Best of Viva Survivors 2023: Surviving

Surviving the viva, surviving the PhD… It doesn’t mean overcoming obstacles or terrible trials. Survive means “manage to keep going in difficult circumstances”.

You survive the PhD because you find a way to keep going. You survive the viva by continuing in that way.

Like confidence, surviving is a topic I find fascinating to explore in the context of the viva. I hope you find these posts helpful.

Next year will certainly have challenges, possibly including your viva. How you survive will depend on what you do. It won’t just happen but you can decide how you will approach your year.

How will you manage to keep going in difficult circumstances?

A Small Word

Viva.

We can say doctoral defence and thesis examination, but those four letters are enough. Two syllables capture a lot of meaning: it’s the end, an exam, requires prep, carries a lot of emotional significance and a certain degree of mystery.

There are questions in a viva and questions about the viva. There are experiences that lead to expectations and regulations that require reading-up. It’s the final big thing of a PhD but not the end.

Viva is a small word that looms large for a PhD candidate. Figure out what it means to you, what you need to know and what you need to do to be ready for yours.

It’s a small word but not a small thing.