sun and light destroy my compounds very quickly. Also, working with things that grow like bacteria mean occasionally awkward timetabling, because they can be ‘ready’ for your experiment between 12 and maybe 36 (or longer) hours later from when you start – which can really ruin some things you do in your personal life!

      If you manage time though, you can get by 🙂 it’s not all bad.. But I happen to be quite unorganised!

      Daz

    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Hi Myatt96,

      This is a tough question! It all depends on what job you do. Some of my friends work as vets, so their personal lives can be pretty disrupted if an animal gets sick. And by the way, animals always like to get sick at weekends, late at night and when you have plans made! My PhD has disrupted my personal life. Firstly I moved from Ireland to do it so I’m pretty far away from my family and don’t often get home to see them. But we stay in contact using facebook and skype a lot! I try and keep my evenings free so I can see my friends, cook nice dinners, exercise and maybe go to a party or too. Right now because I’m trying to finish my PhD I often work at the weekends but will try and finish by five so I can have some fun 😀

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