My Two Questions
In the opening minutes of any viva session I ask two simple questions of the cohort: When is your viva? & How do you feel? Both of these questions, and their responses, are really helpful to me. I start to...
work past worry
The Edge
Are you nervous about your viva or nervous about the upcoming change? Your viva, and your success at it, aren’t a leap of faith. You did the work, you did the prep, you can learn about the process. You don’t...
The Last Minutes
What do you do if you have an hour left until your viva and you feel a little nervous? You do something. You write a few sentences to describe your contribution. You check the bookmarks you have placed in your...
In The Way
If you feel worried or anxious before the viva then stop and ask yourself, “Why?” What is getting in the way? For example, if you feel unprepared it could be that you’re pressured with the time available. It could be...
What Do You Do?
Here and there in my posts you’ll see subtle hints and outright confirmation that I love games of all kinds. Computer and video games, board games, card games, role-playing and story games. Thematic games, abstract games, little games, big games...
Viva Feelings
You can feel happy about your viva or sad. You might feel ready to get started or nervous about what your examiners might ask. You might feel certain of what you’ve done or unsure about work from several years ago....
You Need To Get Ready
The practical tasks involved in viva prep are not hard, but shifting focus to do the work can be tough. Why? Perhaps because you’ve done it all before. You did this work! Haven’t you done enough already? You did the...
Just Start
It’s definitely possible to over-invest your time in viva prep. I started six weeks before my viva. I probably spent close to 200 hours getting ready. That’s a LOT more than is needed. It’s also possible to do too little...
In Your Way
Time or work pressure. Not knowing what to expect. Being unsure of how to prepare. Hearing stories that create doubt. There can be lots of obstacles in your way of getting ready for the way. They’re real, they are barriers....
Whatever Works
Good day socks. A playlist that helps you feel happy. A lucky teddy. Three cups of coffee. Dancing around. A Post-it Note of encouragement. An outfit that just feels right. There’s practical must-do tasks that help candidates get ready for the...