absolutely normal:) I changed topic in the middle of the 2nd year and still am not panicking. You will be allright.

congratulations and good luck with you Viva! They will examine you page by page only if there will be any serious problems with your thesis (at least it is what my supervisor says).

Your supervisor and you can suggest candidates for external examiner but they may not have had a very serious involvement with your PhD work BEFORE marking your thesis and viva (e.g. if somebody has already read your work and given you feedback, s/he is not elligible).

Of course, referencing potential candidates for examiner is very important and more important- not to be too critical on them in your thesis.:)

Thre is a trade-off, you can work and write up but then writing up will take much longer and consequently you will be able to apply for proper jobs much later. On the other hand, you can borrow money so that you dont have to work while writing up, finish sooner, start work sooner and give than money back. I would prefer the last option because working takes up so much time and distracts from writing...

the same is if you go to a party/trip with people not in Academia,
it feels weird and they wonder about how did you get in there...they arw two seperat worlds- academia and the rest:))

Specially for you, friends:
I am trying to seduce a lecturer who is in my field to make him help with my PhD;) How do you think- in which date should I bring my PhD paper with me:PPPP
Hope for all those who work work is going well:)

when will you work if I ll tell you ;)?

well, then I am the only one who doesnt like it:)

DJWickid- you like Gingerbier?????? Cant belive that somebody can like it:)

going for dancing and then for a date;)) hope that those who stay working will have productive time.

got rid of all good habits- eating, excercising, walking regularly, reading emails once a day, meeting friends etc, etc;))

thank you, Mia. they help a lot:)

Mia- hard life of PhD, you know;)) Last year I had my 1st year report due+ a close person to me was very ill and died, so I ended up with some kind of anorexia from feeling bad, was only around 50kg (yes, I hear some yeallous remarks:PP
Actually it is geeting better now, eating normally again.
So, some people PhD makes fat, some unehalthy thin:)

I have got some eating disorders because of PhD:(

Tell us how did it go.
Just a story to cheer you up (it was told by my supervisor)- some years ago, one guy did not pass the 1st year report. he was very angry but comitte suggested him to quit. He did. Now he is a millionaire- made budiness in Asia. I doubt that he would have earned even half of it if he would stayed in Academia. So you never know what better things than PhD expect you around the corner:)