I have 16 days to edit my entire PhD and prepare it for final submission. Extensions are not possible. I have a 6 page list of revisions - some minor, some involving rewriting of sections of chapters, plus formatting and footnotes. I am so, so afraid I cannot even explain. I can't sleep. I feel panicky and terrified. I don't feel like my PhD is that good to begin with - all this time I was thinking to myself I'd have lots of time to edit it and here I am. My supervisor is very good and given me the go ahead for submission after editing but to be honest we don't have much of a choice due to timing issues. Does anyone think I can really do this - do all these edits in 2 weeks?! I am so afraid.

Hi there.

I just wanted to offer my sympathy and support. You can do it, or you can have a really good try. Clear your diary as much as possible, ask family and friends for support, and to take on whatever they can do for you. Switch the phone an internet off. Make a large pot of coffee (if you drink it) and set yourself a target for each day. Do the hard bits in the morning (the rewrite?) and the easier bits in the afternoon. After coming this far, I am sure you will do it. Let us know each day how you are getting on.
Best of luck. I know what you mean about feeling pacicky and afraid - I feel like that too. If I get to the end of this without ruining my health I will be pleased, but keep telling yourself it is worth it. Go and do some of it now. PM me anytime

======= Date Modified 23 Aug 2010 12:09:11 =======
Hi Uhoh.

Just wanted to say I'm feeling something similar....I'm already into my extension year and there's no possibility of receiving a second extension........... I'm just feeling desperately tired, defeated and depressed.

I've written far too much and I'm having to rewrite massive sections of my chapters as a result. I'm already admitting defeat but I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your thesis. I know my supervisors feel that there's no way I'm ready to submit for the end of September and I have to say, I completely agree with them. At least your supervisors have given you the go ahead, which is such a positive. I'm desperately trying to hold back the tears as I write this as I know I just don't want to continue with this PhD especially as I still have so much more to do.

I have to rewrite most of my literature review chapters, my methods chapter, my discussion and conclusion chapter as well as reduce my result chapters- all before 1st/2nd week of September, so in comparison, you have far less corrections/things to do than me! I think given what I have to do, its physically impossible.

Best of luck with the final 2 weeks.

Uhoh...I really feel for you but try not too panic and think about the big picture too much or you will be so terrified that you will be unable to do anything at all. The fact is that you need to sumit in 16 days but all you can do is what you can do...so for the moment don't think of the bigger picture as that is only going to freak you out. Take a deep breath and take one day at a time. Use the pomodoro technique which you can use through www.mytomatoes.com...don't worry about registering...it's quick and easy...only a user name and a password to register. This technique will break work into manageable 25 minute chunks with a 5 minute break after each chunk. Get your 6 pages revisions in front of you and begin to work through them one by one using a big pen to tick each off as you go so you see progress. If any particular revision causes you major problems and is holding up a decent level of progress then stop there, circle that revision and MOVE On to the next one. You can always go back to it later. Aim at the moment to get through half a page of revisions per day...that will take you up to 12 days. Then condense and put together all the revisions you were unable to do earlier and work through them again. Good luck!

Hi guys. Thank you so much for your helpful and kind words. Looking over it, I think that last night I had a bit of a panic attack. The work I have to do is either cosmetic changes for the most part or a few rewriting 200-word sections or inserting sentences here and there. I think I can do it and I just have to tell myself to spend a week doing that and then another week revising it all. Whatever happens, happens. Thank you so much all of you. I'm just going to work my hardest in these 16 days and then hope for the best. It is tight, but I just have to do it.

And Pineapple, I felt that way too 6 months ago, I wanted to get ready to submit but was told to wait. I had to change a lot of things in my life (including a job) because of that... all I can say is that at least you know you have good supervisors who wouldn't set you up to fail. We can do this. And, at some point, it WILL be over!

======= Date Modified 24 Aug 2010 09:27:37 =======
============= Edited by a Moderator =============

Firstly, Uhoh, your sup. seems to have faith in your work, so your thesis can't be that bad! Would they say so, if the didn't think it wasn't OK?

Secondly, it's amazing what can be done in a short amount of time, when push comes to shove. But don't forget your breaks and to schedule sleep time (I understand the insomnia, but maybe you can organise your work time to allow periods when you may be able to catch some sleep - even if this is during the morning or afternoon?) - you need to charge your batteries, otherwise you won't be performing at your best.

Break your work down, and tick it off as you go - this will keep your spirits up a bit. Considering that some people send their work to proof-readers, I don't suppose that it would be against the rules for you to rope someone else (partner, parents, pals etc.) in to help out with things like formatting or bibliography work? Check with your sup. 1st, but this may help no end.

Prioritise - some things can pass under the examiner radar. So the re-writting is the most urgent, I guess? (and only do the absolute minimum necessary - don't get bogged down in ideas of perfection - they're not looking for this)

6 pages - if most of this is minor stuff, it may be possible, but be really critical about what is absolutely necessary, and what might feasibly be dealt with post-viva as typos, and come under the 'oops, sorry, examiners, didn't notice that incomplete reference / misaligned picture'

I had pages of stuff to change (as advised by my sup.), which I did in the last few days - but stupidly, I then handed in an earlier copy of the thesis! (cringe). But I got away with it, as when it came down to it, these didn't really affect the necessary criteria for a pass. At the viva, I presented a list of corrections that I recognised and had changed after submission - maybe if the worst comes to the worst, you could include those things that you had no time to change on such a list?

Good luck - keep at it, but look after yourself - you don't want to burn-out before the viva. All the best (up)