Urg. My trial lecture is the day after tomorrow. In 45 hours and 15 minutes I’ll be nervously waiting outside the door to Auditorium B with the prodekanus, the opponents and the head of my department. When the hands of our watches reach half past four we’ll walk in, in a little procession. At least I think we will. Maybe the procession’s only for the actual defence. Which is Tuesday. In 63 hours time.
I should have reread all the books I’ve cited in my dissertation. But first I have to finish that lecture. And the presentation for the defence. And and and and…
hanna
Don’t panic! You will do brilliantly!
Matt K.
Just so long as you don’t say “urg.”
Lisa Firke
Best of luck, Jill!
Camilla
Don’t worry Jill, you’ll do great 🙂
Jamie
You will be great!
If you really think you need advice, remember:
* you are brilliant
* they know that you know more about your topic then they do and they want to discuss it with you as an equal (or at least a junior colleague)
* you have got through much worse before — you are a strong person and when you believe in yourself you are capable of much more than defending something you have worked on for years
* it might help you to imagine that you have already passed because then you won’t be nervous about that and then you can concentrate on enjoying the experience
It is in some ways a rite of passage but, unlike many of those rites, everyone knows that you will more than succeed. I suspect that you are just nervous because this is such a big step. We all know that you will be great. Everything will fall into place. I know it will (or have I just been playing too much tetris?)
Jill
Oh, thanks, Jamie, everyone. At least it’ll be over soon….
Unlike Tetris.