For the last few years, I have tried in every way possible to procrastinate beginning my thesis. I could always come up with some excuse about having too many midterms or working too many hours, when in reality I was just too overwhelmed to even begin thinking about it. Finally, I realized that if I ever wanted to graduate, I was going to actually have to do some work.
I attended one of the Honors College mixers offered my sophomore year, which lets faculty members in each college talk about their research and gives students a chance to network with them. If you’re in a major that doesn’t really highlight research, like I am, or if you just haven’t found a professor you want to work with, attending an HC mixer is a great starting place. That’s how I met my mentor, Don Neubaum. We both had backgrounds in family businesses and were interested in ethics and consumer perceptions, so we were able to create a research question and begin working right away.
I spent the better part of my free time reading business and psychology articles, analyzing secondary data, and writing (and rewriting and rewriting and rewriting) sections of my thesis. I put so much effort into it that I began to grow tired of my research, so I took a couple days off from writing. Next thing I knew, weeks had gone by and I hadn’t even thought about my thesis. I decided it was time to find new motivation, so I enrolled in Thesis: Undertake which really helped me jumpstart the writing process again. One of the best parts of the thesis class is that you get to talk over your project and/or issues you might be having with it with other Honors students that are facing the same things. It’s like a support group of people that you can work with or even just complain to, and I can’t stress how important that is at times. It also gives you specific assignments to help you through the thesis process, so if you’re the type of student who needs deadlines, I’d recommend taking this class. Plus, you get HC credit for it, so it’s a win-win! I also recommend meeting with your mentor and Honors College advisor often. They help you stay on track and are vital resources for you. I talk to my mentor at least weekly just to make sure I’m still heading in the right direction. One last piece of advice: stay flexible. I learned the hard way that research rarely goes according to plan. You’ll encounter different roadblocks you didn’t see coming, so staying open to change is key.
While the thesis process seemed overwhelming at first, enrolling in the thesis classes offered through the Honors College was extremely helpful in breaking the thesis down into manageable steps. Research is a big undertaking, but having the support of the Honors advisors and other Honors students really helped me stay motivated and on track. I definitely recommend starting research early on in your college career and seeking help from others when needed. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had this year through the HC, and I’m excited to see where my research takes me next year!
CATEGORIES: Inside Scoop