As another semester draws to a close and winter break looms, now is the perfect time to make a plan for independent work over break. The flexibility of break can give you the freedom to work on your own schedule, but it can also be challenging to keep making progress without the external structure of the semester. Here are a few things that I’m doing before leaving campus to help set me up for thesis writing over the break:
- Check in with your adviser: Meet with your adviser to take stock of where your project is now and to set goals for what you hope to accomplish over the break. Your adviser can help you identify areas where you need to deepen your research, set realistic goals to do that, and provide encouragement about your progress so far. Having this conversation now will also give you some external accountability to stay on track with your independent work over the break.
- Set deadlines for yourself: Create some concrete checkpoints for yourself and do your best to stick to them. In my department, we’re encouraged to write ourselves mini thesis syllabi, where we map out specific weekly readings and write out some personal writing goals and deadlines. This helps give some structure to independent work, and–especially over break–can help you continue making progress without external reminders. Giving yourself some deadlines can also help keep independent work balanced, so you’re making incremental progress all year rather than working in large, overwhelming bursts ahead of a deadline.
- Check out library books: If you’re leaving campus for break, make sure that you will have access to the materials that you need to work on your project from home. While the library provides access to many online materials, some books are easier to access in print. If you need a physical library book to keep up with your work off-campus, make sure you check it out before leaving.
- Apply for funding: If your independent work requires you to travel or purchase materials over winter break, apply for funding to ensure that you’ll have what you need to work on your project in January. Departmental funding deadlines vary, but the Office of Undergraduate Research’s winter senior thesis funding application closed on December 2. (You can find lots of helpful articles about applying for funding on the PCUR blog).
- Schedule consultations: The library has so many subject specialists and research consultants who can help you identify resources and conceptualize your research project. If you need an in-person consultation or want to schedule something before a major holiday, plan ahead so that you can consult with them in a time and manner that works for you both.
- Make time for breaks: While winter break provides a good opportunity to make some progress on independent work, it’s also important to make sure that you’re actually taking a break. As you set goals for winter break, make sure you build in some time for rest and spending time with loved ones. In my experience, independent work is a lot easier when you’re not exhausted.
Writing a JP or thesis is a lot of work, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the lack of structure and accountability. Taking time to set yourself up now can help ensure a good balance of work and relaxation over break.
—Alison Fortenberry, Social Sciences Correspondent
