PhD Discussion Forum

======= Date Modified 09 Sep 2009 01:20:30 =======
======= Date Modified 09 Sep 2009 00:13:43 =======
anyone burning the midnight oil?
i so dont want to be at my desk! i dont want to study., i'm being a brat. so i've coaxed myself to do something even if its just 5 minutes at a time with a break each 5 minute lol.
so decided to make a final list of viva questions. seems like such a daunting task! no wonder im procrasting. i'm drowning in questions, in the past i had compiled a list of over 100 questions from various resources, but its too much, i only have a couple of weeks left. i need to narrow it down. :$

so thats my aim for tonight! get the list of viva questions done! :-s
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EDIT 01.19
yeh! i finished! the list of questions are now down to 63 even though added about 30 new ones. this is my final list. and on that note. i'm out.

======= Date Modified 10 Sep 2009 01:11:26 =======
======= Date Modified 10 Sep 2009 01:10:09 =======

welcome aboard the midnight train!! :-) nice to have a newcomer! loved your message!

well done on your progress so far! sometimes when you have had a very good writing day one day. you find yourself slower the next day. its natural. just keep at it everyday, even if its just 10 minutes of writing ! :)

i'm on the night train tonight. dont know how long i will stay awake though. feeling sleepy. but have done nothing all day. so feel very guilty, so been forcing myself to do something before i go to bed.

so i've given myself a little goal to do. do some freewriting (making mud pies as joan bolker would say) and write 1 page freewriting answer to 6 viva questions. so far i have done 2 qs. i set a 10 minute timer aswell to write at leats 1 page answers. i find the timer helps to keep me focused. this is an infinite improvement, because all day i have done no studying for either question. as they say, sometimes when a task seems very daunting, break it up- or lower your expectation , and "do" something.

so i thought to myself. DONT GET IT RIGHT. get it WRITTEN!!! even if the answer isnt correct, doesnt matter. just have something on paper. and i find once i get going. the answers seem to flow. they might not be as accurate or correct as i hope. but i can always improve on it later.

taking a little break and will come back to battle it out for qs 3!

======= Date Modified 10 Sep 2009 02:40:29 =======
nice to have you on board Bilbo! and happy belated birthday!

*passes around coffee for the night shifters on the noctornal train*

I'm back from my break and feeling abit more wide awake now. and i am determined to write zero draft answers (1 page each) for 4 more questions that i have left to do. i must get it done! i'm bringing my battle face :-s

Thanks Bilbobaggins!! i'm off now too! i finished freewriting answers to the 6 viva questions, i'm so happy i forced myself. and didnt worry about getting it right. but writing something. i can go to bed now and sleep easily :)

*getting off the night train*

I'm always joing you nocturnal workers, altho it's lovely and sunny where I am! You're reliving my past 9 hours, although I hope you have a more productive time than I've had. Yesterday I had one of those days where I tootled around on the internet, stared into space, slept and generally avoided work. Looked at the thesis and am so bored with it!!!! Realised I'm missing chunks of data, which I won't be able to get, so there's a challenge....

Anyway, am feeling more productive today, so off I go into the world of work. Walminski, set the moth free! Free up the brain! And then it will start to work.

Oh yeah, Sunday night all night. Two (smallish) chapters to go. Don't think I'll get them finished tonight mind you!:p

Thanks Lara and Bilbo! I'm just back from conference and time to get back to the grind! although feel like i've not really started, don't seem to be getting anywhere! still got lab stuff to finish and went in today and experiments not working :( I know at some point i have to say enough is enough, but they are only four analysis on my samples and it would really complete the story for me I think. Or maybe i've just put so much time into trying to get them that my own determination won't let me just say right, thats it, write up what you've got!!! ARGHHHHH!!!

anyway, while away at conference sat and did proper time plan of what needs done if I want to submit by Christmas, cos my wage runs out next month - basically to get to my boss for corrections etc, need to do a chapter every 1-2 weeks!!!!!! Just do not see how i'm going to achieve this, along with still last expts and finding a job, and of course, trying to stay sane and see family/friends occasionally!!!

Came home feeling very blue today with expt problems etc, and I think my partner is just so fed up of hearing it, and gets really frustrated with me. Anyway, i'm blabbering now, just having a bad one and feeling unmotivated with waaaaaayyyy too much to get done!

Short story....I'll be joining you all full time on the midnight train I think for the next 3 months! CHOOO CHOOOOO!!!! :(

Hope everyone else having more productive time,

KT