Hello Phders,

After 3.4 years finally My Viva in Management Accounting is finally tomorrow 06/11/13 . Am kinda scared but already planning how to celebrate(or moan) after the Viva. Now I have bought myself a Chelsea vs Schalke 04 champions league ticket as its a better bet either way (of the Viva outcome). To be honest I have read all the advice regarding PhD Viva preparation. I have chosen to follow The Bilbo-05....as they were same questions that came up at the mock Viva( I didn't prepare for mock ViVa to be honest). How did you celebrate yours or how are you planning to??Lets go

I think this is a great idea Bwad, anyone got any celebreration suggestions?

I didn't celebrate much, because I was shattered! I hadn't slept at all the night before, and although I managed to get 2/3 hours sleep in the morning, come 2pm and my viva, well I don't quite know how I got through it. So all I really wanted to do afterwards was sleep. But I bought a pack of French Fancy cakes (sponge cakes, with cream in them), and a mini Moet et Chandon bottle of champagne. A week or two later my husband and I went out for a nice dinner to celebrate.

Ha the Bilbo-05! I like that :) Hope your viva went ok Bwad.

I started a similar thread myself ages ago. In that thread I typed this:

Yup, the people who'd have got me the drinks in - one was visiting family whilst another had been sent to a seminar in Poland. It was a good two weeks after before I saw either of them. Also to add, one of my home-based mates had actually implied I suspend the PhD a few months beforehand in order to concentrate on learning to drive (long story - intimation was my alcohol consumption had dropped during write-up, therefore I could act as a future taxi driver whilst everyone else drank). He (and the others) did not understand the importance of finishing the PhD to me.

General impression is many people who do PhD are older and returnees from the world of work. As such, many have other commitments such as partners, childcare, etc. often meaning PhD viva day is much like any other. Thus the chance a spontaneous "off down the pub straight after" celebration as soon as the viva is over if you've minor or no corrections is often not there. A few days later, people are back to getting on with their everyday lives and the moment has been lost. Thus something quiet or limited you can fit in around your everyday activities seems to be more normal.

My immediate predecessor did get his "drown in alcohol" celebration, but he was young (PhD straight after degree), no commitments and his mates were able to hit the pub straight after. Lucky sod!!!

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

My viva was a bit unusual as I had to travel to London where my external was based, rather than the usual of them travelling to me. Straight after I went for a drink with my examiners and chair person, which was nice but also a little weird. It's normal at my institution for your supervisor to have a bottle of bubbly in the fridge and for everyone to congregate in the coffee room which I missed out on.

I ummed and aahed about planning anything as I wasn't sure what the outcome was going to be, but in the end I planned a meal with my lab group, supervisors and a few good friends. I then met other friends in the pub. Ended up a hectic night but good fun, especially as I had a good outcome in the viva. I think it would have felt like and anti climax to just go home and do nothing, but as mentioned in other posts, this can be different if you have commitments such as children. Someone in my current team has her viva at the beginning of January. She can't plan anything as she may have to dash accross the city to pick up her children afterwards.