“This is not time to chill out.” … It’s dissertation time!

 In the 18th century, Samuel Johnson wrote, “If you’re solitary, be not idle.” 

 If these words don’t speak to you, how about what Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo said to her constituents last week: “Don’t get out of bed at 11 a.m. This is not time to chill out. This is real school. Do the work.” 

 I say, since you’re stuck at home, there’s no better time to work on your dissertation. 

 I have a student who hates to write. He can’t wait to finish his dissertation. So, after his morning workout—usually paddleboarding in the Bay—he throws himself into his dissertation. Since March 16 when we were ordered to “shelter in place” in California, Charles has slogged through 10 interview transcripts, identified 20 common themes, created tables, and written half of his results chapter. He has hired me privately, and he has also made as many appointments with me at the Writing Center as is allowable, having made these first-come-first-served appointments well in advance. 

He hasn’t enjoyed a minute of it, but he is so far ahead of many of his cohorts. 

Do you also hate to write? Do you cringe and cower when you hear the word dissertation?  

Well, you, too, can throw yourself into your dissertation right now. You will never find a better time. There are no sports—no baseball, no tennis, no swim meets, no races of any kind—be they in water, on land, or in a vehicle. There are no marathons, triathlons, or Maui Channel swims. Nope, all cancelled. And you can’t go anywhere—not to a movie, a concert, a museum, an art show, a restaurant, a bar, a café. 

I know. Dissertations are hard. As a dissertation editor, I have worked with clients and students in all stages of the process and in all states of mind. I have mostly worked with students who have run into trouble in some way or another with the dissertation-writing process. I have written a book entitled De-Stressing the Dissertation, and I have called my workshops “Surviving the Dissertation-Writing Process.” From conceptualization to mining databases and narrowing down 3,000 resources to 300; from reading all 300 of those journal articles to organizing, synthesizing, and writing; and finally, from conducting and collecting research to analyzing your own data, dissertations are a challenge.

But you will say, “I really don’t want to work on my dissertation.” And I will say, “Get over it.” 

This is dissertation season, and your training starts now. 

You will be SO glad you did.

Think about it.

When the shelter in place order has been lifted, and we’re free to go outside, it will be warm and sunny. The sun will be glistening through the trees, and the water will be placid and inviting. And you will be so proud of yourself, with a huge grin on your face, because you will have taken advantage of this time, and you will deserve your freedom.

What is the best way to approach your dissertation? Stay tuned. That’s my next week’s blog.