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Nathan

It’s Supposed To Be Difficult

Daily Post

Whatever else one might say about the viva – it’s a discussion, it could be really interesting, it most commonly leads to success – it’s very important to remember that it’s supposed to be difficult.

That’s a key expectation.

Given the level you’ve been working at you can expect that the topics up for discussion will be difficult. Given that the event is a challenge you can expect difficulty. Given your probable nerves and the sense of the unknown about what will happen you can expect your viva to be difficult.

The viva is supposed to be difficult – but not impossible, not necessarily stressful and not an overwhelming situation.

You might need to know more before you get there. You might need to focus on a particular area of preparation. You might need your institution to make some adjustments to your viva process to ensure that it is a fair situation for you.

You can expect difficult and also know that you can show yourself and your work in a good way. You can be ready for the difficulty you’ll find at your viva.

 

PS: If you’re looking for more help with the difficulty of the viva then consider signing up for my 1-hour 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinar next Wednesday 7th October 2026. Registration includes attendance, follow-up resources and a catch-up recording if you can’t attend live. Hope to see you there!

Nathan

Unfair?

Daily Post

Is the viva unfair?

It might help if you knew what your examiners thought about your thesis before the viva.

You could benefit by knowing what questions would be asked, or how long it was going to take.

You might feel there are certain things you would want to control about the situation.

Or perhaps you really wish that during your research more stuff had happened the way it was supposed to.

Even taking all of that into account the viva is pretty fair.

You get several years to do the work and one opportunity to have a conversation with your examiners. The process isn’t hidden. There are regulations for your institution and expectations more generally: if you don’t know, you can find out. There are kinds of work that help someone get ready, and they’re not too onerous: if you don’t know, you can find out and then get ready. If you need more support for any reason then it will be there. The viva is a challenge. It could be difficult – in a way it’s supposed to be.

But it’s also fair.

Nathan

A Long Way From Impossible

Daily Post

There’s lots about life that is difficult at the moment. Some aspects might even be practically impossible, compared to life in 2019, or even a few months ago. Thankfully, the viva isn’t one of those impossible things. There are difficult aspects to vivas, but none are impossible.

  • Knowing what to expect is not impossible. You can ask, you can explore, you can find out.
  • Knowing what to do to prepare is not impossible. It takes time – but not a lot – it could be tricky to manage if you’re social distancing and have limited space, but it can be done.
  • Knowing what to do on the day is not impossible. Ask others how they approached it, find out what’s involved with an online viva, decide how you want to approach the situation.
  • Building confidence for the viva is not impossible. Reflect on what you’ve done previously, see what you can do to remind yourself of all your talent. You must be talented to have got this far.

Some things in life will be beyond your control now. Some things will be impossible for you to do anything practical to change the situation, and that can feel really, really hard in so many ways.

Your viva is not one of those things.

Your viva, in all aspects, is a long way from impossible.

Keep going.

Nathan

Only Difficult

Daily Post

Survive means manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

The viva is only difficult.

It’s a challenge, but not beyond you.

If it feels overwhelming, reflect a little on the challenges you’ve overcome during your PhD. How big were they? How challenging? How difficult? How many serious obstacles have you overcome to get to the viva?

The viva isn’t trivial, but it’s not impossible either. It’s only difficult.

And you can do difficult.