Hello,

Thank you for your replies. Good luck to you too marasp. I also do not need a second viva and although that is a good thing, the corrections are more extensive than I thought. But, Metab, you are right too. I've just got to keep going but the barrel is pretty dry of motivation at the mo! But as you say marasp, quitting is not an option so just have to dig really, really deep and try my best and persevere.
Congratulations Pineapple. I followed your story with interest last year and I am SO pleased for you. Well done! Let's just hope that I, and the others doing the R&R will be in the same position soon.
Thank you :)

Hi all,

I'm hoping there are others out there who are in the process of revise and resubmit. I'm getting through corrections, albeit slowly but still very anxious about whether a) I've fully understood what they want me to do, or maybe just overanalysing and b) getting really stressed out about finishing the corrections in time. I was lucky to get a teaching fellow job last semester which has been extended for a year but semester starts in September and deadline for R&R in 1st October so I need to get it pretty much done by end of August. I am making progress but feel like it'll never get done and I'm very tired as I've had no chance for a break. Any words of advice/wisdom? It is sooooo difficult to keep motivated and positive and the closer to the deadline, the worse I think what I'm re-writing is. I've had a good few wobbles thinking that this has beaten me and I'm just thoroughly fed up with it now....
Sorry for the gloom. It's just this time last year I was sitting writing chapters and I'm STILL doing it. Grr grr grr.
Best wishes
BB

Brilliant news Pam! Well done.

Hi Pamw,

I'm glad you got your viva date. That took a while!! Good luck with the preparation. I was looking through some old posts today and realised that we were in roughly the same situation this time last year....where has the year gone!!
And still working on this damn PhD!! ..... Fingers crossed and all the best with the viva when it comes. I'm sure you'll be fantastic;-)

Marasp! I know exactly what you mean. We (me and supervisors) had meeting after I had stopped blubbing after viva. The blubbing incidentally happened in my internal examiner's room - oh dear! Was not glamourous but it was just the relief that it was over. I remember feeling relieved but gutted knowing there was STILL work to do. I'm still feeling a bit like this. Like you, I was also congratulated by quite a few departmental folk, some of whom thought it was a great achievement as it has been a rather bumpy PhD road! To some, I mentioned that I had 12 months to complete, then the reaction, was 'oh!, I see' hmmm. So, that got me thinking that it really wasn't that good after all. In addition, we had a party the week after viva with family (organised by my sister) called the PhinisheD party. My family, some of whom 'get the PhD' and others who don't, gave me cards and gifts and offered congratulations etc etc and I felt like a fraud. They were calling me Dr and it took superhuman strength not to run away and hide in a corner and cry! I kept saying, nearly Dr, not quite. Talk about feeling deflated. So, it's 3 weeks today since viva and I am still feeling a bit unsure/unsettled/pee'd off/ knackered/despondent and vaguely embarrassed about the whole thing.

Very well done indeed! Enjoy your celebrations :-)

Hello again,

Thank you for your responses. To clarify, the university where I am at has a number of different categories. The first two award the thesis either with no corrections or minor ones - particularly typographical changes. The second two outline that the thesis not be accepted in its current state but that the candidate be given the opportunity to make corrections - either minor corrections and re-submitted or major corrections and thus revised and re-submitted. I was given the latter but another viva was waived which the examiner's have discretion over. The frightening thing is is that the next stage is the thesis 'not being of sufficient merit' and would thus result in an Mphil. If I had not performed well in the viva this would have been the outcome. The confusion is that I was told I had 'passed' by the external (subject clearly to the changes needed) but 'officially' the categories the university work to makes it appear really bad! This contradiction has resulted in me feeling very uncertain and I have to be honest, I have lost a lot of confidence the last few weeks. Today, I actually feel like saying 'ok, this PhD has beaten me' and taking the Mphil and running far, far away...... I just can't bear the fact that supervisors thought it was good, the examiner's were convinced it was good after the viva but had major concerns before (read nearly a fail), that there is actually major work to do even though supervisors think not, but examiner's do and in the midst of all this is me, feeling like a total failure. Every chapter next re-done essentially. It is soul destroying....My point is is it just goes to show how vague and open to interpretation this PhD process is. Sigh!
I know some of you have suggested getting started with corrections but I'm too tired of it at the moment. Having to write papers from thesis is great but hard when I feel that it is not very good (e.g as it was so very nearly a fail!). Sorry for the gloominess of this post.:-(

As some of you know I posted to say that I had passed my viva a fortnight ago. Well, at least I thought I had. Was being congratulated by folk in my department and I felt a bit numb about it all knowing that I had corrections to do. After receiving the examiners' report about an hour ago and checking my University guidelines, I am more confused than ever. And utterly deflated. I have had a challenging PhD with lots of bumps in the road and the last 6 months of writing have been hell. I was delighted to submit and after positive comments from supervisors and examiner's, I'm now left wondering what is going on? I know what they said during the viva (which was positive), I know what I have to do, but where I am standing, it feels like such a waste of time. All the work and stress and lack of a life etc etc for an R&R! Even though I passed apparently? How can one pass with major corrections (even though they said they weren't really 'major', they have given me 12 months to revise)!!!

