This post is dedicated to Luke, Danielle, Kristin and Claire.
I haven’t written a post since January, and finally, I can blame the pandemic.
I had planned to update here once I submitted my PhD and talk about how it feels to get to that stage, what you need to think about, and any tips I have for the final stretch. Only what with school closures, teaching, starting a new job, writing a book chapter, a family bereavement and well, the PhD, I never found the time.
So this is where I am, with not the best blog post to offer you (not that anyone is reading this), but none the less, with a happy update.
My viva is next week. Somehow, with the grimmest of schedules, an exceptionally supportive partner, a beyond incredible supervisory team, a cancelled Christmas and a lot of check in’s from my four close friends Kristin, Claire, Luke and Danielle, I submitted my thesis on 30 March 2021. I don’t really remember much of the time between January and this date, only that it was exhausting, the weather was horrendous and I never wanted to hear the words home schooling again.
I am very lucky to have got to this stage, with the benefit of a six month funded extension from my university, and despite the bone tiredness and relentless-ness of earlier this year, to be facing my viva next week. Three and a half years after starting the PhD, I’m nearly there.
I will, I promise, finish this fairy tale after the viva next week, and bring to a close what has been without a doubt, the most phenomenal experience I have been fortunate enough to have. With any luck, I’ll finally be Dr Sink or Swim.
Sink or Swim 