Overview of Lara on PostgraduateForum.com

Overview of Lara

Signup date: 21 May 2008 at 9:34pm

Last login: 11 Jul 2011 at 10:39am

Post count: 3929

Recent Posts

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 09 Sep 2009 01:29:34 =======
my confession for today.

i read 1 paper of my external examiner, and read a bunch of background information so that i could understand the paper abit.

I just finished compiling my final list of viva questions, down from 113 , to 63 questions, :-) even added a bunch of new ones (about 30 or so). grouped together similar questions -that are phrased slightly differently - but essentially asking the same thing

i'm so glad i got it done tonight!!! i wasnt in the mood to do it. but forced myself.

tommorow i'm going to start writing answers to the questions. if i dont know how to answer a question. i will just make a few random notes (the motto - don't get it right, get it written!!!) and come back to it later on.

okay have made myself a deadline. i have 10 days and 63 questions. i want to leave the last week before my viva, to practice and go over the questions and answers.

so that means i have to tackle 6 questions a day.

i'm clocking out now.

hope you all had a good day.

The nocturnal workers' thread

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 09 Sep 2009 01:20:30 =======
======= Date Modified 09 Sep 2009 00:13:43 =======
anyone burning the midnight oil?
i so dont want to be at my desk! i dont want to study., i'm being a brat. so i've coaxed myself to do something even if its just 5 minutes at a time with a break each 5 minute lol.
so decided to make a final list of viva questions. seems like such a daunting task! no wonder im procrasting. i'm drowning in questions, in the past i had compiled a list of over 100 questions from various resources, but its too much, i only have a couple of weeks left. i need to narrow it down. :$

so thats my aim for tonight! get the list of viva questions done! :-s
==
EDIT 01.19
yeh! i finished! the list of questions are now down to 63 even though added about 30 new ones. this is my final list. and on that note. i'm out.

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From BilboBaggins:

The memory problems also mean that I can easily forget what I've done which is potentially a far more serious problem. Again it will be have to taken into account in the viva, with possibly medical evidence warning the examiners about this.

To be honest the memory problems are perhaps the least of my problems though. I'm severely disabled, with a progressive MS-like illness. I've had practical problems because of this throughout the PhD, despite studying part-time. It's just that the memory problems will be an issue in the viva, so have to be addressed.

WOW BilboBaggins, you truly are an inspiration - working so hard and studying on your phd despite your disability. that is really admirable. I wish you all the best!(up)

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From BilboBaggins:

But I have huge memory problems due to the neurological illness and don't take much in now, nor can I remember much from my past studies. I am constantly feeling that I don't know enough, but I've nearly finished the PhD so it can't have worked out too bad.

Good luck with your history PhD!

I REALLY admire you for your determination, hard work and courage in working on your phd and nearly coming to the end of it , despite your memory problems. that is so amazing. do you have particular strategies to cope with having to demonstrate a good grasp of background information with your memory problems?
(up):-)

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 08 Sep 2009 15:17:44 =======
Flutter- having a day of rest is a great idea!!

My goals for today are:

1. read and make notes from Dr F papers:
2009 a: DONE
2009 b:
2009 c:
2008 a:
2008 b:
2008 c:
2008 d:
2008 e:
2007:
2006:

2. make a list of potential viva questions (i have a list of about 113, but i think some of them are the same question but rephrased differently, so to prevent me from panicking i have so many questions to answer, i'm going to consolidate them).

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 07 Sep 2009 15:53:23 =======
======= Date Modified 07 Sep 2009 15:43:01 =======
Hi Ruby., you're welcome :) sorry to hear you had a horrible dream.

Flutter - dont worry - yesterday i didnt do any studying! i always feel like that on sundays. i call them lazy sundays. but today is a brand new day. I totally agree with you. its the saying "what gets measured - gets done". good luck flutter.

lol BB - dark side haha.
---
My goals for today are:

1. look up papers from external examiner Dr. F. (maximum 10 papers): DONE (@15.00)
2. look up papers from internal examiner Dr. S (maximum 10 papers): DONE (@15.42)
4. skim read and make notes from Dr F papers:
2009 a:
2009 b:
2009 c:
2008 a:
2008 b:
2008 c:
2008 d:
2008 e:
2007:
2006:
5. skim read and make notes from Dr S papers

Post-thesis twilight zone.........

