Dissertation Writing

Hit home for me today. Thank you for sharing your wise-mind and helping me find mine with my undone to-do list.

Dear Iabuza,
First, consider that past is past, future is unknown (not yet come), and you have only a present day. Just focus on that day.
Second, sometimes you don’t wish to write. That is perfectly fine. Don’t force yourself. Sometimes you feel that you keep writing, writing, and writing. It is normal
Third, remember you are human being and do not stretch yourself. I don’t mean that you take your writing assignm4ents lighly. Just write 25-30 minutes a day (no phone, no lab work, no social media etc.) Just focus on writing. Don’t stuck with grammar and mistyping. You will fix them later.
Fourth, what happens if you did not complete your thesis in a projected time frame? Nothing will happen. You will be little late. That is all. No one will look down at you. It is science and it has its own path.
Fifth, remember that you are writing scientific work not a "literacy’ work. Use simple, short, and manageable phrases.
Sixth, I wish you all the best.
Baki

Very touching. You are creating a very interesting blog with information that is essential for many graduate students finishing their thesis.
Best wishes
Jaadeja

Thank you for sharing publicly and honestly. Many issues in graduate school have been a big challenge for me. And, it’s not what I expected. Doing the actual science is not the hardest part. Much of my struggle comes from very simple things that “should” be easy turning out to be very challenging.

Thank you everyone for the amazing support! I’m glad I’m not alone in this. To everyone else who is struggling, keep fighting. You’ll get through it. Luckily I’m feeling better this week.

Good for you. Glad to hear this positive attitude.
Jaadeja

@labuza I literally went through the same exact thing this summer. I applaud you for sharing your story as I have many colleagues who go through this too. I find it ironic that in our field we aren’t more open about it.

I had to also start SSRIs in August and seeking counseling. It has been helping a lot thankfully, and I am slowly returning to my normal, happy old self!

Remember we WILL graduate and we ARE working hard. It’s easy to forget sometimes. And it is OK to sometimes take your foot off the gas pedal. Our health is the most important, and we have to make time to take care of it. <3

@pizbicki Starting SSRIs is the worst part. But I’m happy you are getting the help you need. But yes, we should be more open about it, especially in our field. If we can’t be accepting of it, who else can?