I have 8 weeks to go before I need to submit this monstrosity of a thesis. I was stressed, but I discovered a place beyond stress and a place beyond indifference. I call it zen, others might call it delusion. In any event, I wanted to create a thread for those of us who have last-minute PhD stories or who are grappling with managing the last-minute write up following the last-minute research.

My thesis is in the arena of computational biology and has it's ups and downs. So much didn't work out but now as the the real questions have unveiled themselves, I am rushing to finish off one research chapter. To date, I have a paper under review (just returned my response to reviewers comments), one negative result but interesting chapter written up, an outline and plan for my introduction but still researching my last chapter. I know what I need to do, the big computation is done. Now I just need to find the motivation to get it done and draw the line. I think I can do it (if I stop listening for the sound of one hand clapping and type like a lunatic for the next while).

So, what are your last minute stories? Did you survive? Did you see solutions a bit too late for comfort? Were you polishing research until the bitter end?

I have the same deadline and I'm feeling surprisingly calm today despite the fact there is still loads left to do. Perhaps I have reached the same zen state. It's nicer than feeling panicky which is how I felt a few weeks ago.

Yes, I definitely have that calm too. Its a clam after a storm and quite likely, a calm before the storm. I am sitting at my Desk in the University now formatting my main thesis document. Weekends are for thesis formats and introduction writing and weekdays are for research on my last research chapter. I am writing that as I go along. When I think of the enormity of it, I have a gasp - think Munch's 'The Scream' - and then I just continue - because that's all you can do really. Just chug along.

I'm in this 'Zen' place too and I have only 3 weeks to go. I've been editing the whole thesis for about 5 weeks now and, although I still have LOTS of referencing, proof reading and formatting to do, I'm strangely calm.

I just want my beast to be gone.

Apparently it's a good sign. 'The Thesis Whisperer' says 'PhD Detachment' is necessary at the end:

I chuckled at the description of your mindset at this time- I know what you mean, but the way I have described it in the past is that your brain gets so overwhelmed it just suddenly says 'nooope!' and treats you to some blissful calm. I am not that far into my PhD but I have a friend that hammered out their thesis in a massive rush in such a short space of time (due to full time work commitments mainly) and recently passed with minor corrections which consisted of typos due to rushing. So, there is hope :)

How are we all getting on? Still zen?

I'm still fairly zen with 8 days to go. I have bits to tidy up, but overall I think it's doable and I'm just SO READY for it to be gone.

I'm in the zen zone too, with 7 days to go. I still have to put everything together (format, editing) give it 1-2 re-readings, write acknowledgements and cross-check references.
But I feel oddly calm and ready to go, also, there's a feeling of imminent change, like new stage of life starting, and something inside me preparing to change as well.. so odd, but not unpleasurable...

I am starting to panic but am still more zen than I should be. I have to submit end of November but start a full time job next week with so much left to do on my PhD - its gonna be a fight until the very end!!