Close your eyes and imagine… it’s 11:58pm you are anxiously hovering over your laptop attempting to find the submission page for your assignment on Canvas. You just spent the last 3 hours frantically writing nonstop, with little to no time to reread or edit your work. You word-vomited 5,000 words onto the page. Phew, at least you have something.
Flash forward one minute to 11:59pm, you welcome yourself back to reality. Psych! Your paper wasn’t actually due tonight, but you celebrate having successfully cranked out 20 pages in 3 hours.
While that example will hopefully be an exaggeration, it is really important to put a bit of pressure on yourself early. As the semester comes to an end, you will have so many other events, activities, and assignments to do, and nothing will feel better than not having your thesis on that to-do list. So get ahead early!
The hardest part of writing a great paper is writing the paper. Though you can’t edit and revise without having an actual paper, editing and revising take significantly less intentionality and emotional labor. You can even have your peers help you edit and revise, but only YOU can write your paper.
So when getting the words on the page is the hardest part, gaslight yourself and settle into the panicked state of submitting a paper last-minute. Write like you are cramming the assignment, just get it all down on the paper you’ll have plenty of time to review and revise, but it’s MUCH easier to edit when you have something to edit. Entering the thesis writing process with the urgency and mentality of crunching deadlines will aid in front-loading the work for your paper. By pretending the deadlines are earlier than they actually are, you will find yourself just as productive as you are last-minute, but earlier.
The urgency of pushing deadlines can also be extremely beneficial when collaborating with external constituents. If you are relying on advisors, interviewees, or other data collection methods, communicating with urgency and crafting communications that imply impending deadlines, will often result in external constituents being much more punctual and reliable when providing you assistance or resources.
When it comes to writing, it is always mind over matter. So do what is best for you, but from personal experience, pretending the deadlines are closer than they are will consistently keep you ahead of schedule. Overall though, when it comes to deadlines, it’s always best to stay on your toes and be proactive! Happy writing!
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