Hi Jojo

Not sure if you will see this before the big day, but I wanted to wish you best of luck, from your posts you sound thoroughly prepared and like you will blow them away! My viva is 26th jan, so i will be looking forward to hearing all about yours!

Be thinking of you with my fingers crossed

Rach

Good luck Jojo, don't panic, and you'll be fine!! (up)

@kikuka - oh yes.. i'll definitely be seeing this. thanks.......... :-)

@algae - thanks. am trying my hardest to keep it together!

======= Date Modified 04 Jan 2011 11:56:31 =======
to do list:

packing:
suit - check!
fullscape- check!
red pen- check!
laptop and dongle - check!
tissues - check!
toiletries & essentials - check!
toothbrush - check!
thesis copies - check!
examiners papers - check!
thesis slides - check!
passport - check!
hotel reference - check!
usb with thesis - check!
charger - check!
bottle of water - check!

hope i haven't forgotten anything important!

i need to confirm a quote, make travel arrangements, prepare and leave. will finish up typo list and print it out at hotel.
am off now. next time you hear from me i'll be at the hotel room. i want to get there early to complete reading and my typos list, go thro slides one last time, have a small mini viva and sleep early... :)

J.

all the best Kikuka!

All the very best jojo.

have you thought of emailing yourself everything that is on your USB stick, and your PhD too .. so that you can pick it up from the net if things were to go awry ?

for all else.. you just need a credit card,  you can buy everything else.

Have a fantastic time.. stand tall, walk tall, smile and breathe...

And smile some more.. you will enjoy it, I'm sure.  Best Chuff

Hi JoJo.

I just wanted to wish you the very best for tomorrow. I'm sure you will pass with flying colours (judging from your posts).

I'm still waiting on my viva date and I've pretty much given up on my thesis let alone passing my viva.

I'll be thinking of you!

All the best, x

======= Date Modified 04 Jan 2011 21:58:00 =======
i finally got to the hotel guys! its really nice......... not conducive for reading though so am trying hard to stay focused whilst making sure i don't over-strain myself for tomorrow. so am alternating between TV and proofreading for typos. being the last minute person i am i still have not finished proofreading. still have a good two chapters to go. but should be done in about 2 hours time. overall i feel ok........

proofreading is really a job.................... not the most interesting thing on earth, but hey........... its got to be done.

can't wait for tomorrow to come and for it to be over. :-)

Best of luck, Jojo.

@chuff - thanks...... :) i definitely have a credit card and i'll be walking tall tomorrow with a big smile on my face. thankfully my viva is in the afternoon so oversleeping is not gonna be a problem.

@pineapple - don't give up. be determined in EVERY way. right now everything in me is saying get out of here, pack your bags and go home. you're not phd material. but that does not mean i believe those thoughts. am banking on the fact that i have worked hard and i can easily talk myself into a phd with all the work i've done. how i feel is NOT as important as what i believe. am carrying on prep and showing up tomorrow because i believe in me whether others do or not. try to believe in yourself. you might just surprise yourself.

my latest problem is my relatives and friends who keep calling me wishing me luck. my parents even plan on calling me before i walk into the exam room! and they keep saying don't be scared bla bla bla. the thing is these calls are bound to freak anyone out. they didn't call ever before since i was in pre-school. why now? calling me now will only heighten my nerves. so i have my phone switched off. i will call them all and apologise tomorrow. :-( i don't want to start feeling that this is a big deal because it is to them. i don't need the pressure of expectation. i regret telling them the date because now they are more nervous than i am and managing them all is WORK...

back to it..

thanks Blue.

You will probably be finished by the time you read this, but all the best if you have still to do your viva, I am sure you will sail through with all that preparation!! (up)

yesterday was a very nerve wrecking night. hardly slept. am just glad today is here!

a quick sandwich and final look at slide of 5 main questions................ then that walk to the exam room.

leaving the hotel now...................

thanks everyone for all your support. thanks Littlestar. :-)

i can't wait to bring home the good news. :-) :-)

hey all... passed with MAJOR corrections. so disappointed. viva went well. my supervisor was there and he predicted pass with minor corrections, but examiners had other ideas. so am picking myself up, taking a few weeks off while i wait for corrections. i actually really enjoyed my viva nonetheless. only my external wants me to look at all his work and a list of reading he intends on giving me. it turned into a discussion of his work and areas of interest. really disappointed i have to put them all in. its almost like am doing research for him.

either way am happy.