Hi all,

I'm hoping there are others out there who are in the process of revise and resubmit. I'm getting through corrections, albeit slowly but still very anxious about whether a) I've fully understood what they want me to do, or maybe just overanalysing and b) getting really stressed out about finishing the corrections in time. I was lucky to get a teaching fellow job last semester which has been extended for a year but semester starts in September and deadline for R&R in 1st October so I need to get it pretty much done by end of August. I am making progress but feel like it'll never get done and I'm very tired as I've had no chance for a break. Any words of advice/wisdom? It is sooooo difficult to keep motivated and positive and the closer to the deadline, the worse I think what I'm re-writing is. I've had a good few wobbles thinking that this has beaten me and I'm just thoroughly fed up with it now....
Sorry for the gloom. It's just this time last year I was sitting writing chapters and I'm STILL doing it. Grr grr grr.
Best wishes
BB

Words of wisdom: It's always darkest before the dawn. Just stick with it through this difficult time and you will succeed.

Words of advice: rather than treat the R&R as a death march, take a few days off and do nothing related to it. This will clear your mind, give you some perspective (things that were confusing when you were exhausted now become clear), and leave you with more energy. Also, when you get back look over your work and ask your supervisor for feedback, if needed.

Have you heard the Beatles song 'Blackbird'? Give it a listen, you might find it inspiring.

Hi Blackbyrd, I am not sure what to say. I feel very similar to you. My R&R deadline is one month after yours. Post viva, I saw my supervisor 6 times and she gave me directions and advice. I am also stressed about time, but please remember that as long as your major corrections are out of the way everything else will be slightly easier. I recently found out that I will not need a second viva, which makes me feel a bit more positive about my work. I am also physiologically worn out with the whole thing, and all I can say is that we can only do our best. Remember and repeat to yourself that we need to persevere. Quitting at this late point is NOT an option.

Best of luck :) I received my PhD last week in an amazing graduation ceremony after a R&R verdict. It can be done......

Thinking of those of you on the R&R journey xxx

Hello,

Thank you for your replies. Good luck to you too marasp. I also do not need a second viva and although that is a good thing, the corrections are more extensive than I thought. But, Metab, you are right too. I've just got to keep going but the barrel is pretty dry of motivation at the mo! But as you say marasp, quitting is not an option so just have to dig really, really deep and try my best and persevere.
Congratulations Pineapple. I followed your story with interest last year and I am SO pleased for you. Well done! Let's just hope that I, and the others doing the R&R will be in the same position soon.
Thank you :)

Best of luck. It absolutely can be done. No second viva for me either.

I didn't think I would get through it and I REALLY struggled with motivation.

I found working in the early hours of the morning (4am onwards) helped as I seemed to be really motivated and productive at that time of the morning given very minimal noise and distractions from others. Deactivating social networking sites, my sheer stubborn determination to prove my supervisors that I was capable of passing, focusing on good things about my thesis from my examiners, counting down the days until resubmission and taking a good 3 months of work before submission helped me focus.

One thing that has helped me is moving away from campus (4 hours away in fact). Yes, it makes accessing campus and the library a bit difficult but working from home means that I do not have to deal with any co-students, hear their news and compare myself to others, get destructed or being offered to participate in projects that could consume my time instead of working on the thesis. Somehow, working from home on my revisions has calmed my nerves! Also, Pineapple is right about social networking sites. If you don't want to access them deactivate your account. It's all for a good reason! Also, make some ME time. For instance, work hard all week but on Sunday afternoon and evening switch off and spend some time with your family and friends. We are not robots to work 24/7. You can also start a hobby that is not very time consuming and you can follow when you have 10 minute breaks. I do gardening in between working.