Advice for Future CARI Students

Completing a Certificate in Applied Research and Inquiry is a difficult but rewarding process.  The penultimate semester of thesis writing can be stressful and tiresome at times; it is useful to remind yourself the process is worthwhile, and really does pay dividends. Here are a few tips as you go about writing your thesis.

1. Don’t beat yourself up. You’ll get lots of advice of what to do to avoid stress – start early, write consistently, be disciplined, etc. But everyone is human, and at some point, you’ll fall short. You’ll be behind on a deadline or lose sight of your argument or get disheartening advice that forces you to rethink your approach. It will stress you out. That’s okay. Take lots of breaks, relax, and know that everyone that has successfully completed the program has dealt with similar setbacks. It is all part of the process.
2. Don’t use other students as a barometer for progress. Everyone works at different speeds and in different patterns. It can be tempting, especially when working alongside everyone else in class, to worry if you are not at the exact same point in the process. By this point in college, you know how you write and what works best for you. Don’t stress too much if you write in spurts or if you have to plan everything in detail and everyone else seems like they are winging it. Just do what works for you.
3. Have fun writing. It sounds crazy, maybe, but its makes working more enjoyable – and it should be fun. Whether you go to a cool coffee shop, get something yummy to snack on, or play pump up music – you can have fun with the process. You’re doing interesting research, have fun nerding out over it.
4. Don’t worry about the topic. This was big for me – there was so much I wanted to research and write about. It doesn’t have to be your favorite topic of all time, and it doesn’t mean you’re tied to it forever. It feels like a big commitment, but before you know it, you’ll be done. It will be less stressful in the long run if you just jump in. Of course, you want it to be something you are interested in. But if you have lots of topics you think would be great, just go with your gut and don’t look back.
5. Work to establish a good relationship with your advisor. The process will be more rewarding and less stressful if you can speak openly and honestly with your advisor about where you are in the process and reservations or issues you are having with the research/findings. (I was lucky and had a great advisor). Of course, you should speak honestly about all this inevitably. But it can be easier to go into detail and be honest about shortcomings and issues you are having if you have established a solid working relationship.
6. Don’t build up the thesis. You will get there! It goes quickly and it is rewarding. You have the tools you need. It will be a big project, but you will still have time to enjoy your semester and life. It shouldn’t consume everything you do. It can be easy to lose sight of this sometimes, but it’s true! The thesis matters and you should be proud when you’re done, but it’s also just another element of your schooling and not a referendum on who you are as a person.