Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dissertations and giving a fuck

I enjoyed this article from Post-Academic in NYC called How to Finish Your Dissertation When You Really Hate That Shit.

She explains that if you can't motivate yourself for good reasons like wanting to actually finish, get a job, or to please your committee, then motivate yourself for a bad reason: spite.
"I would defend my dissertation to spite everyone who had ever told me to enroll in a graduate program because I was “smart” and smart people should just drop out of society and go to school forever, apparently. 
I would finish my dissertation to spite every professor I ever had, even the few who were not smug assholes...

...Most of all, I would earn the PhD to spite every single one of my dissertation committee members who held so much power over me and could dictate with impunity when I was ready to be released from their clutches. " 
It's only funny because my dissertation is finally behind me.

Hate your dissertation?  I know that feel, bro.

My dissertation loomed for a long time, probably for bad reasons like fear and guilt and self-doubt and oh-my-god-what-is-wrong-with-me? and seriously-why-aren't-I-done-yet? I was a mess. I would snap at friends and coworkers whenever they asked how my writing was going and god-forbid they actually teased me about it, as I'd probably end up crying.

Ultimately, my motivation to get through it was something along the lines of: FUCK THIS SHIT.

Also, an email from our research group's financial manager was particularly inspirational.  It said (and I'm paraphrasing): "Congratulations, you are no longer being funded as of April 1st."


I know that feel from http://paperbeatsscissors.tumblr.com/

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