Dissertation Distress to Dissertation Fruitation

So, you’ve come to university to get an education, to live the hotly reported twenty-first century student life and to better your prospects for the future.

You knew it was not going to be an easy ride, but in spite of all of those assignments, the Wednesday morning lectures after the LCR and the expectations of your friends, your family, and most of all, yourself, you reach third year undefeated. As third year begins, you find yourself cowering in front of your biggest piece of work to date.

A terrifying prospect

The dissertation is a terrifying prospect, but I’ve learnt since beginning mine in September, that it is also one of the most exciting, most character defining experiences of my entire degree.

When I signed up for the dissertation, I underestimated the emotional rollercoaster that accompanied it. I also underestimated how much it would bring to the fore my fears of both failure, and in many ways, accomplishment.

Before I could allow myself to be excited by the idea of producing my very own piece of work, I had to overcome the terrible anxieties that come with standing before a 10,000 word piece of work. How on earth was I going to write that much on one topic? How would I get through this alone?

Now, half way through this experience of writing a dissertation, I can honestly look back and say that I was not wrong in having those fears. I was certainly not alone amidst those fears, and I definitely wasn’t abnormal in being frightened of failure.

However, the most important advice is to choose a topic that you can freely indulge yourself, an area that you can submit yourself to entirely. I won’t argue that you will always be glad you chose that topic, because it is certainly the most normal thing to doubt your ability to shine, and if you didn’t, then overcoming the challenges that the dissertation puts forward are not worth overcoming.

As for the supervisor, I don’t think there is anyone else who I connect with on an academic level quite so well as I do with her, and I definitely don’t think there is anyone else who can deal with my constant panic breakdowns in the way my supervisor does. Your supervisor could make or break your dissertation, so choose wisely.

When you turn down the dissertation highway, don’t be afraid to acknowledge your fears, because those fears might just be the one thing that gives you the strength to put pen to paper. Sometimes, you will have to admit that you have to occasionally get it wrong in the beginning, in order to get it right in the end. After all, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?