Senior thesis; crunch time!

[SaladNinja]

So my senior thesis is due on the 26th. It's a year-long undergraduate thesis program, and the deadline is coming up SO quickly. I've been really sick since the end of January and haven't been able to do nearly as much work as I should have been doing. I also missed a lot of class. So, I'm super nervous that I won't get my thesis in on time, or that I'll fail a class because I was absent so often. This is my last semester, and I'm supposed to be graduating in May. I don't want to medically withdraw, I don't want to fail, but I don't know if I'll finish. I have a meeting with the dean tomorrow morning to discuss options, but I have no idea what will happen. Any ideas?

[judygram]

Talk to your dean tomorrow and see what he/she suggests you do, I am sure he/she has seen this before with other students and will know what your best course of action will be, good luck to you and let us know what you two decide.

[katana600]

They teach us in motorcycle safety the sure way to crash is to approach with fear. They say don't look at the ditch, look for a line to follow on the way out. Freezing and doing nothing is the worst thing in a crisis. Take a deep breath, look at the one thing you can do at this moment that will bring you closer to your goal. Gather every resource and look at where you are going five years out. This is a blip on the radar, you can do this. You can finish your thesis by the 26th. Focus. If your illness derailed you, put your mind on healing and get well and take another look. If it is humanly possible to finish by this deadline, you will do it. If this is not your path, don't let the fear of failure guide your way, there will be another deadline and you will find a way. My best to you, you can do this. You didn't get to the deadline of doctoral thesis without already showing that you are a success story. You have what it takes. A little creativity will brighten the darkest moment and you are almost there!

Edited March 6, 2012 by katana600
forgot something

[SaladNinja]

Thanks to both of you The encouragement really helped! My meeting ended up going better than I expected. I am petitioning the institution for an exemption to two academic policies: getting an extension on the thesis deadline and dropping one of my difficult classes in favor of something like yoga to help with healing but still get me credit. I've done all of the paperwork, so now it's pretty much up to my adviser and the administration to decide. *sigh* So that's pretty awesome, now that a majority of the pressure and stress is totally out of my control. I feel like without worrying about the logistics, I can really concentrate on the work. It also helps that it was a little warmer and sunny today which made me feel a lot less fatalistic. And Noodle learned a new noise which always makes me happy

 

By the way, if anyone is interested, my thesis is on the development of democracy in relation to traditional culture in the South Pacific. I'd be eternally grateful for any "layman's" feedback I can get!

 

<3 + thanks again,

Christine

[katana600]

I am so glad to hear you are getting some cooperation from the university and hope it all goes together smoothly to finish your work. I would love to read your thesis, I sent a private message with my email address. I have to admit, it sounds like your major is in social sciences and that was my weakness and downfall. My only B was in history. You just never know, I might even learn something.

[SaladNinja]

Once I get all the chapters combined into one file, I'll send it your way!