No wonder I can't feel pleased with my achievement. It hasn't been achieved yet at all. SOB!!:-(

Thank you for your replies.

Come down indeed! And getting head used to a new routine is quite difficult. However, I am still waiting for official corrections confirmation (should be with me within 2 weeks of viva - which is tomorrow!). Taking a break for a week was necessary as I'd had one month between submission and viva and was beginning to rattle!!! I agree that it's going to take super human strength to do changes. My FT work is also writing papers from my thesis (which I am very pleased about). So, I have no excuse but to look at the thesis! It's just at the moment, I'd really rather not. Maybe I have post traumatic submission disorder (PTSD!)

Day dreaming about a year off, fantasising about places to go......!!!:p

hello all,

Just to say that I passed my viva - WOO HOO! (13th September) with some corrections to do - niggly ones and a few more fiddly ones. Overall I am relieved it is over and on the day the dynamic between myself and my examiners was relaxed and encouraging. Positive comments and interest in my thesis which was great and I was commended on my excellent viva performance.

After a week off, I am now working FT but have an odd sensation of numb-ness. I am pleased about the viva but not pleased about the corrections (although I agree with them and it won't take too long to change them). I keep thinking of all the negatives! I suppose it feels like an anti-climax, nearly finished, yet not quite and I still feel soooo tired. I feel like I'm in a limbo and wish I could be enthusiastic about my achievement but I just feel a bit flat. Is this common?

How did you all feel in the immediate weeks after viva? I'd be interested to hear about post-viva experiences.

Very useful post. I had my viva next week!!! Brain is in panicky mode and concentration out the window....am finding it very hard to open the thesis! What I have re-read of it so far is making me cringe....Anyway, must get over this as have draft paper to write from it and mock viva to do before the viva --- eeek! I swear I don't know what I've been doing.
All I can think about it what to wear (haven't got anything yet even though I have looked and looked!) and getting on place abroad the day after... Priorities are definitely all a squiff..
Good advice though here and am going to correct/take notes and have my main findings/contributions clear before mock viva next week. Gulp! Wish me luck...

Hi Pam,

Did indeed hand it in August 10th. The last few weeks of the process were a blur. I've got my viva next week and have opened thesis today and eurgh! there's so many things wrong. So much for all the meticulous checking!!! Words missing in sentences etc. It was all a bit of a rush towards the end. I was still writing/editing at 5pm the day before. Printing was not too bad but I did have some issues with it. Binding it proved tricky as apparently paper was too thick to fit it all in so I had to separate into main thesis and appendices so got doubly charged for binding... Grrr. BUT, I DID NOT CARE!! Celebrated with lots of fizz, friends and food.
Started work now so getting into the swing but I swear I am still tired and getting used to having guilt-free evenings and weekends (that is until the viva corrections....) Getting nervous about that but am getting on a plane the day after for a lovely holiday so they can wait!! Hope all is well with you and to the other final pushers, I hope the end is in sight and/or you're done.
:-)

1 day til submission. Still re-writing bits and editing this afternoon. Printing this evening. Binding and submission tomorrow. I am beyond tired....But champagne is chilling in anticipation....

To the final pushers amongst us, how is it all going? I hope PamW got it submitted and she's still sleeping/resting/recovering. Well done!

9 days to go for me. Still lots to do and had a wee moment today! Just one of those 'what's the point/loads to do/dunno what I'm saying/there's no way it'll be done in time' overhwhelming/confidence crushing feelings. I'm sure some of you can relate. Anyway, after a good blub, hot shower and a few 'cheer up' biscuits, I'm working on putting whole thing together (still have to write discussion/conc- hey ho). It is taking ages but it is quite satisfying seeing the volume. Will finish this and start the discussion later on.... will be a late one again.

Good luck to us!(up)

Dalmatian,

Thanks for the advice! I think you're probably right. I'm putting off the discussion/conclusion. Need a bit of distance from my findings so I hope when I re-read them, the discussion will just flow! I'm treating this intro as a draft. Supervisors will hopefully get some comments, then I can re-draft once I get the discussion/conclusion done. I have to edit everything anyway (well most chapters). But, yes, I'm a bit nervous that the intro is a bit shaky. Oh well. Still thinking it can be changed later..... probably not the best attitude but I'll get stuck 'perfecting' it and run out of time if I don't try to get something down now. 10 days to go. Oh crappo!!! Better get on better today.....