How to Thesis (Do's)

From this point on, our batch is the batch Ms. Z likes to call seniors graduating on March, which means, expectations are real high this fourth quarter. All of our teachers are expecting the best from all of us, even the underrated ones (we know who we are). I don't blame them since they all think that since we are all seniors, we need to step up the game and win battles and... Graduate (the most difficult, yet awaited of all achievements we could do this year). And one of the most challenging requirements for our last year in Saint James Academy is the ever-so-bloody-as-hell thesis.

I put an emphasis on the thesis because it's definitely real as sht. It is blood-thirsty. It is vicious. And it will try to eat you alive. Next to the debate, this is the real deal when stepping up fourth year. The most awaited yet most challenging requirement of all. It will have you crawling to your computer in the middle of the night saying, "I can't do this anymore!" but your conscience tells you, "But you have to graduate!" and everything will go pitch black... All the gory details out... And once you wake up, it's all over and you haven't started even the Introduction of your Chapter One yet. That's how life-sucking the thesis is. And curse me if I say this but for me? It's not so bad as you think.

Yeah, yeah... I know. Well, it's as bad as other people opt it to be but for people who absolutely love the idea of writing facts and figures and figuring out stuff in the most complicated way, this is the task for you. (I doubt there's a person that loves any of those things combined) But the thing is, it doesn't have to be blood thirsty and vicious as I opt it out to be. Like all our teachers out there say, it's MIND OVER MATTER.

Sure, thesis is complicated. Yeah, you've got a lot of tallying to do. Yes, there are deadlines to meet. But hey! What's life without a little challenge? Why not say to this thesis: "BRING IT TO ME!"? But of course, it's not that easy.

So when doing the thesis, here are a few tips I'd like to share....

THE ULTIMATE SJA SURVIVAL GUIDE ON HOW TO THESIS:

1. ALWAYS HAVE A FLASH DRIVE WITH YOU

Always have an extra flash drive with you when going to school or wherever you are. You're always going to need it especially when Ms. Zosimo (or Mrs. Sia) gives out a new template for you to work on. Sure, there would be someone in the room that would copy it in their USB and post it in your Facebook group but you can't be too sure about it. Always come prepared with your own things. A tiny little flash drive won't cover up that large space in your bag, you know. You can even just chain it on your ID for all I care! So long as you have your own flash drive.

2. BUY/KEEP TONS OF 8.5 X 11 IN PAPERS IN STOCK

You are going to need a serious amount of paper supply in your house when you have your own printer. It's cheaper especially because there are these Best Buy bundles you can buy at the National Book Store. We have our own printer at home (a cheap but reliable one) and I had to supply my own paper since my requirements are my responsibility (it's one of our house rules). This is a necessity when a.) you have your own printer, b.) you have house rules that you have to supply your own stuff when doing projects, c.) you have lots of corrections in your Chapter 1 and d.) if you have loads of other projects in need of printing on a short bond paper (preferably, 8.5x11in because that's the format)

SHORT WARNING: NEVER RELY ON OTHER PEOPLE'S PRINTERS IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN!

3. ACTUALLY LISTEN & COPY NOTES DURING RESEARCH PAPER-RELATED DISCUSSIONS

Play it safe and copy notes from others if you want but nothing beats your own notes from the actual discussion. And of course, it also shows that you are actually paying attention to the discussion being given. Always remember that even though your classmate's notes are complete, there is still this 10% chance that you won't understand what he/she just wrote down because they have a whole different style in copying notes than you. So just to be sure and to be completely well-organized in your thesis, copy your own notes.

4. KEEP IMPORTANT HANDOUTS

It may seem unimportant and usual at the time it was given but believe me, it's more important than you think. Hell, it's even more important than your life (I've come to realize). When Ms. Zosimo or even any other teacher gives out important handouts such as this, KEEP IT. PRESERVE IT. GUARD IT WITH YOUR WHOLE DAMN LIFE. It will help you in making your thesis and it will help you make your life less of a burden. Trust me. I know keeping handouts like these aren't a forte from students nowadays but just keep in mind that the thesis counts whole of your grade in the fourth quarter and it will practically be your whole life. Keeping a handout like this will only cost you one shot of stapler (two if you failed to staple it the first time) but it will save your life the whole process of thesis writing.

