A mild crisis

Two big things happened today.  First I spent a great deal of time on my project and I am actually getting work done quickly.  With a couple more days this week I expect to have the design and possible blueprints finished.  I had a short chat with a couple of the machinists in our school's workshop and we're starting to go back and forth with ideas, which is an essential part to refine the plans.

The second part of today was a minor crisis and prolonged period of panic.  Actually the panic has been building for a couple days now and has yet to disperse entirely.  To all my fellow students reading this blog, I want to make it perfectly clear that it is ok and normal for you to worry about your thesis.  Including, but not limited to, questioning the amount of work, the quality of your work, or your ability to complete your thesis on time.  From what I've observed to date, there may even be an analogue between panic attacks leading up to submission and contractions prior to childbirth; in general both phenomenon seem to increase in frequency and intensity as you build towards the final outcome.  Now all joking aside, I have been concerned about the time I have left and if the work I'll do over the next 198 days will be enough for a PhD.  In response to my meltdown I did what all students should do and I sat down with my supervisor.  I went over what I have on my plate right now (these things are the priorities) and I talked him through the to do list.  Additionally, I mentioned which things I am looking to cut due to time and the fact these items contribute very little overall to my research.  We both see the amount as time as a limiting factor, but my supervisor also feels that I currently have quite a bit of work stacking up and have more results coming in over the next few months from projects that are already in motion.  This wasn't news to me, but I was glad to hear this from someone else.  I am still nervous, but at this point all I can do is to continue with my work.  I am organised (a big plus in a crisis situation) and I have great support.  I need to keep pushing towards my deadline, making progress on my work and hopefully I will rise out of this latest funk.