The beginning of the beginning is about to begin!

Well well well... What a relief. Here is how the viva went down:

• Items we needed to bring + ideal to bring:

1. Filled examination card (given by Exam Dept. & you do the filling)
2. Copy of examination rules (given by Exam Dept.)
3. 2 Pens
4. Laptop with presentation and demo
5. Laptop charger
6. USB Flash with a backup of presentation and demo

• We all turned up in the morning and were shoved into a hot room with a poor A/C
• While we were kept sweating a doctor from batch 2 escorted each student out to their viva tables
• It was very important to have a fully charged battery as then you could open your presentation and demo and keep. If you don't you will do start up and getting ready on your presentation time of 10 minutes. Ouch! Better to have a battery that will last at least one to two hours. I borrowed a friend's laptop!
• Off your cellphone. Keep the bag inside the examination hall.
• The presentation went off well. The practice of my presentation over 5 times with friends and family really helped!
• Question and Answer session is of course highly dependent on the examiners you get but some things I learnt:

1. It really pays to have results of even a small pilot of your project in the form of pre-questionnaire, post-questionnaire and of course data outputs of the system you created. With all these results to discuss examiners wont have time to go through tricky technical questions.
2. Try your best to answer everything but don't try to bluff the examiner
3. Accept that you will not be able to answer everything and you will find peace
4. Answer slowly so you drag more time

• You will be given comments on your thesis. It will probably fall into:

1. Minor corrections: Small typing, spelling, styling & formatting errors. Nothing big. Perhaps a few rewrites of paragraphs.
2. Moderate corrections: The examiner may like your project but not agree with your approach. I'm afraid their is going to be some re-writing to do.
3. Severe corrections: Highly unlikely scenario @ the viva stage. Forget it!

• Thank your examiners.
• Remember to take your bag.
• Have a tea and a chat @ the canteen | Leave.

What will happen next? Stay tuned...