Writing a dissertation is what I imagine running a marathon would be like – long, tiring, and something that you regret signing up to at the midway mark. I know that it’ll all be worth it when I cross the finish-line, but I’m not there yet.
If I could go back in time, there’s a few things I’d tell myself to reduce the amount of tears shed and time wasted – hopefully my regrets can help someone who’ll be living in the library this time next year.
Take as many notes as possible when researching. You won’t remember what you were thinking when you highlighted a random sentence in 2 months’ time.
A blank page is intimidating – write something, even though it’ll probably be edited out.
Talk to your supervisor, friends, anyone who’ll listen. They’ll spot the things you become blind to over the hours spent rereading the same paragraph.
Along the road, you’ll feel as though you’ve lost the point you were trying to make. Try not to jump ship on your topic; reread, scribble some notes, it’ll come back to you eventually.
Go with the flow. Some days, no matter how hard you try, you’ll get nowhere. Be kind to yourself and try again tomorrow.
To everyone writing their diss now, know that I’m suffering in solidarity
Fuelled by caffeine, the Robbo’s overpriced vending machines and the threat of the looming deadline, your dissertation will be written – and you can finally take the rite-of-passage dissertation picture under the arches. To everyone writing their diss now, know that I’m suffering in solidarity.
And to anyone not writing their dissertation yet? Consider taking my advice, and buy your final-year friends a drink.
