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Nathan

The Process of Surviving

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Survive can be defined as manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

So we can understand surviving the viva as managing to keep going in the difficult circumstances of the viva.

And even more particularly we can understand surviving your viva as managing to keep going in the difficult circumstances of your viva.

 

There are challenges in every viva that make them difficult. There are parts of the process that could be uniquely difficult for a candidate. You prepare for the viva in part so that you manage to keep going, continuing on the journey that you’ve been on for a long time, but you also have to think about what makes the viva difficult for you.

Every candidate probably faces some difficult circumstances at the viva because of the nature of their work and particular situation. Some candidates face difficult circumstances because of how they feel, what they might need for the viva to be fair for them and personal situations that make the viva a greater challenge than it might be for others.

Surviving the viva doesn’t mean overcoming terrible situations. Surviving the viva means continuing to show up as your best self doing your best work. It means facing the situation and making sure in advance that it is as fair as it can be for you.

 

Manage, not struggle. Difficult circumstances rather than almost-impossible situations.

And keep going – because this isn’t the first time you’ve been challenged.

 

PS: you can learn more about the challenge and why you’ll survive at my upcoming 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva live webinars. I’m running the session on Wednesday 24th September and Thursday 30th October: come to find out why people succeed at the viva and why you will too! There are more details via the link and use code DAILYBLOGFAN before midnight tomorrow to get a special discount.

Nathan

3 Out Of 3000

Daily Post

If my records are correct then today is the 3000th Viva Survivors daily blog post!

As it’s special I decided to do something a little different. I’ve taken a little time to look for three helpful posts. Each of these has a generally good and helpful reminder for the viva; rather than only link to them I’ve presented them in full.

 

The Magic Numbers (from October 2022)

Some numbers are magical for the viva, and some can only cause you to worry.

Don’t think about how long your viva might be. It’s not worth obsessing over how many pages of references you have in your bibliography. And don’t check your word count to try to boost your confidence.

Instead of counting little details or wondering about things you have no control over, focus on how long you’ve been doing the work.

Several years – which can be properly understood as thousands of hours. Consider the time and effort you will have spent in getting ready for the viva itself. Remember the time invested in becoming a better researcher – and your many achievements along the way.

What other magic numbers could help you feel good for your viva?

 

Trust (from April 2018)

Trust that the process is fair and tested.

Trust your supervisors to have helped you well over the years.

Trust the work you put into your thesis.

Trust your examiners to be excellent and treat you with respect.

Trust yourself.

You have the knowledge and the talent to succeed in the viva or you wouldn’t have got this far.

 

A Part Of You (from March 2025)

Yes, your viva matters. Yes, you need to pass.

But it is only one thing in your life.

  • Read your thesis – but make time for rest.
  • Create summaries – but create space to do other things as well.
  • Have a mock viva with your supervisor – and have a good catch up with a friend.

The viva, your thesis and your research all matter.

You matter more. Take care of yourself.

 

These three posts were written during very different periods since the blog’s beginning. They’re all about different things on the surface but there’s a common thread underneath: a general and gentle encouragement, a belief that with the right support and ideas any PhD candidate can do what they need to do and succeed at the viva.

The 3000 posts on this blog are very different in general. I have some very short posts and some very long ones; I have lists and questions, reflections on the PhD journey in general and stories from my own life. I’ve written haiku and fiction and adapted classic Christmas poems!

And all through the 3000 posts is my encouragement, more than anything: keep going.

If you’re working towards your viva you have not got this far through luck. This is no accident, happy or otherwise: this is your talent, your work, developed over a long period of time. Keep going.

That’s my plan. Onwards and upwards for the next 1000.

 

PS: as this blog keeps developing I have produced other resources too! The latest is the fifth issue of Viva Survivors Select: The Sparks Issue was released yesterday and is available at my Payhip store along with the previous issues and other resources. There is a lot of freely  available help on this site but if you’re looking for more then please take a look at Viva Survivors Select! Thanks for reading.

Nathan

You Got Here

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If you’ve submitted your thesis remember that that’s down to your time and work.

You had help and support. There were expectations that shaped what you did.

You did the work.

Having got this far there’s not much further to go on your PhD journey.