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From Smilodon:

Hi Lara - I passed with minor corrections. I still have a ton of work to do to get publications out in order to write a postdoc grant though - so it feel like I have another year to go. It has taken a while to chill about the whole thing but I have slowed down and feel very relieved. How are you doing?

That's fantastic! well done you! congratulations :)

i'm okay preparing for my viva:-(

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From Lara:

so today's goals are:

1. read through a grant that was written by my sup based on my 2nd paper.
2. make notes from grant.
3. use the grant to think of ideas for the question "what would you do next".
4. google my 2 examiners.
5. find and print papers from examiners to get a feel of where they are coming from.

Hi guys! I hope you all had a good day. I am feeling much better now. I am glad i got over the intial panic and recieved the letter about the examiners sooner rather than later! I'm feeling okay right now as i've just finished making notes from the grant and have a couple of ideas for future experiments, so feeling good about that :-) Its really true what they say, when you're feeling fearful, the only thing that will make you feel better, is to just get stuck in and do some studying , feel the fear - do it anyway. (i've got that on a post it note now - stuck above my computer monitor)

My confession for today.

I achieved:
aim 1, -i read through the grant.
aim 2, i made notes from the grant
aim 3 - I made notes for a couple of ideas for future experiments.
aim 4 - I googled my two examiners, i have a list of papers they have both written. ready to look up tommorow.

I did not achieve aim 5. but 4 out of 5 aint bad! :p

I'm clocking out for today. See you guys tommorow!

Glad to have you guys, it's really helping me :-)

Post-thesis twilight zone.........

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From Smilodon:

I submitted in April but my viva is not until end July. I've circulated the first draft paper but suspect it will take a LONG time for my co-authors to deal with it. I'm starting on a postdoc grant but have no idea what the realistic timescale is - and don't like to press it since I haven't had my viva yet. But I'm anxious about what childcare to book for Sep and whether I need to fork out to keep our childminder on retainer.

I'm just steadily increasing in anxiety like a frog in boiling water.

Anyone else in the twilight zone?

Smilodon how did your viva go? sorry if you've already posted about this in another thread..

Post-thesis twilight zone.........

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

thanks Danzig, and a big congratulations to you for submitting your thesis. way to go!!!! that's great!
(up)(up)

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From rubyw:

Lara, I know how you feel, sometimes I just felt sick before my viva, as if I knew nothing, and my hair started falling out again, like it it did before I submitted my first complete draft.... it's horrible!!! And because the whole PhD is a personal choice it all seems quite peculiar... I don't know what to say really, except that the examiners will know loads, that's why they're examiners and we're students, but I found the prospect rather daunting. You know what you wrote though, and why - even if you think you don't, it's probably in your head somewhere, for you to draw on if you need it. You can't know everything, but you can know your own thesis, its flaws and its highlights (ie the original contribution to knowledge, the papers you've written etc) so if I was you, I'd focus on those things, it should boost your confidence in what you've done. Do try not to panic too much though, but it's easier said than done as I know only too well.

I might sound ultra-weird here, but I found Aloha's reference to Viva las Vegas rather helpful when I was waiting to go into the viva, it's quite a perky song to play before something potentially not very pleasant happens! Better than The Final Countdown! Other people suggested It's Now or Never.

