Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to leave a little note to say I had my viva yesterday and it was a brilliant experience (yes really!).

Like any sane human I was quite nervous leading up to the actual event, and felt oh-so-pale immediately before entering the office where I'd be "interviewed".

The first question was about the general principles of the field, actually stuff that I learnt from my undergraduate degree, I genuinely thought it may have been a trick question at first! But it was just to put me at ease and get the juices flowing. Both examiners were very patient and helpful while I stuttered some well known tenets of science at them and then we dissected my intro, which resulted a nice chat about what is currently going on in the field.

The rest of the viva followed on like a pleasant, albeit constructively critical and frank, appraisal of my work. I couldn't believe how quickly time passed, we'd been talking for an 1.5 hours before we got onto the nitty-gritty of my results. Overall, it went on for nearly four (enjoyable) hours. Although, by about 3 hours in I was feeling a tad tired (that is a slight understatement- I was shattered!).

My advice for expectant vivaees would be to get used to talking about all aspects of your subject, either through honest technical discussions with your colleagues or general layman chit chat when people ask what your research is about.

I don't think there is anything that can stop one from feeling nervous prior to the viva, but rest assured it really isn't that scary. In actual fact it is a great opportunity to talk about your ideas with some experts you haven't met properly. You can use it as a sounding board for future research/ideas you may be cooking up too!

Anyway, I was planning to use today to do corrections. But I think I might go for a walk, read a chapter of my book, have a cup of tea etc. and then might start with correcting those blasted spelling mistakes (how on earth do they manage to avoid my beady eye?!)

To anyone preparing for the viva, may the force be with you! 8-)

Congratulations!!! Well done, that's brilliant!!(up) You must feel so pleased, and relieved. Do take the day off - have a holiday even!! You've well and truly earned it. Always nice to hear when people finish!

Huge congratulations! As someone with a looming viva it's very encouraging to hear how yours went, though I have to say I dearly hope that mine is much shorter :p

Congratulations. Fantastic! :) (up)

Four hours...really?
And four enjoyable hours!?

I am impressed with your stamina. Congratulations!
Yes do have a holiday as others have suggested.

Well done TheAce,

wanted to congratulate you and wish you a pleasant time!

Kind regards,

Rick:-)

Awesome, that's great news- well done! KB

wow! Congratulations!!! :-) satchi

Well done, DrTheAce!

Dare I say it......what now?

Ace! That's... ACE! Well done and have a wonderfu career. Make the most of it 8-)

Congrats1 well done
good to hear this while i am in the wait
hope mine goes like urs but in less time
i can't think I will be grilled for 4 hours !:-(

Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

congrats! that description of a viva gives me the impression that the examiners were enjoying talking with you.
so, not so much an examination of you, and whether to pass you, but of the work that you have produced.

enjoy the time off

That all sounds really good Ace, congratulations! :-)(up) But 4 hours though??!!

Congratulations! You almost have my looking forward to mine. Had a really good time with my masters defence, even had some compliments on my graphs. I always thought the viva would be much scarier so it's exciting to hear it could be fun too. Thanks and well done!