5. SUBMIT YOUR PAPERS ON TIME (SERIOUSLY!)

I can't tell you to not procrastinate because I've been there, done that as well. But I can do tell you to submit on time. Or maybe even before the deadline! Because we can never be too sure if what you've done on the first try is the perfect one you're going to use on your final manuscript. There will always be minor setbacks in writing the thesis even if you are good in writing. But if you are really good and well-organized with these kind of things, you can practically get the first try approved without a doubt! Just make sure that everything else after Chapter One follows...

6. BE LIBRARY-WISE!

Before opting for a topic you'd like to undergo to, know what's inside of your library. Survey a few books and see what books are abundant and that would help you fulfill your thesis properly. If you're trying to prove something about global warming, maybe you should think otherwise because the library does not consist of numerous books about current climate change effects. If you would like to venture greater pastures in the thesis business, you better think of a good thesis to work with wherein the library can be very VERY useful.

This is also to point out that you have to manage your time in your library period during English because that's the only time wherein only few people come in the library (mostly, teachers) and no other students except your classmates are battling against good references to choose from. (I even did a very clever technique to get the references as early as possible: After I got my research topic approved, I headed straight to the library during our free period before everyone else and got three books about my research topic, borrowed those three books and photocopied it at home. Cool, right?) In this way, you'll have lesser things to deal with when finding a bunch of more references in the later future when your research paper adviser starts to ask you to get references from the library since you already know what to get or you've already gotten it earlier than anyone else.

7. THINK AHEAD OF EVERY BODY ELSE

The best way to getting ahead is getting started. When you want to go ahead from everyone else, you better pick up some slack and take away all that laziness in you and just do it. There's no harm in getting ahead. It just means you want to achieve what you want earlier than everyone else, which is a good thing. You can never be too safe in going with the flow of the crowd. Because the crowd sometimes can mislead you to some place else rather than the goal you've been wanting to achieve when you got started.

8. FIND WAYS IN AMUSING YOURSELF WHILE DOING SOMETHING SERIOUS

Amusing yourself is a simple way of taking off the stress of thesis for a while without having to go away from what you are actually doing. The simplest thing I've done while doing my thesis was playing some inspirational music as a background while typing on Microsoft Word. And although I've only tried this just now, mixing yourself a mug of hot chocolate can also soothe yourself from all those stress that thesis have caused you all day. And believe it or not, chocolate is helpful in raising up productivity. Coffee can also help especially when you've reached all night in doing the thesis.

9. BE PATIENT & AUDIENCE-WISE (This is for when you're already in the process of giving out questionnaires)

Now, this is the real struggle in doing a thesis... The relying on somebody else from another section or even another grade part of the thesis. Some people with trust issues, such as me, would have just chosen Grade 10 as their chosen audience especially because you know much more about your batch mates than those in the other year levels. But for those who would love to venture out the possibilities and test their trusting skills, they would pick for amusement and let the lower years answer their questionnaires. But the problem is, are they really going to finish it on time for you? If the thesis ain't that important to them yet, how can you be so sure they'd take your questionnaires seriously? Just consider these questions... But I'm not stopping you from exploring the possible audiences. But just to point out, I've gotten all my questionnaires from Grade 10 done in one day. Therefore, this is just all about teamwork and connections from other sections. Good luck with that! It just so happens that my friends from before have scattered to all the sections, therefore, I've got lots of people to rely my questionnaires to. Fhew!

10. SLEEP IS STILL IMPORTANT (Believe it or not)

No matter how amazingly worked up you are, sleep is still essential. Don't let research paper get the best of you. Remember: There are still other subjects that need your undivided attention just before you graduate and we can't risk not graduating just because you slept through the whole day worked up from thesis.

Always remember that research paper also teaches us time management. You just have to priorities what you have to do first and let everything else follow. Never let a day pass when you are not ready for whatever that day has to offer, whether it's the title defense, oral defense or the passing of the final manuscript.

---GOOD LUCK! :)---

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