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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Thesis Proposal?!?!? WHAT thesis proposal?

After completing my first year of grad school and all my course work in April, my main tasks for the summer are to 1) complete a directed reading and major paper with my thesis supervisor, 2) write, submit, review and defend my thesis proposal and 3) submit my ethics application for my research project.

1) I am about half-way through the directed reading with my supervisor, simply because there are scheduled weekly meetings and weekly tasks. I have not begun writing the paper that goes along with the course.

2) In terms of my thesis proposal, the most I have done is gone through that paper from
you know where and deleted the parts that are not relevant to my actual research (which was about 3/4 of the paper). So, I'm left with a few pages of mish-mash that might be relevant to my research with a certain amount of tweaking. I have a ginormous binder of articles, notes, and rough drafts that I have collect over the past three years to be assimilated into one tidy proposal.

3) Moving on to the ethics application, I have downloaded the template from the university website. The end.

There are just too many other way more exciting, way less work-like things to do around here. There are just too many friends to be hung out with, kids to be played with, babies to be held, breads to be baked, foods to be made, clothes to be washed, dishes to be done, movies to be watched, TV shows to be caught up on, gardens to be weeded, walks to be walked, beaches to be laid on, boats to be cruised on, blogs to be read ... and you get the picture.

I usually don't struggle with time management and independent motivation. I can usually set goals for myself and get them done. Over the past month, not so much. I generally work better at home but I think that I might need to make myself pack up my junk books, laptop and notes and head to my office on campus for a few years days.

Maybe I should rethink my educational and career goals and just stick to being a full-time stay-at-home blogger ...

I need serious help.

10 comments:

Shaina said...

I WISH I could be a stay-at-home blogger! I think that's my new aspiration...

Ashley @ The Happy Little Home said...

Okay so that was just stressful to read. Sometimes I kind of miss school. After reading this...I realize I don't :) Hang in there!

Logi said...

I'm thinking of you! I always found getting out of the house helped a lot, that way all those distractions aren't so tempting.

SnoWhite said...

You are not alone, my friend. I struggle with the same things... I personally love your alternative -- a stay at home blogger ;-)

You can do it -- with the writing, I like to start by drawing a picture... or lots of them, mini-models, if you will, of what I am thinking and then rearrange the pieces until I feel like I can start writing. I guess that makes the processes feel less intimidating to me.

Praying for you!

Denise K. said...

Hello Lucy Marie!

Oh, I have missed you so the past 10 days we were gone...it's good to be back, and catch up on your life!

It sounds like you are just so busy these days, and have a full plate and then some!!! You are so wise to seek to balance it all, because the things that really matter the most are the ones you listed...babies to hold, friends to see, etc...those are the life moments that we take with us to the end and that bring meaning to our lives.

I also know that making a living is important, and your advanced degree will be such a great means to bring all your dreams to reality!

I will pray for joy in the journey my friend as you balance your summer with work and fun! You are such a hard worker I know you will accomplish ALL your goals!

Sending lots of love from Colorado to Canada,
Denise :-)

Courtney said...

I'm with you on the stay at home blogger thing! Keep your head up girl!

Cristina said...

Too bad blogging doesn't pay, otherwise I would totally do it to. You should write a cookbook :)

Holly said...

The stay-at-home blogger works for me ;)
Good luck...I don't miss that school stuff. Of course, I didn't get nearly as far as you!

Taryn said...

Oh Good gosh- I understand you one 100%. Good luck my dear.

I am rethinking my career goals right now too- I might just be a stay-at-home blogger too. =) I wish.

Brittany Ann said...

Thesis proposals are the worst because at most universities, the deadlines and necessities are so vague. I think it was one of the worst parts of grad school for me, but ended up being surprisingly easy after all the stress of it. Hang in there!