If you got this far, keep going. If you got this far, despite all the challenges within your research and from the wider world, keep going.

Survive can be defined as manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

You got here. Keep going.

Nathan

The Responsibilities

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Your institution has a responsibility for communicating the regulations and processes of the viva to you.

Your supervisor has a responsibility to guide you and provide appropriate practical support.

Your examiners have a responsibility to be fair but to ask questions. These could be difficult questions at times. Your examiners have a responsibility to help the viva work well.

Your independent chairperson, if you have one, has a responsibility to ensure that the viva is fair.

You have a lot of responsibilities. Many of them follow from the same basic principles you must have been following for a long time though. You have to show up, engage well and continue to do what you do: be a good researcher in whatever way that means for your discipline.

Whilst the viva isn’t easy, your responsibilities shouldn’t be too hard to fulfil. You’ve been on this track for years.

A few more hours. Keep going.

Nathan

Surviving Isn’t Easy

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Manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

Manage, not struggle.

Difficult not almost-impossible.

Keep going – implying that you’re already in motion, this isn’t new.

I share this definition of survive in all my work. I want to emphasise to PhD candidates that surviving isn’t about life and death, swerving tragedy or overcoming mythic danger. A successful viva requires capability and results but surviving is really about determination. You show up and push forward and do what you need to with each new challenge.

It’s a hopefully helpful way to explore the viva and what’s involved but I’m not saying it’s easy.

Surviving the PhD might require difficult choices or exceptional effort. Getting ready for the viva could involve more work than you like or even a task you would rather avoid. The viva itself might be tough: challenging questions, longer than you would like and a deeper reflection on something than you want.

For all that you’ll succeed.

There’s work to do and you can do it.

There’s talent required and you have it.

It’s not easy but it’s nowhere near impossible. You can do this.

Keep going.

Nathan

A Reflective Definition

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Matured and necessary and good enough,

That OK?

Knowledge exceeds examiners’ probing;

Glad of insight, no grumbling!

If necessary,

Dig into fiddly factors; if certain, use learned terms.

Consider interesting reflections; consider useful memories. Significant times and new contributions expected soon.

 

A reminder of one way to define the verb “survive” and how it might apply to the viva.

Nathan

Stay Determined

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Manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

This definition of survive applies to the PhD journey and to the viva.

You get to the viva and you’ve done the work. You’ve written the thesis. You’ve done the prep.

So you just keep going. Stay determined and do what you do well.

Keep going, then go on to your next difficult challenge.

Nathan

Up At The Top

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I like a good analogy, but have never been fully convinced of comparing the end of the PhD to reaching the top of a mountain. Yes, it might be an uphill struggle at times, but hopefully it won’t leave you exhausted, struggling for air and wearing many layers of extreme weather clothing!

The one element I like in the idea though is the view.

The view from the top of a mountain must be pretty special. The view from the end of the PhD is pretty impressive. Looking back and looking down you could see the route you’ve taken; you might remember challenges you’ve passed, the paths you navigated well and maybe even the places you had to take advice from others.

The viva is not quite the end of the PhD, not really, but like the top of a mountain it’s a good place to pause and check out the view.

How far you’ve come, how you got there – and possibly where you might go next.

Nathan

Your Best Is Enough

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If you can honestly say that you tried hard, learned lots and did the work for your PhD then that’s enough. If you can say that despite challenges and obstacles, setbacks and worse, that you did your best throughout your PhD then that’s enough.

Your determination, knowledge and capability helped you to keep going. That will help you to get ready for your viva.

Ultimately, it’s what will lead you to succeed in your viva.

Your best is enough.

Nathan

Best of Viva Survivors 2024: Surviving

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Today’s the final day of 2024 and the final day of my best of posts for 2024.

The blog is called Viva Survivors, so we have to have some posts about surviving!

  • You Did The Work: four words to remind you; four words to help you keep going.
  • Pick A Number: a little exercise to help you take positive action.
  • Hope Helps…: …but actions help more!
  • Whatever You Need: reflect on what you need then work to get it. Create the situation you need to succeed.
  • How Many Times? A reminder that the viva is the latest challenge – and you’ve already overcome a lot of them.

How have you got through your PhD? What helped you manage to keep going in difficult circumstances?

And what’s going to help you survive in 2025?

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