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Tag: viva day

Nathan

Shadows

Daily Post, Sabbatical

A shadow can be bigger than the object that casts it. Depending on the light, the distance, the angle, it might not be clear what the object even is if you only look at the shadow. Edges can be blurred, and perfectly normal things can seem scary from a glance at a shadow.

When you look to find out more about the viva, are you looking at the viva itself, or a shadow? What you see might depend on another’s experience, on the rules of your institution, on how you’re feeling that day about your research, and on many other factors.

Make sure when you find out about the viva that you get as full a picture as possible. Look for more than shadows. Build up more than simple impressions. Then you’ll be able to prepare well.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on November 14th 2017.

Nathan

One Hour To Go

Daily Post

With sixty minutes before your viva what are you going to do?

  • Read a few more pages a few more times?
  • Check through your notes again?
  • Knock on your supervisor’s door to ask one more question?
  • Pace  to try and release a little tension?

These are all things I did! I also went to the seminar room   too early and waited for my examiners to be exactly on time.

You can’t always control how you deal with the building expectation of something important. Maybe you can set a better intention though.

I wish I’d thought more about when I was going to arrive. I would have made a plan. I would have found ways to remind myself that I had not been idle in the weeks leading up to my viva.

Nervousness is not an unlikely possibility for viva day. What can you do to make a good final hour before your viva?

Nathan

Be Early

Daily Post

Be early for your viva.

Be early so you can take a breath or two and appreciate these last moments on this side of the milestone. In one moment you’re working towards your PhD, getting ready for your viva – and in another you’ve passed through the discussion, responded to all of your examiners’ questions and you’re on your way to completion.

Viva discussion can be deep and engaging, and you may not even notice the event unfolding. Afterwards you could be on a high or tired.

So be early: notice what you feel like, remember what you’ve done to get this far and take a few final breaths before you are Dr Someone.

Nathan

Three Favours

Daily Post

Ask your family and friends to give you a little space, time and quiet in advance of your viva. You need a good environment to prepare in. They can help provide that for you. Let them know what you need and work with them to make it a reality.

Ask someone to drive you to university on the day of your viva, if you’re having your viva in-person. You need to arrive rested. Travelling by public transport or driving yourself could take away from your focus and energy; asking for a lift could help you to arrive at your viva in a great condition.

Ask yourself to believe something: to believe that you are good enough. To believe that you have come as far as you have through hard work, personal development and making something that matters.

The last favour might be the biggest you could ask, depending on how you’re feeling – but if you can grant the request you’ll find a confidence that will help a lot on viva day.

Nathan

Warming Up

Daily Post

How will you warm up on the day of your viva? You might not need to perform vocal exercises or physically stretch, but you could:

  • Read through a summary of your thesis one more time.
  • Check that you have everything packed in your bag.
  • Select a special outfit to wear.
  • Rehearse using your computer and software if you have a video viva.
  • Chat with your supervisor if there’s one more point to be sure of.
  • Write something to get any thoughts or feelings out of your head.

Or you could simply sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and wait for the right time to arrive.

Nathan

The Final Checks

Daily Post

It helps to check a few final things before your viva.

Do you have your thesis?

Do you have a notebook and pen?

Do you have something to drink?

Do you have a few weeks of prep in your recent history?

Do you have everything else you need for the venue for your viva, whether that’s a seminar room or your home?

Do you have years of effort, experience and success bound up in your PhD journey?

If you can answer yes to all of these then you’re in good shape for meeting your examiners!

Nathan

Starting

Daily Post

Starting the viva could make you feel a minute or two of nervousness. Your examiners will know this might be the case, so will respond accordingly. Simple questions to get things started. Perhaps a presentation, requested in advance, to give you a good way to begin.

Starting the viva is not the first thing you will do on viva day. Consider how you could plan ahead to begin your day well. Decide in advance how you will get to your viva. Decide in advance what you will wear to remove a decision from that day.

Starting the viva is a challenge, but not one that is wholly unknown to you. It is not something for which you have no experience to prepare you. Reflect on what you know about the viva and what you have done that can help you.

Starting the viva is almost the end of your PhD. Remind yourself that you could not have got this far by being lucky or by being unskilled. You must be good by this stage of the journey.

Nathan

Then & There

Daily Post

When you find out the date and location for your viva, whether your viva is in-person or over video, write down a few thoughts for each of the following questions:

  • How will I get there and when do I need to be ready?
  • What do I need in that space and how do I get it?
  • Who do I need help from?
  • What can I do to help myself on that day in that space?

Viva prep is not limited to book work and mock vivas. Explore what you need to make your viva venue as helpful as possible to feeling ready to talk with your examiners.

Nathan

Examiner Feedback

Daily Post

Feedback from your examiners could be a great help if your plan is to continue in academia. Questions, opinions, insights – whatever they offer or you ask for could give you a boost.

If you’re hoping for something from them, it might help to think in advance about what you really want. Make a list of questions, prioritise them; stay on track when the time comes to ask or if a moment comes that seems appropriate to follow up.

Consider again who your examiners are, where their interests lie and what they do. What would you really want to know from them if you had the chance to ask?

Nathan

A Special Day

Daily Post

When you think ahead to it, how do you describe your viva?

Do you feel it will be a challenge? Do you joke that your examiners will give you a grilling? Do you find thinking about your viva a bit scary?

When you think of all you’ve done, do you imagine your viva will be special? Important? Easy?

Do you think you will feel nervous, anxious or worried in the days before?

Words matter. The words you use to describe your viva, your preparation and yourself all matter. They are the story you tell about the situation.

Will you need to be lucky or do you think you will be ready?

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