While I have shared my number one secret for dissertation writing success already, finding an antidote to that vexing feeling of senioritis—of the graduate school variety—is another story altogether.
The term "senioritis" describes the lack of motivation experienced by students as they near the end of their studies or courses.
While I have shared my number one secret for dissertation writing success already, finding an antidote to that vexing feeling of senioritis—of the graduate school variety—is another story altogether. I admit that I have struggled with the terrible habit of procrastination throughout my graduate (and undergraduate) career, but the feeling of being so close to the end takes that procrastination to a whole different level. It is so easy to find things to distract yourself and to start thinking about life after. A few years ago, I would not even let myself imagine being at the advanced stage in which I currently find myself today. But as the imminence of my defense has become increasingly palpable, I realized that knowing this was causing me to drag my feet even more. Contemplating life after graduate school can be quite distracting—and counterproductive. What I finally discovered was that I needed a different outlet through which to channel the anxiety and restlessness generated by my serious case of senioritis. Directing my energy in a creative way has motivated me to return to my graduate writing with more commitment and drive than I had experienced in several months.
As you may have already guessed, my antidote to graduate school senioritis is finding a creative outlet for yourself outside of the academic realm. What do you like to do other than study? When we’re in graduate school, many of us tend to forget the fun things we used to love to do in our free time. I say creative outlet because we all have a creative side to us, although for many people, it is so buried underneath all of their obligations and worries that they feel like they wouldn’t even remember it if they tried. That simply is not true! Things that you were good at and had a passion for in the past will easily come back to you if you just allow yourself the time and freedom to explore them again. Whether your creative outlet is writing poetry, playing guitar, painting, designing clothes, or creating street art, all you need to do is make it a priority in your life. Just like you make time to grade those papers or to get dinner with a friend, you can make time for your creative outlet.
For me, this creative outlet turned out to be blogging. While I may write about graduate school-related topics in some of my blog posts, I also write about other things that I’m passionate about in life, like reading, Latin American culture and film, and travelling. This type of informal, relaxed writing is so much more enjoyable to me than the analytical papers and dissertation chapters that I write for graduate school. It brings me back to my high school days when I wrote poetry, short stories and journal entries effortlessly. Rediscovering my passion for non-scholarly writing has proven quite transformative for me. Giving myself an hour every day or two to sit down and blog about something that excites me has given me a sense of freedom and joy that I didn’t realize was missing in my life. The inspiration I get out of that one hour lasts me for days, and motivates me to be more productive and confident in my graduate work. My only regret is that I rediscovered my creative outlet so late in my graduate career. If you have the chance, don’t wait until you have to resuscitate your creative side—keep it alive from the start!
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