I got that advice a lot during my PhD. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” I had to pace myself for the long journey to success.
The viva’s not a sprint but it’s also not a marathon either. It’s not a race of any kind, you’re not being tested on how fast you answer but on how well you answer.
Don’t rush. Rushing to answer a question isn’t going to help you, your thesis or your research.
Pause. Breathe. It’s not a race, but the end of your journey is near.
I remember my first lecture at university. Before Dr Gould started telling us about complex numbers he shared an old proverb he thought would help us as we started our degrees:
Three things come not back: the said word, the sped arrow and the missed opportunity.
He then urged us to make the most of our opportunities while we were at university, not to let things pass us by. I’m fond of this saying. It’s stuck with me for almost twenty years, and it resonates with me for viva advice too.
Think before you speak: pause before you answer a question. Make the most of your opportunities in the viva, both to show what you know and get ideas and insights from your examiners.
Thankfully there’s usually not any arrows flying around!
Let’s be clear: it’s unlikely that something will “go wrong” in your viva.
Unlikely doesn’t matter though if you’re really worried now.
Unlikely really doesn’t matter if it’s happening on the day.
So what do you do?
Whatever it is, there’s a process. Just stop first. Then see what’s next. A pause might be enough to make you feel like you’re making too much of the situation. It may not be as wrong as you think.
But again, let’s be clear: it’s unlikely that something will go wrong in your viva. It’s unlikely because your examiners are up to the job and following an established process.
It’s unlikely because you are ready by that point. Your research is done, your thesis is done and you are ready and up to the task of discussing your work.