This feels like it could have been written by me.

I had my VIVA in August and have only just submitted my major corrections. It's been a nightmare few months. I've read through the thesis what feels like a hundred times and keep spotting mistakes and it feels as though the nightmare will never end, particually as my examiners were so thorough.

I can't comment on your examiners, but my feeling is that as long as you can show that you have understood and attempted to tackle each of their questions, you will be fine. If they really didn't like it, they wouldn't have passed you!

THe thing is - it is stressful. I spent the last 10 or so weekends working on my corrections and countless evenings (and when working full time this really takes it out of you). The thing is, you've come this far, you're going to do it and you are going to submit the corrections one way or the other, so just do it!

One thing that really helped me was I got a proof reader in to check my thesis for any glaring errors. This was a massive weight off my mind as I knew grammar, reference inconsistencies and small mistakes would be spotted.

I'd strong reccomend:https://findaproofreader.com/ You can put exactly what you want checked and your budget and then you get loads of replies from professionals who have various degrees of experience. You can then select the person that you think is best and go with that. Mine was great (Stephen Pigney).

Have just DM'ed you.
For anyone that hasn't already - If you want to go through an emotional journey, read Faded's thread. An unbelievable story (I think it would make a good movie!)

Congrats on surviving and for where you are now - much respect.

Thanks tree :) This is what the PhD does to you, has you obsessing over minor things like this!
I broke my own rule looking back over it... I did just make myself feel better by looking over the actual content, quite satisfied that I've answered all of their questions.

My poor GF is in her third year and struggling... does anyone ever finish the PhD without mental scars?!

Hi,

I suffered from imposter syndrome throughout my entire PhD -it's horrible. I think what helped me is when I realised that everyone has it- people just have different ways of dealing with it. The people who claim to be reading 10 papers a day, go to all the seminars, are always discussing work... a lot of the time these people are even more clueless than we are!

I remember when a guy a few months before me had his VIVA - he was always so cocky, arrogant and a proper 'up his own a**' academic, the kind that uses overly technical words to make himself sound smart - I met him afterwards and he looked completely shell shocked. Examiners had given him a grilling and called him out on a few things and it had really put him in his place. He passed, but I wonder if that made him change his ways...

My supervisor was always harsh on me as well and made me feel like an idiot, he commented on one of my bits of work saying "you do realise you don't work for the daily mirror". It's a struggle. The above point "On a serious note though, a supervisor physically re-writing anything you have written is a classic sign of control freakery." hits the nail on the head. My supervisor used to do this, rewrite stuff and then some of my corrections were to amend some of his wording because they said it was poorly writen!

TL;DR - Everyone is an imposter! :D

Hi all!

New to the forum - just found out about it towards the end of my PhD journey!

A few days ago I submitted a revised version of my thesis to the examiners. I passed my VIVA back in August with major corrections. The amendments have really taken it out of me, working full time and making the changes has been a struggle and I've lost sleep, weekends and quite a bit of my sanity!

I think I've answered all of their questions - I was also working with a proof reader to correct quite a long list of 'minor' changes (grammar, in-text citations etc.). I made the mistake just now of checking back over the thesis and have spotted a few of these mistakes are still there (!). One of the mistakes is at the start of a new section, and I know one of the examiners will definitely spot this.

Is this something to be worried about? I struggle with the concept of these corrections - can they just turn round and say "NOPE, FAIL!" and then my entire 4 and a half years has been in vain? It seems so weird to be thinking that my entire academic career hinges on where I've put an '&' instead of an 'and' - I'm just annoyed with myself for missing it.

It's also made me think that there are definitely other errors in there too. What would the outcome of this be? Would they ask for it to be submitted again do you reckon if there were still minor errors?

The nightmare never ends does it? Really want this just to be over so I can move on with my life.... Good luck to anyone who is on the road to the PhD, it's tough and if you are struggling you are not alone!