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Nathan

Best of Viva Survivors 2025: Confidence

Daily Post

For day three of my look back at 2025 I return to confidence. I really love exploring how to encourage confidence for the viva. Digging into this topic has had a huge impact on my life and I love sharing ideas with PhD candidates.

How confident are you feeling for your viva? What steps are you taking to help yourself?

One helpful step might be to take a look at The Confidence Issue, the seventh issue of curated help from my Viva Survivors Select series of zines!

Nathan

Uniform, Armour, Costume

Daily Post

What are you wearing for your viva?

  • Is your clothing choice a uniform? Are you wearing something that you think will help you look like you belong in the viva or academia?
  • Do you hope your clothes will be armour? Are you choosing something to help you feel like you can defend yourself against your examiners’ questions?
  • Or are your clothes a costume? Are you wearing something to help you feel your best?

What resonates with you?

I think that a costume could be the most helpful choice for a candidate. Try to wear something that will help you feel good and at your best. You don’t need to be someone else and you don’t need to protect yourself from the viva process.

Choose something to wear that will help you feel like the best version of yourself.

 

PS: I’ll explore how candidates can feel viva ready in greater depth at my Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. I’ve shared this session more than 400 times and it is my comprehensive live session on getting ready for the viva. Check the link for full details!