There’s Always Next Time
Until there isn’t.
There’s another opportunity to get things right, another test you can re-run, another day to spend on writing and editing. Until you hit the deadline, the submission date, the limit of your resources.
A fear I’ve heard around the viva is that there’s no next time to make it right. I hear the worry, and I know for most people there is no cause for concern. Most vivas don’t need a second time, most candidates are exactly where they need to be – the overwhelming majority of candidates in fact.
But saying, “Don’t worry,” never helps.
From the small to the large, from worry over responding well to a question to worry about passing at all, there are actions you can take to help yourself.
Worry alone won’t help. You have to work past it.
What can you do to be more ready to respond to questions?
What practise could help convince you that your thesis is good enough?
What reminders could help convince you that you are good enough?
There’s no next time after the viva. You have one opportunity to show what you know and what you can do. One opportunity after thousands of others.
This one is enough.