Little Things

If you’ve submitted your thesis but don’t yet have a date for the viva then it might feel early to prepare for meeting your examiners. Before you have a date it could feel like you’re aiming at a target that is vague or not quite real.

Viva prep is not so tightly timed, usually, that one has to wait for a date. At some point after submission you could simply start – but if you have other responsibilities or are worried that starting soon will mean you forget things, then you could do some of the following while you wait:

• Read the thesis examination regulations for your institution.
• Explore papers by your examiners to get a sense of their work.
• Write one or two short summaries of some aspect of your work.
• Have coffee with a friend and have a gentle conversation about your research.
• Plan how you will do your prep once you know the date.
• Read a couple of posts each day from a daily blog all about the viva…!

You could do lots of little things to help begin your preparation. You don’t have to wait for a date to start getting ready. Reflect and explore how you could use your time wisely.