One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, my PhD Viva (oral exam) took place. I’m trying to recall how the day went, but can’t really remember much at all. All I remember is counting down to it via my blog, and being in a strange mental place (somewhat detached, excited, fully pressurised, elated, a vacuum), and going to [...]

Date for Final Submission

I’m trying out this Firefoxy plugin called Performancing. With it, you can manage your blogs (hopefully) more easily. I’m going to use this tool over the next few days to see whether it’s any good/useful for my blogging.
My first impresson is that it feels crap having to use a different interface to what I’m used [...]

VIVA Result

It all went exceptionally well - better than the mock Viva in fact! The examiners have urged me to publish some of my stuff as they think it’s highly original and very good
The result is what I hoped: Pass (subject to minor amendments).
the candidate be awarded the degree subject to minor amendments, to be [...]

VIVA Countdown - 00 days to go

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VIVA Countdown - 01 day to go

Today’s a funny day. First, my BF chats to me on IM, asking how I’m feeling etc. given that (he thought that) my exam is today. I’ve told him the correct date about a million times, but he’s really out of the loop with regard to my research and always has been. That’s a good [...]

VIVA Countdown - 02 days to go

Today I’ve been taking it easy (given the circumstances). I’m concentrating on mainly practical things such as making sure I don’t get ill. It was freezing earlier tonight when I drove to Sainsbury’s and I don’t want to catch a cold now! I went there to buy a number of things to stock up and [...]

VIVA Countdown - 03 days to go

I’m quite calm today. I had a lovely evening last night at my friends’ flat. Couldn’t sleep last night but took a Sleepeaze which is fair enough as there are only 3 nights to go. Even if I did have to take a Sleepeaze every night until the day of my Viva, it would be [...]

VIVA Countdown - 04 days to go

A post scriptum to yesterday’s mock Viva: Their overall feedback was good. My main supervisor pointed out how my research had anticipated the rise of online video to some extent. I.e., it’s highly relevant and they thought it was very positive that it’s so in tune with contemporary developments. It seems I’m a bit of [...]

VIVA Countdown - 05 days to go

I’ve just had my ‘mock Viva’ (well, it finished approx. 40 minutes ago but I’m still in my office, printing stuff out). It went pretty well apart from one ‘hairy moment’ where I didn’t really know how to answer a question they asked. The other ‘problem’ was that I was a bit too informal at [...]

VIVA Countdown - 06 days to go

Today I’ve been wondering whether or not to wear a suit for my mock Viva tomorrow. I would like it to feel authentic, but I don’t want it to be too rehearsed. I’d like to just dress smart without wearing a suit but I don’t have any smart clothes! I’m merely a scruffy teleworker [...]