======= Date Modified 19 Jul 2012 09:29:36 =======
I'm days away from my post viva voce submission and have been working non stop for weeks now. Woke up this morning feeling really very tired and struggling to keep my eyes open. Submitting first time round, I was frantically working and seriously panicking. Now I'm just tired!

I still have loads to do to my thesis (well proofreading, adding a few small sections to literature review chapters and ensuring my thesis is under the word limit and formatting entire thesis) so I can't really afford not to finish something. My thesis is definitely a great improvement over my first submitted draft.

I think I'm going to work on my reference section today, ie check formatting, referencing style. Doesn't take much brain effort at all and I can complete this task anywhere really (ie snuggled up in my duvet with laptop on my lap!)

Most people seem to think that I should be feeling happy about getting to the end of a PhD and relieved this will be coming to an end, but I don't! I just feel tired, sad and a bit numb.

Still don't know if my examiners will accept my thesis corrections and award a PhD, so this may well come to nothing. Anyway, trying to stay positive.

Any thoughts?

======= Date Modified 19 Jul 2012 09:51:51 =======
Hi Pineapple,
Sorry to hear you're so tired. I can imagine. It is exhausting doing these things day in, day out, particularly when you coming to the end.
Do keep positive; you will be awarded the PhD and that will last a lifetime. The tiredness will not!
I fully endorse working under the duvet. That's where I do my best work!
Best of luck in the coming days. :-)(up)

I totally empathise with you on the tiredeness. I've got 12 days until submission and am just exhausted. I'm still in bed now as I work till midnight or later most nights. I may just stay here to work today! The thought of finally finishing is spurring me on but then there is the Viva and probably more work after that for corrections so I'm trying not to think beyond submission at the moment.
But for you, you know you are at the very last stage - and you will soon have your PhD. Just keep going. And then you can spend as much time under the duvet as you want and sleep till you are refreshed and think of all the things you can do without having the pressure of the PhD.
Good luck.

Chin up!!!!!!!!!!! And take it easy.

Look back and think how much you have achieved so far. You should be proud of yourself. Try to kill any bad memories you have from the viva. That's what I do - and it works! Focus on the future. Resubmission is a drama on its own, so don't let anyone or anything upset you and give you negative thoughts.

Not long to go now. xxxx

Thanks folks :)

I'm feeling a bit better. Was close to tears earlier on today though :(

Examiners were really very lovely, positive and excited about my thesis findings so the viva was actually a nice experience! My thesis was just way over 100,000 words and required some major cuts etc which is why major/minor corrections was just not a possibility with my thesis hence resubmission verdict.

Following my examiners requests to reduce all of my chapters, I've basically rewritten most of the literature review chapters, my intro chapter and my two discussion chapters, with only minor edits to my methods and result chapters and added a few structural changes and overall thesis models. I can actually read this thesis draft, I was too ashamed to look at my earlier submitted draft due to the shear amount of errors etc. All in all, I hope I've made some progress at the very least. I think bringing my thesis down to 99,999 words is the last thing on the list now.

I've just spent today checking the format for each of my references with Rocky movies in the background to give me some inspiration (ie underdog status!) and to give my brain a bit of a rest from heavy thesis writing and editing.

Time will tell if my examiners will accept these corrections I guess.

I'm just trying to stay positive and staying well clear of people who doubt me

Just want this over and done with really.

Hey Pineapple, keep battling away, it WILL be over soon. I remember what it was like and then just how good the feeling was when I sent off my final version... try and keep that end goal in your thoughts, you're on the train to the end journey station!

======= Date Modified 20 Jul 2012 11:45:27 =======
Thanks Dan. I seem to have some sort of mental block where I just can't see the end point (despite having my viva last year and state of my current draft!).

I'm finishing a few new sections to my literature review chapters (which sort of matches my examiners requests and fits in line with my findings), so it feels like I still have a long way to go, but in reality, I'm probably over the worst of this PhD now.

Fighting back the tears today though. I feel like a rubbish PhD candidate today, but I know this is probably another one of my irrational thoughts considering very positive feedback from viva voce examiners, tapping into a unique research area and detailed thesis coverage.

Anyway MUST finish these final chapter 2 sections today.

Edit- submission is in just under 3 weeks.......

