{shortcode-fab8f77264a9837e450dadc84bf3371c981823c7} As an aging senior who survived the senior thesis slump, I could think of no better parting gift to the lovely readers of this blog than sharing everything that I wish I knew before thesising.

It isn’t a normal essay.

I’ll be honest, for most of my papers I just buy a giant bag of Jolly Ranchers to give me the sugar rush I need to stay locked in. I hate to break it to you, but that won’t work for your thesis.

I fear that if I consumed as many Jolly Ranchers as I did during a day while writing an essay over the many months I spent writing my thesis, my health would be in shambles. I traded Jolly Ranchers for cinnamon caffeine gum, a sweet coffee, and Trident orange gum. If gum or coffee isn’t your thing, maybe try your go-to HUDS fruit instead.

Write first, format later.

I spent more time thinking about the structure and presentation of my thesis than I did actually writing it.

Between reading papers and collecting data, it’s quite easy to procrastinate on putting ink on the page. I know it’s daunting, but I beg you: Begin writing your thesis as early as possible. It will save you so much stress as graduation comes racing closer on your calendar and you suddenly also need to focus on mapping out your post-grad life.

You don’t even need to write your sections in order! I was determined to write my thesis from introduction to discussion to ensure its cohesion, but it was really just my procrastination talking. You can write your methods section (or at least a draft of it) before you even start data collection, and the introduction can be written as soon as your proposal is approved. (If you’re optimistic, you could even write your introduction before your proposal is approved…) No excuses.

Your future self — and your editors — will thank you for being so proactive!

Secret emergency extensions exist.

Some top secret information for you all: Some departments offer automatic emergency extensions if you’re in a true bind. I did not use mine, and I don’t recommend that you do either, but hopefully knowing this may be an option for you in the future is comforting. But do not — I repeat, do not — bank on this; your thesis isn’t the sort of project you can complete in one night.

Buy a monitor.

I spent way too much time split-screening my MacBook and it just didn’t cut it. My roommates and I got monitors specifically for thesis writing and data analysis; they are game changers.

Find a commiseration buddy. Or several commiseration buddies.

You need people who will suffer with you until your thesis deadline. People who will feel your pain as you scroll through Instagram stories of those free from the shackles of Lamont. Simply put, you need friends who will sit in the library or dhall with you in silence (and take laughing breaks).

Find some discipline.

Let’s be so real. The most important thing for any thesis writer is discipline, so try your best to learn some. Your other coursework won’t magically disappear come March, and you’ll still have midterms and other papers even as your thesis deadline approaches. Even if your professors are the nicest people in the world, there’s only so many extensions you can take.

Good luck to all the future thesis writers, and may you have enough discipline senior spring to power through to the finish line. You got this!