The End Of Your PhD

First, be practical. Read the regulations. What do they say about corrections, final submissions, fees and forms? Know what you have to do for graduation, the timelines are for getting things done and understand how that fits with you. If you have an office space or desk then make sure you know when they need you gone so that you’re not stressed with moving things out!

In short: read up, check details, make lists and plans and get things done.

Second, be emotional. What does the end of your PhD mean for you? How have you grown? What have you done? And how do you feel about all of this? The end of the PhD is likely to be a huge change: a different role, a different task, a different status and maybe even a different purpose.

Or possibly a missing purpose, at least for a while. I remember very clearly a sense of “What now?” for months afterwards.

“What do I do now?”

There are practical and emotional aspects to the end of your PhD. The viva isn’t the end, it’s the starting pistol: you really are working towards a finish line now.

That involves work and emotional energy.

You might not know how you’ll feel about it until you get there but you can at least start the work of preparing yourself for when it arrives.