Hi Pineaplle29. First of all, be kind to yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if your health is not good due to stress. I have been in that position for a while. You are unwell, and unable to work properly, but if you don't you feel guilty, hence more stress and more health problems... Bear in mind that you can achieve a lot in a day if you feel well and have a clear mind. So, you have plenty of time ahead, and you are doing the right things.

Looking at other successful theses is very, very useful. I didn't get much useful feedback from my supervisor, and this is how I managed to shape my thesis in the end: I looked at other theses - how they were structured, how arguments were built, etc.

I personally feel that the post-viva time is more stressful than the writing-up. I completed my corrections weeks ago, but still didn't hear anything about them yet. It is more about surviving the marathon rather than the research process that is difficult. But you will get there, no doubt. Every day is a little bit less that you are going to do tomorrow, and eventually you realise that you ticked off all the points in your list!

Pineapple29 - I am sorry to hear that you are unwell. I hope you are getting better - do take good rest and get well soon. Its a good thing that you are looking at others theses. It definitely helps to look at those to get an idea. I have few with me which I have going through recently. I hope I had done it at least a year back :-( I have no idea how am going to get there but still ploughing hard. I had a dream yesterday where I saw my black hard bound thesis with golden imprints on :-)

Corrine - That's good piece of advice, Corrine. I hope you will hear back soon about your corrections :-)

About me, I will update my status later tonight as my analysis has been a disaster :-s

Hi all, Good morning!

Here is the thing. The analysis which I did yesterday has been a disaster as I did not get good results at all. This was the third time I did the experimental work. I am extremely tired, stressed and anxious. All these days I have been saying myself that everything will be fine soon but it doesn't seem to. There is no body around who can help me, of course I can ask advice from my supervisors but they do not have any practical experience with the stuff I am doing. So if I have problems I will have bury myself it in and think it through and find the solution myself. I actually enjoy it most of the times but if this is the case even at the end of my third year I don't know what to do.

My simulations have been failing too and I wrote to the IT guy who is very helpful but he couldn't figure out why its happening. I wrote an email to an expert in the field and he said that they have been having issues as well which means there is no solution for it. I guess everybody in my department are under the impression that I am good for nothing :-( I haven't been writing in the last few days as I am always thinking about the things which doesn't work. I have obtained yet another robust software for my experimental analysis so today I am going to use that and see if it works. I am sorry for the rant early in the morning.

Have a nice day everyone :-)

I have analysed my experimental results with the other software and it is clear that there are problems with the material (I can't write explicitly as I want to retain the anonymity). I feel like a wreck because of everything failing more than the work and tiredness itself. I am totally lost :-(

Just wanted to say sorry you're in this horrible situation and to send some good wishes your way. No useful advice I'm afraid because I don't even really understand what you wrote (very different discipline!). Thanks for this thread btw, I'm submitting mid-December and I've been keeping an eye on it.

Hi Redapple, thanks for the wishes. I am hoping that I will get through this horrible phase somehow, don't know how though! I am doing my PhD in applied physics which involves simulations, analytical calculations, measurements and models. I like my topic very much but it is just the technical issues which is a disaster. It is so difficult to explain in an anonymous forum :-(

All the best to you for your submission :-)

Hi all, I have got some ideas which could solve the issues with my measurements. I am feeling a bit better and clear now. Sorry for all the negativity in the last couple of days :-(

I might join this thread if that's all right as I too hope to submit my thesis by the end of the year but I'm not sure if I will make it. I doubt myself and feel that my supervisor doubts me as well. Good luck Cindrella, I'm glad that things seem to be going a bit better for you.

Hi! :-)

I'm back after almost 2 weeks of vacation. :-)

Today I have read more papers, but there are still many things that I don't understand. I'll continue this tomorrow.

Don't be sorry /worry about writing any negativity, Cindrella :-) . Everyone has his/her own ups & downs/ high & low times. I was totally hopeless and lost last month- my experiment didn't work despite all the things that I had changed/ modified/ adjusted. Worrying if I would break any parts of my mechanism made me even more stressful at that time. After several efforts/ attempts, in the end I found out that the last reason why my results were not consistent was I didn't tighten one of the screws in my mechanism- it got loose everytime I ran the experiment :p (and of course the other modifications/ adjustments/ changes had also helped in improving the results). It sounds silly but it almost caused me high blood pressure!!! :-s:p.
Just keep on trying and take some rest too- avoid from being burned out.

I really hope I could finish all my simulations and experimental works by the end of this year (T_T) (T_T)...

:-) \(^_^)/

Hi Ross - Welcome to this thread! Are you done with your data collection and analysis? How is your write up going on? Good luck (up)

Hi Huhu - Welcome back :-) I hope you had a good vacation. I'm glad to hear that you have figured the issues with you experiment :-) Well done!!

I have had similar experiences with stuff not working and it was always to do with something silly :p As you said I am going to keep on trying until this part of experiment works. One day, I feel like everything is ok and am going to finish by the end of this year and another day I feel that I am not going to finish even if I am given two more years :-( Anyway I will keep on working and hope everything will get better soon.

Cheers!

Hey Pineapple29, How are you getting on with your corrections? Hope all is well! Hugs :-)

Hmmm...at this very moment I am still trying to figure out a solution for the problem with the experiment results. I have made up my mind to talk to my secondary supervisor tomorrow and see what he says. I have the usual supervisory meeting on Friday.

That's fabulous, Swetcha! Its great to hear that you are very much on track :-) Tiredness bit - totally understandable. Take good rest and plough on - you will make it.

I have put the writing part on a hold while am fixing the issues with my experiment. This involves quite a lot of reading/thinking/analysis which is driving me crazy but I will eventually get through this phase I hope.

Have a nice day guys and gals (up)

Finally, a bit of a positive note:

1. My simulations are a bit streamlined (not perfect but better) and am gathering results little by little.
2. I discussed about the inconsistencies/issues of my experimental results with my secondary supervisor who have given me some suggestions. Also I have been in contact with the manufacturer of the quality assurance tool I am using (am using a technique which they recently developed) and the key person has promised that he will help me out with the analysis part for which I am grateful.

I am feeling better now and hope everything will be sorted out :-)

Cheers!