Then afterwards you can join the corrections procrastinators!! I don't seem to have any sense of urgency any more with these corrections, I spend far too much time on Youtube playing early Animals stuff...:$ :-x Aaaah well, maybe I'll force myself to finish off one tiny bit more before dinner..... one day it will all *really* be finished. :-)

Thanks Ruby!!!! I really appreciate that, thank you so much!! I can see why you have 4 stars!! you are a total star, what you said really comforted me :) I really needed to hear all of that. and everything you said is so true and really nice to hear, especially about the fact the examiners will know more cause they are THE examiners, and i cant possibly know everything. and i loved the bit about its probably in my head somewhere that will get triggered during the viva.

lol I love that song reference viva las vegas! haha i will definately put that on my ipod and listen to it on the day before my viva. haha that made me laugh!! :)

Thanks Ruby! you are such an amazing person :)

good luck with your corrections!!(up)

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 05 Sep 2009 14:24:25 =======
okay i couldnt help myself but i googled my two examiners, and i am freaking out. they are so knowledgeable and i just feel like so inadequate. i am freaking out lol. i'm feeling a mixture of - i'm gonna waste their time, i am not going to be able to engage myself into the intellecual conversations, i dont know how to defend my thesis. i dont have enough knowledge.... i'm panicking and i'm really scared. :$
okay i really gotta get a hold on myself and get a grip and just breathe. okay i'm gonna take it step by step.

first tackle the grant and make notes. and then worry about the examiner's papers - will deal with that later on today.

okay i'm gonna do the ol' 15 minute trick. and then grab some lunch.

okay feeling a tiny bit better now. i just gotta focus on my studies and really revise and make an effort to understand what i read now. even if it takes longer - i gotta get it stuck in my head. i once read, there is no point studying for hours on end, if nothing stays in your head and you dont really understand it. its not quantity now i gotta go for, but quality. i really have to start making essential succinct notes, instead of pages and pages of notes, that i wont be able to retain. now is the time to just learn the nitty gritty and summarised basic - take home messages.

Post-thesis twilight zone.........

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

======= Date Modified 05 Sep 2009 14:07:12 =======

Quote From Danzig:

======= Date Modified 04 Sep 2009 14:34:50 =======
As from today, I join the people in post-submission limbo. I submitted my thesis this morning and as far as I know the Assessment office has already prepared them to be send out to the examiners. Happy days! Thanks to all who replied in my other threads when I was giving out about writing up etc.... 8-)

hey Danzig. i'm joining you! i recieved a letter telling me who my examiners are, and that my thesis has been sent to them! yikes!!! i am sooooooooooo scared :$

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

WELCOME Bulbs!! :) so nice to have you join us! please jump right in and start declaring your daily goals and what you achieved at the end of the day.

You're welcome Flutter! :) i look foward to reading your accountability on the days that are your thesis days

Accountability Partners - Write your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day

Lara 3929 posts
15 years ago

Quote From Lara:

my aims for today is:
to answer 9 questions for chapter 6.

hi guys!! nice to see some activity on this thread. i'm so pleased! really need this to keep me sane whilst i prepare for my viva. i achieved my goal that i set out 2 days ago, that day. but yesterday i did absolutely nothing, zip zata. i just felt tired and just procrasinated. anyways enough of that. today is a fresh start and a brand new day

this morning i recieved a letter from UOL telling me who my examiners are, and my thesis has been sent to them. i'm soooooooo scared. i have never felt this much fear for anything. but like Jillian Michaels would say. FEEL THE FEAR - DO IT ANYWAY!!! (jillian michaels personal trainer from biggest loser US). and i have that motto stuck in my head.

and how there's no such thing as I CAN'T , its I WONT, or i choose NOT TO, you can do it, you just choose not to. so i'm really trying hard to push the negative feelings out of my head. but its hard, cause the voice in my head creeps in and says. who am i fooling? i can't do this. but you know what i'm just gonna try my best and forget the rest. so everytime i hear myself saying, I cant do this. i'm gonna say to myself, "feel the fear but do it anyways"

so here i am taking it one day at a time. and just going to focus on daily goals. becuase i cant prepare for my viva in just one day. its an accumulated effort.

so today's goals are:

1. read through a grant that was written by my sup based on my 2nd paper.
2. make notes from grant.
3. use the grant to think of ideas for the question "what would you do next".
4. google my 2 examiners.
5. find and print papers from examiners to get a feel of where they are coming from.