I'm preparing to submit my PhD thesis - AMA

Don't really have a question, but just wanted to wish you the very best of luck!

-From a random stranger on the internet
(Let's spread positive vibes bois)

What next?

How did you pace yourself?

Here, have a can of worms

Is climate change real?

I'll ask my colleague now:



I wish I was Simon Clark at times. In this instant, I am not

How many productive days out of 5 did you have the first six months and first year?

Honestly out of 5, I'd say a solid 3. I don't feel that I applied myself properly in the first year, which how my supervisors allowed me to get away with is beyond me. It definitely improved after I had my first year transfer viva, where I definitely was a lot more productive. Are you looking at doing a PhD/doing one already?

I am a first year.

First two months it was a 4. Now it seems to have dropped to a 1 or 2. Odd really as in hindsight I did fine the first couple of months.

Good luck!

Do you feel you have grown academically and personally from the PhD experience?

Yep, I do have about 700 equations in total and a lot of code development attached, but will just give them a link as there's that much to go with the thesis!

Thank you! I was feeling very scared about it all but now I think I can do this how did you feel post submission?

Of course you can do it

It was a strange thing for me. In a lot of ways I was very glad to see the back of it, but in others I had this gaping hole in my week that took me a little while to get used to. I didn't have any life affirmation or euphoria haha.

I feel that I'll have the same issue once I've submitted. At the moment I'm working on rewriting my lit review and a mate of mine has agreed to read it through and give comments to me on it which is super helpful. I've also received my final results chapter back from my supervisors so I plan to have it all sent to them by the end of next week. They've seen all of my chapters at least twice now with the exception of the final one and discussion so I'm hoping comments back won't be too drastic.

How on earth this period of my life has come so fast is beyond me!

It's mad finishing something that is so all-consuming, a real culture shock. I started learning another language and a completely different area of philosophy to offset the gaping gaps in my days

I wouldn't think there'd be loads to change this late in the day, just minor adjustments!

The day I submitted I sent and received about 15 emails to/from my supervisor, stupid little things like 'there's an extra space at the start of this paragraph, remove' or 'mix up the openers in the introduction'. Small, niggly things, but nothing at all important. Try not to stress too much, you're nearly done!