To all those skimming this post for a V-491 or V-499 assignment, welcome! Not so long ago, I was in your shoes, glancing over this site before class to have a semblance of an idea of what advice past thesis students had. If you’re anything like me, the thought of writing this thesis makes you want to throw up, but trust me you’ll be okay, as per the title of this post, it’s not that bad.
Some of these posts will tell you to make a writing schedule and stick to it, and if that’s not you that’s okay! I’ll be honest, as a chronic procrastinator my habits did not change at all when writing my thesis. This is a lengthy process so trying to make drastic habit changes may not work for everyone, but that does not make you a bad writer, researcher, or student.
For me, there were lots of ups and downs throughout my thesis and if you can remain level-headed throughout these challenges, then you will be okay. Here are some things that kept me sane this semester:
- Maintain a strong support system. Throughout this process, my roommates, friends, family, and classmates were always there for me. Whether I was complaining about how my prospective interviewees would not respond to my 10 million emails, thinking out loud to try to talk through my thought process, or even just sitting with me as I wrote sections of my manuscript, they were there for me. With your thesis, there can be lots of twists and turns, and sometimes you just need someone to listen to you.
- Don’t compare your thesis to others. Honestly, this is my biggest piece of advice. Everyone will be at different stages of their thesis throughout V499. For example, when I hadn’t even finished collecting my data some of my friends already had full drafts of their thesis. In the moment, I felt like a total failure, but success is not linear, especially in terms of your thesis.
- Give yourself grace. Not everything is gonna go your way, and nothing will be right on your first try. While it’s important to prioritize your thesis, it’s also important to prioritize yourself. For me, that means taking myself to get ice cream after completing my first draft. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. But had I made an incredible amount of progress? Yes!
While the task seems daunting, looking at this process from the other side, it actually wasn’t that bad, and one day you’ll think the same…hopefully.
Shauna Mahoney is graduating May 2024 from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs with a B.S. in Public Affairs, minoring in History, and Media Law & Ethics. Following graduation, Shauna is moving back to the D.C metro area. Connect with her on LinkedIn!
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