Another chapter closes...

At the end of last week I passed my viva, and with that, the chapter of my PhD is finally drawing to a close. It feels strange, after all, my thesis has occupied me for four years of my life, and the fear of the viva has been with me for almost as long. In the end it was all so much less scary than I thought it would be and 1 1/2 hours later I was drinking champagne and looking dazed while people congratulated me.

Of course it isn't quite over yet - I will have to correct a few typos and the like - but even though I obviously haven't received the 'official' OK from the university yet I have been assured that this is it. I may even get to graduate at the winter graduation, although I may have missed the deadline for that. My most dominant feeling is relief. Such enormous relief. There is elation, sure, and pride as well, and also some sadness that this chapter of my life is now drawing to a close, but most of all I am so glad that it all went well. And I am looking forward to all the things I want to do now.

In fact, the night after the viva I lay awake in bed at 5 am because I was so excited about all the things I want to do next! I do want to get a job, and I want to work on some more publications, and I want to go to a few conferences next year, but right now I want to take some time so enjoy the bean, and to work on the house, and to knit, and to spin, and to finally start the quilt that I have been planning for ages. So many things have been on hold while I was preparing for this last exam, and then there are all those things that I have been waiting to post about but never found the time to. You can expect a lot of activity on this blog in the next few weeks!

But for now, I will make a list - a list of everything I want to do with my life now. :-)