Final year support thread

How's everyone getting on?

I've had a productive morning, hoping all week will be just as productive. Hoping to submit a chapter to supervisors this week.

I'm struggling to get going today. I've noticed that any time I'm working on something that needs to be sent to my supervisors, I slow down to a snail's pace, even though they are never very critical! That fear of being evaluated is a strong one!

I can relate to that, although mine are very critical! And I'm terrified to submit to be honest.

Sorry you're feeling terrified to submit - the irony is that they probably think they are being really helpful, but it is daunting to get critical feedback. I think it all feels so personal at PhD level - previously it was just a case of sitting and waiting for a couple of lines of comments to come back on written work, but when you're doing a PhD and have to sit down with the people who're judging your work it is all much scarier!

Sent my first findings chapter to my supervisor last week, they have provided feedback on just the first five pages but said they will get around to the rest of it soon. Today I have just started on the second findings chapter, just drafting a structure now and from the detailed notes I made last year, it doesn't seem as painful a task as I suspected it to be! The last findings chapter took MONTHS and was 20k, aiming for this one to be around 10 k.

Wishing everyone here a productive week!

Yes, very true! I have noticed that taking some form of treat (sweets/cake) seems to put my supervisor in a better mood. I need to do that more often! ;)

Thanks, and you too! I think the first chapter always takes the longest to write, because before that, one doesn't really know how to write. My supervisor always says that, that once you move pass that first study/chapter, things will move much more quickly, and I think he was right.

I've just checked one chapter 3 times already, I think one more check tomorrow and its ready to go! (Or so I hope!).

Just checking in to say, chapter sent yesterday *woohoo*! Now its time to work on the next chapter!

How are you all doing?

Well done for sending it!

I'm having to push myself every step of the way this week! Just seem to have no energy at all. I have set a bunch of deadlines with my supervisors though, so hopefully the looming deadlines will put enough fear into me that I'll start getting something done!

Thanks! I like the idea of setting deadlines with supervisors! Oddly my supervisor doesn't seem too concerned about finishing on time. I on the other hand, really want to finish this ASAP!

I hope you have a better week next week!

Howdy all. Pressure is on for sure as my final year is here. Plan to put out 4 papers before viva, speak at conferences finally because I did not want to present before I had findings. And of course thinking about postdoc, sourcing funding XYZ. 12 hour days...its insane. Still would not rather be doing anything else. Have a good weekend folks.

Sounds like quite a schedule, Fled!

How are folk doing this week? I keep finding myself crossing things off in my head these days and saying, 'Well, I'll never have to do that again....', which is possibly a sign that I'm destined for a life of non-academic pursuits! (although I have had the same narrative running through all my studies and have always gone back for more eventually!)

I can relate to that :) I do love academia but there are some things that annoy me too.

I've had a really slow and unproductive week sadly. I've noticed when I am writing I am more focused; reading on its own makes me procrastinate. So I think I need to do both at one time.

I hope you had a more productive week than mine?

I submitted my thesis for examination a week ago, so technically I have just entered the last phase of candidature....I found writing up to be a nightmare....I had a complete first drat 18 months ago and thought I had a few months of editing ...not so....my supervisors did not read my thesis at a deep level and only once I started getting close to the end of my candidature date did they 'wake up' and start applying their minds to my writing. It turned out that my writing was littered with statements of belief and I didnt know the meaning of topic sentences!! I found getting the hang of the conventions of academic writing in my specialism really difficult...I lost all confidence in my writing and with that went my creativity...a low point...I picked myself up (mentally) and doggedly corrected every sentence and paragraph according to the feedback...there were at least 20 iterations of each chapter and when I thought it was done, my supervisors told me to get rid of the implications chapter saying it was too practical for a PhD! My husband wanted me to sue the university because by then my scholarship was over...I plodded on for another year, rewriting every chapter...and then finally asked for permission to submit...even then my supervisor asked me to work on the final chapter for another 2 weeks...arrggghhh....

NBurger, that all sounds like a nightmare and very difficult to manage when your scholarship has run out - I will definitely need to find work if mine drags on like that. I hope things go smoothly now and that you have a good viva experience!