All Change

How do you feel about the change that’s coming?

For a long time you’ve been a PhD candidate…

…and soon you won’t be.

How are you preparing yourself for the change?

You’ll change from someone writing a thesis to someone who has written it.

Someone who was thinking about their viva to someone preparing for it.

And change from someone waiting to start to someone who has done their corrections.

The change will happen fast.

Change isn’t intrinsically bad but it means something.

How are you feeling about it? What are you doing to be ready?

PS: The viva throws up a lot of feelings for candidates. It’s one aspect that I explore in this week’s new zine Viva Survivors Select 13, The Personal Issue. This latest curated issue of viva help digs into lots of ways that the viva is a deeply personal experience for candidates. From research to prep and examiners there’s a lot that makes your viva a personal thing. Find out more in the issue – and, of course, in many other posts on this site!