After a weekend of having to do other work - essay marking, etc I am spending today working on my final chapter. I don't think I'll get it finished but I hope to make good inroads into it. I also have to finish a job application which is taking too long as the online form won't let me put in all my previous employment.

Larrydavid, the more the merrier.
I have really got a lot to do in the next six...no it's nearer 5 weeks! My last chapter isn't properly written yet, but I've been told the ideas and research behind it are the best out of all my chapters so I'm feeling positive. I managed to do quite a bit of writing today and have really got into the flow of the argument.
I'm aiming to have it finished by the end of June which then gives me a month to go back over everything and tie up loose ends, format all my graphs, images etc and have it all nice and ready for submission.
Unfortunately tomorrow and Friday I have to work at another job but I have all the weekend free to work on the chapter.

I like the idea of a reward. I'm going to buy myself a car when I pass!

Hi Stressed, it seems that we both posted about the same time on the same subject!
It sounds like you are more sorted than me but we can both do it. Hopefully we can keep each other motivated and positive.
I'm wondering why with six weeks left I didn't do more in the past five years - but obviously I must have done or I wouldn't be here now with an almost complete PhD! And like you I've been through a lot - so I think we should be proud of where we are at and we will get there.

Rather like the one goal thread I am going to post updates on how I am getting on with just less than six weeks to go. I think it will help me keep motivated and make me see what I am actually doing. Feel free to read, ignore and comment.

I knew someone who did an MA at the same time as their first year PhD which amazed me! As far as i know they went on to get their PhD.
I also audited various undergraduate and postgraduate modules which were relevant to my studies and some just out of interest.

I'm beginning to think I might be going over the top a bit, but I never thought I would get to this point.
I may decide that a week in bed catching up on sleep is better than going out! But I am mainly looking forward to a weekend away without the pressure of the thesis hanging over me.
I suppose you never know how you are going to feel until you get there.

What is the appropriate level of celebration after one has submitted one's PhD as opposed to actually passing it? I have struggled through over the past five and a half years and will be submitting at the end of July. It won't be perfect (!) but I will have done it and I am intending to celebrate as I think I deserve it. I am planning champagne with work colleagues, uni colleagues, friends down the pub, and a luxury weekend away. When (if) i do finally pass it will have to be even more champagne and probably a big party.
What had anyone else done in the way of celebrations?

Thanks for your replies. I feel a little less panicky! I have it all in a folder so I can see it as one piece of work. Good advice.
Unfortunately I still have to do my job so can't devote all my time to the thesis but I have taken as much holiday as I can so the week is normally free with a few weekends when I have to work till the end of July.

I've written the introduction, methodology chapter, I'm going through the analysis and re-writing the results. It's an art history thesis but with quantitative content analysis of the evidence. I've then written three main qualitative chapters focusing on aspects of the results. Two are fully written but the third needs some more work.

I've got to submit in 9 weeks. I know I should have it all written and just be checking through but I've got so much still to do. Anyone who has finished where were you at two months to go, and any advice and what is the most important thing to do in so little time.

I'm glad it's not only me! I keep trying to diet but then I need comfort food to help me get through writing the thesis! I'm submitting at the end of July so I've said I can pig out till then, then celebrate a bit with more food and alchohol. Then maybe wait till after the Viva, hopefully celebrate then. After all that I will start a diet!

I am panicking, as it seems are quite a few of us at the moment, as I only have three months before I have to submit. I don't know if I can do it but I know I have to.
I'm always last minute with everything I do and I seem to thrive on this so I am hoping I'll come through again this time.
It's very daunting though. I have a habit of taking on too much stuff and I am trying to make myself do as little as possible apart from my PhD for the next few months but I have to do paid work. I've taken as much holiday as possible over June and July.
I have a folder with my thesis in and parts of it are OK. There are all the chapters I need, some written better than others. My supervisor doesn't think I need to do any more research (I can think of loads I could do!) and she seems confident but I think she thinks I have more done than I really have. I've got to present all my analyis properly which will take some time.
I know it's difficult to comment without seeing or knowing what I am actually doing but does it seem doable to get it all together in three months. I hope so!!

I also went from full-time to part-time due to various life situations. I was funded and the funding just changed to pro-rata. It did mean that I had to get a part-time job as well to make up the money, but there was no limit on this unlike when you are full-time.
I'm hoping to submit in July this year and it has been a real struggle trying to balance everything. In some ways I wish I had stayed full-time and just got it done, but because of all the stuff that was going on I probably would not have found the time to work on it.
One thing that was made clear to me was that once you have changed from full to part-time you cannot then go back. This was with the AHRC so it's important to check what your funders say on this one. If you were hoping to go back full-time, maybe taking time out would be the best option. You don't have to actually stop working and could so things at your own pace until you started back again. However, this would mean that the money would stop.

I agree with the others though that your physical and mental health is the priority. I have had university counselling and it helped me work through things and then decide what was the best way forward.
Good luck.

I started the post so I have clicked on helpful user on your behalf Delta.
As the post has been resurrected I thought I'd update people. I'm still working part-time in my museum job which pays the bills. It's not in the area I want to be so I feel a bit restricted and hands tied a lot of the time. But it's got me into the industry and given me contacts. I've got an interview for another museum job working with the collections next week as well.
The best thing is that I've just been offered my second course to teach for the Open University which I love doing. I'm also getting some freelance work in museum education and hope this will increase. So I am what is classed as a 'portfolio' worker now. I like the variety so I'm not sure I would like just one full time job.
So, I'm in a much better position than I was this time last year and hopefully everyone who is still applying for jobs will be. Good luck.