Writing a dissertation is not fun. In fact, for most of us, it’s the antithesis of fun. It’s hell. It’s that thing that makes people who have written one cringe at its mention. Yes, it’s a point of pride. It’s a life achievement and it’s quite the satisfying feeling to make it to the finish line. But the journey is hard fought and there are plenty of stories from plenty of people to prove it. Everyone has their own method to their madness. But there’s no right way to write a thesis. So in case you’re feeling a bit bogged down by your work load, just know that you are not alone. Here are a few horror stories published by the Guardian about dissertation nightmares. We all need a bit of help sometimes. If this isn’t enough motivation for you to hire academic tutoring services, then perhaps nothing will.
The flu: William Lloyd came down with the flu one week before his thesis was due. And on top of that, he’d acted in true procrastinator fashion and left it all to the last minute. He said he’d gotten a brief extension due to his illness, but that because of travel time back and forth from college to home, that extension hardly made any difference. He said he stayed up all night three consecutive days while being sick with the flu for only the second time in his life. In the end, he finished on time. He said it was taxing and awful, but that in the end, it was rewarding and even a bit fun. However, as your tutoring advisors, we at Big Apple Tutoring cannot recommend you try this at home.
The stubborn advisor: Cat Soave said she had been working toward a particular topic for three years, as she was an English literature graduate. When she proposed her thesis, her advisor rejected it on the grounds that she was not scholarly enough, and was thus unqualified to pursue it. As a result, she had no choice but to do practically everything entirely on her own with no help from her advisor. The lesson here is to make sure to stay on good terms with your advisor. Try to hear him or her out and consider the criticism. But if it just isn’t working out, you have every right to switch, and you should.
The obsessive tweaker: Alys Key spoke about her inability to let her work be. Every time she completed a section she would find something wrong with a previous one. Then some changes would contradict past things she’d written, backing her into a corner and ultimately ending up with a product with which she was dissatisfied. Her advice is to recognize that it will never be perfect, which is why it’s best to set deadlines and do your best to meet them, but once they pass, it’s time to move forward. It’s also a good idea to give yourself a few days of breathing room before you submit it where you just don’t touch it.
If you think you stand to benefit from a bit of guidance, so as to avoid this altogether, feel free to reach out to Big Apple Tutoring for top quality academic tutoring services. We can be reached at 212-479-0830, or through our online contact page.
