Letter Forty: Can a Thesis be Too Personal?

But one only has to ask the experience of two opposing sports teams on a championship game about what 3-7 score means to know that numbers, facts, carry stories and meanings.

And that who the person reporting on the score is matters because there are many stories to be told about 3-7. I mean I can think of at least four off the top of my head - a story of a underdog, a story of a reigning champion, a story of both teams not making the most of the game, a story of a coach’s final season. Same 3-7 score.

To finally get directly to your thesis question: a thesis is already personal. It’s always personal. Whether people acknowledge it or not.

Letter Thirty-Four: Dear Does Everyone Hate Their Work By the End

I do believe everyone goes through a stage - or many stages - of feeling disenchanted, confused, disappointed, and disliking of the thousands of words they have to output for a dissertation.

Hatred could be and definitely has been a part of it for people (it’s such a recognizable experience that there’s a meme I’ve seen on academic accounts that reads something like “I know a paper is ready to submit once I hate it”).

As could feeling disconnected or apathetic. So I don’t want to say that all the emotional experiences of this stage look and feel the same to people, but it appears as though it is a part of everyone’s journey.

Letter Thirty-Three: Dear Developing Writing Samples

Most importantly, the writing samples are demonstrations of your words, your understandings, your conceptualizations and that (usually, though I can’t speak for all) matters much more than where the writing lives (journal, magazine, blog, etc). If one type of writing, or one setting was most important to them, they would have specified that you need to submit an essay or a manuscript or a policy brief for the application, but because they didn’t, it’s most likely indicating that the content matters most above all.

Letter Twenty-Nine: Dear Baby PhD Student

And the better relationship that stressed out, tired, brain-fried you can have with past you with all the excitement and good ideas and time on their hands who was certain you’d know exactly what they meant with this small piece of info, the better the end of the PhD experience will be.

Letter Twenty-Six: Dear Networking Nerves

Remember networking takes practice! It’s rarely something people intuitively know how to do or feel confident in doing. It’s something you try and get a feel for and can get experimental with. Keep a playful mindset with it, and do check in with yourself at the end of the evening to notice what felt good and what felt not so good. That’s information to help you at the next conference, or even the next day of the conference.

Letter Twenty-Five: Dear Color Me Confused,

When I first felt overwhelmed by the idea of research myself, I went to words. Specifically, to find a definition. Because sometimes you have to break things down into the smallest units you can and make sense in the rebuilding.

Research, in verb form, is to investigate systematically. Systematically is defined as according to a fixed plan or system; methodically. Methodically means in an orderly or systematic manner.

What reassured me at the time was all the objective appearing language of a system and order and fixed plans. Surely then research would be a process that had steps or a pathway or a rubric even. But then I arrived to a place very similar to which you appear to be writing from.

Letter Nineteen: Dear Creating an Academic Brand

The larger picture of this all is yes, I think it is important and meaningful to have yourself represented in some way online. Whether you consider that an academic brand or a personal brand or a professional social media account!

Letter Seventeen: Dear Psyched Out

As much as the studying has to happen, so does the circumstances for you to do well. This means sleeping enough, eating enough (and eating things that make you feel energized and sustained), moving your body, and feeling connected. Don’t neglect these things as they will support your brain health and learning abilities! (even if it feels counterintuitive to spend time away from the textbook).

Letter Five: Dear Uncertain Co-author

Part of why being a first generation student is so hard, I think, is having to create a support system and network of people that understand the environment of academia. It can be lonely and confusing to figure out the underbelly of academia which people don’t speak aloud or do quietly.