Breaking Down Survive

Survive means manage to keep going in difficult circumstances. Despite negative associations it is the perfect verb to describe the mode of action for a viva candidate. Every part of the definition matters.

  • …manage… Not struggle. No almost. Manage.
  • …to keep going… Already in motion. Already moving in a good direction.
  • …in difficult circumstances… Not impossible. Not unknown. Not unknowable. Difficult.

If you’re feeling unsure or uncertain, more like survive-no-matter-what than survive-as-defined, then explore:

  • …manage… What could you do now to plan for the viva?
  • …to keep going… What have you done well to get you this far?
  • …in difficult circumstances… Who could you ask for more information about these circumstances?

And when you know what you need to: keep going!