Christmas Break
Whoever you are, wherever you are, whenever your viva is or was, very best wishes from me to you at this time of year. I hope you take some time to rest and however you celebrate – or if you...
Christmas
A Cracking Viva
A viva is a little like a Christmas cracker. There’s a moment of tension between two sides. There’s an expectation that something will happen. But what? Christmas crackers and vivas have a lot of variety. Some are small, some are big....
Time Off
It’s a time of year where people typically take some time off. I’m already doing that – I wrote this post weeks ago so that I could enjoy more family time! Viva Survivors will continue to update every day until the...
Sounds Of The Season
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas. Everywhere I go I hear seasonal music. Cheesy 80s number ones, crooners from a former era, carols. Of course there are other signs too that Christmas is weeks away! – but the sound...
A Visit From St. Nate
‘Twas the night before my viva, and all through my place Not a sound could be heard with my book in my face; My thesis was filled with ideas and notes jotted And I felt oh so bad for the...
Alone For The Viva
Consider the movie Home Alone and the PhD viva, two very different things: One of these things is a story about someone preparing to face two determined professionals in advance of a really important day. A particularly talented protagonist uses everything...
Traditions
December is a month of traditions. Celebrations, music, decorations, meals – some traditions form a backdrop of culture, while others are more homegrown. “Our tree has been up for over a week. That’s how we’ve always done it.” “Christmas dinner...