Since two or three weeks, it is now the rush for the release of the publication. I experiment the first hard time of the thesis. We have worked a lot with my advisor and we have to achieve more now – it is a marathon …with a sprint at the end.
I heard about previous PhD students which were overwhelmed by all of this stress job and periods after three years of researches. Actually, it seems that you have to keep your efficiency as best as you can during these periods, even if headmasters are expecting more from you. That is one of the main deal during the PhD.
For instance, you are working on a code. After several days or weeks, it is fine. It seems to work. Then, just before the deadline, you finally realize that there is a bug you didn’t even think about ! It is friday evening and you have to send results… Do not panic !
PhD comics describes quite well these stressed periods.
The week-end is hard too and if you really want to be involved in that job, you have to work. Science does not wait for you ! Some pre-results are shown to send to the group review. It is quite fine. You have now more days to complete the work and work more to get results as soon as possible. Of course, you appreciate this time and try not to make mistakes. I learned a lot since we entered in this run thanks to my PhD advisor and the team I am involved in.
At the time I write these lines, the works is not completed yet but I can say that I felt one of the most intensive period since the beginning of my studies in Physics, six years ago… I am sure that it is just the beginning and I am totally motivated to carry on this hard work because I have to say that, I love it – and guess what ? Adrenaline seems to love me too.
Alexandre