Hi Pineapple,
I remember your viva thread last year but I generally don't post here though because I can't seem to offer anything without it sounding trite but I just want to post to wish you the very best with this. It sounds like you got great feedback - being told you've tapped into a unique research area is fantastic. You know how many of us are probably working on things that are contributing (which is also great) to a research area but to be doing something truly novel, well, that's really exciting. The fact that you identified such an area shows you've got what it takes I think.
Plus, just think of the mental resolve you've demonstrated in the last year. To get up and get going on the thesis again. You've done really well. Just let your passion for the topic come through.
Positive thinking, inspirational music, lots of chocolate and tea, with the laptop under the duvet! That's how I work most days and it's going great so you're not alone 8-) Go nail it Pineapple (up)

I'm tired just reading the long list of all the work you've done! (LOL)

Sending you some positive vibes on a Friday afternoon, Pineapple...hang in there! (up)

======= Date Modified 24 Jul 2012 16:43:26 =======
Thanks folks.

Trying everything I can to try and stay positive and focus on finishing, and posts on here are helping me stay motivated. Although I really don't need negativity and criticism right now which is making me feel like the worst PhD candidate ever, especially when I'm trying to keep it together as it is!

Anyway, hopefully this will all be over soon........

JStanley- well, my examiner report stated that some of my findings are 'groundbreaking' and 'open up new avenues for research', so I'm assuming they mean I've tapped into something new! :p I just WISH I could take that positive feedback in. Throughout this PhD process, I've been conditioned to focus on the bad/negative things about my work which need changing to the point where I'm really struggling to see the positives about my work. May need some serious CBT type work or something after I've submitted to boost my self confidence and self esteem which has seriously taken a knock during this whole process. I know there's benefits to working under strict supervisors, but I know it's personally taken a toll on me which I may need to sort out later on.

(sprout)= for me!

Hi Pineapple, I found you through Google (my search was 'I've got a PhD, what do I do now' and really feel for you having just been through this stage myself. Today, after minor amendments and waiting for their acceptance, I'm sat in my same little room but this time looking at a leather bound thesis with my name on it, saying - in gold- Doctor of Philosophy... I can't stop staring at it, I've read a few bits and it's definitely mine but whilst my colleagues and husband are going nuts with joy (and expecting me to do the same), like you I'm tired, sad, numb, asking myself what the last few years in addition to my lecturing job (which I love) were for. Here in the UK a PhD gets you nothing special, no pay rise but ok maybe a new name badge ;-). But I am proud and I suspect that I just need a little time to take the whole overwhelming thing on board. My examiners are insistent I publish and I've published before (course text book chapters) so that's not too scary but yeah, it's an odd feeling, doing this, being amongst the best. All I can say is stick with it Pineapple, and if you need a couple of duvet days when 'job done' well, who's counting? Very best of luck :-)

======= Date Modified 24 Jul 2012 22:52:20 =======
Hi Pineapple,

I'm not sure why, but we're always our own worst critic. From all you're previous posts, I know you've worked so hard on this PhD! I hope you feel proud of what you've done - many people would have thrown in the towel a long time ago!

I am just shattered too, submitting on Friday. Yesterday I just wanted to cry about everything. Today, I have pulled myself together to get this thesis tidied up. Shattered, drained and emotionless, this is what doing a PhD seems to do .... all the very best for your submission. PN.

Hi Pineapple,

Sorry to hear you're having a rubbish time. I'm about to start my major amendments for resubmission and can definitely identify with some of your feelings there. Not passing my viva had a very negative impact on my self-esteem and confidence in my work. However, the main difference is that my viva report is virtually a (very long) list of things I need to change on the thesis, no positive feedback at all, whereas you had some lovely things said about your work! So try to hang on to these positive comments you've already received.

This may sound a bit harsh, but the reality is that, if the examiners didn't feel you deserved a phd, they'd have failed already.They obviously think your work is good enough for a phd and, as Ian mentioned, as long as you complete the required amendments, they can't fail you.

Not sure if you're doing this, but I've been asked to provide a short covering letter detailing all the amendments I have done to match their recommendations. Maybe worth you considering this? (I don't mean to give you more work when you're overwhelmed, but it may help you to recognise all the work you've done as well ;))

I've been away from the forum for a while and I forgot whether you'll have to face another viva or just resubmit following revisions?

Good luck!