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09 July 2008

I totally screwed this one up. I defended my thesis project today.[More:] I went in, rather nervous. Everything went well at first, but then anxiety took over. I was sitting there, thinking about whether I should just stand up and leave or not. I was asked a few rather obvious questions that I failed to answer. I knew the answers to these questions. I had thought it all over. Yet I just couldn't remember fucking anything.

Fuck.
Your committee's seen nervous candidates before and if they know what they're doing they know the difference between nervous and unprepared.
posted by Wolfdog 09 July | 06:19
I know nothing about this stuff, but do you get another chance?
posted by chewatadistance 09 July | 06:47
I was going to ask the same thing as chewey: is there any way you can communicate to them that you had a bit of an anxiety attack, and would like to answer their questions?

Sorry it didn't go smoothly.
posted by Specklet 09 July | 06:50
Well, I'll still be admitted to the PhD program; I just won't receive a state scholarship. It's not the end of the world, but it would have made my life considerably easier.
posted by Daniel Charms 09 July | 08:19
Man, I had a full-blown anxiety attack at my PhD oral exam. It's the only one I've ever had, thankfully, but I know what they're like. The experience is just as you describe; at one point, one of the examiners started asking me real soft-ball questions, just to try to calm me down. It didn't help--my mind was just blank.

It was horrible. You have my sympathy.
posted by mrmoonpie 09 July | 11:21
I'm so sorry, D.C. I get that same blank brain when I'm stressed and I just can't stop it. Horrible. I can certainly sympathize with you.
posted by redvixen 09 July | 19:51
I get that at work... I'll be asked a stupid question, one I *know* and have no idea how to answer it.

Very frustrating!

Hope that this all works out for you!
posted by jonathanstrange 09 July | 21:06
initapplette, are you itching? Help inside. || The whole frickin' flat is filled with construction dust.

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