EMBARKING ON A new chapter in the life of a college student, writing a thesis is one of the remarkable experiences during the graduating year—from the process of crafting the paper to the part of defending the study. 

Learning from the experiences of others is one of the best sources of knowledge, particularly on how one overcomes the crossroads and gaps along the process. Recognizing the efforts made and pieces of advice shared by our seniors, we will go on board as we further gather data from the stories of our graduating students. 

“Always do each chapter right after it was discussed by your research professor” – Laurell Don De Vera 

Being hands-on and doing things on time, Laurell ensures that she starts working once the details for the assignment are provided to make sure that everything is ready beforehand.  

Applying her study habits to thesis making, Laurell shared tips for fellow graduating students on their research journey. “Always do each chapter right after it was discussed by your research professor. If you’re advised by your professor to start gathering data, do it immediately to avoid cramming and feeling stressed,” said Laurell. 

While being aware of how to write a thesis and its preparation, Laurell shared that the lack of inspiration is already different once the actual moment of writing a solo thesis is on. To deal with such feeling, she shared solutions like going to a coffee shop, taking a short walk, and playing with cats. 

“Do not expect that you will be good at everything as it takes time to master skills so be patient with yourself.” – Andrea Gaelle Cantor 

Applying patience and embracing the process of growth in learning, Andrea manages her time and takes track of her priorities with academics. Having discipline in terms of schedule, reminders of deadlines, and time management is the formula she applies in handling tasks.  

Talking about her experiences with thesis making, some of the challenges she experienced were sleepless nights, canceled plans, and the time consumed by commuting. Despite this, she recognizes the role of having a support system that would provide feedback and constructive criticism of her work. 

Andrea empowers fellow students and emphasizes the things to consider when conducting a study: “Read lots of articles, be patient, and choose a topic that you are really interested in.” 

Moreover, she added that researchers should “propose as many topics as possible, since there are important things to consider in choosing a topic such as materials and measures needed to conduct the study. Don’t be scared to ask questions to your thesis adviser, they are there to guide you and accept criticisms positively.”  

“When you’re passionate about something, you’ll eventually know your paper. You’ll eventually visualize what you want at the end.” – Krystle Tacpalan 

Indeed, doing what you love increases your passion and motivation to work hard. Mentioning the role of our interest in the topic, Krystle considers what she is passionate about. As there would often be times where the will of writing cannot be felt, nonetheless there would always be a reason to pursue it—rooted in the purpose and why the topic is selected. 

Moreover, as a graduating student, she mentioned the constraints caused by class schedules in having time to work on her thesis. To overcome this challenge, Krystle utilizes Google Calendar with her daily schedule and agenda. Given the workload she experienced, she mentioned that moderation is also necessary to avoid being overwhelmed and sacrificing health.  

While making thesis requires a lot of time and effort, Krystle promotes a work and life balance to fulfill both, while reminding her fellow peers to do so.  

“Do not be afraid to enjoy life while studying kasi at the end of the day, life isn’t about studying but also exploring things outside of those four corners. Second, habang nagsasaya ka huwag mo kalimutan mag-aral. Study and enjoy life in moderation, trust me, you can achieve both,” she shared.   

“You need to have the grit, bottomless dedication, and endurance to be successful in writing the paper.” – Alexis Reserva 

To succeed in research, one must be well-prepared in diving into a sea of topics, developing an argument, and coming up with an analysis. Alexis applies all of the above to manage her thesis.  

Anticipating from the beginning that writing and defending a thesis is not a walk in the park, Alexis sees the silver lining from all the challenges encountered and how it can help one’s growth. Sharing advice with her fellow students, she reminds us that there is beauty in the overall process.  

“You may find term [research] papers as a heavy and sleep-depriving kind of requirement, which is true to some extent; there is beauty and advantage in it. I believe that this is a way to grow in writing and researching.”  

“It is important to devote your time in writing your thesis, but do not forget the important aspect: such as yourself – you are a human, not a robot.” – Jestony Lumabi 

Approaching his thesis one step at a time, Jestony ensures a balance between work and rest. He applies this to his study habits by catching some breath and not rushing things. 

He also believes that research is transformative, as the topics expand given the rising problems that need to be researched. In his thesis, Jestony practices discipline by being strictly devoted to his schedule, especially in meeting the time for deadlines. 

While it may be difficult, Jestony continues to embrace the process of writing his thesis. “Enjoy doing it. It may be hard and totally will take a toll in your life because you are a graduating student, but at least enjoy writing your thesis. Because at the end of the day, it will become worth it.”  

Jestony’s key considerations for thesis-writing include being productive, avoiding procrastination, and having strict criteria. Furthermore, it is best to remember that quality always wins over quantity. 

On the journey of thesis-writing, the things that can be acquired are not limited to academic growth. Particularly, there are also learnings from the experiences and challenges as one crafts a research paper. Just like in the stories of Laurell, Andrea, Krystle, Alexis, and Jestony, no matter what year level we belong to, there are things that we can attain to improve and learn. Above all, thesis-writing is remarkable in one’s college life as the final pages turn. After all the effort from writing and presenting to a panel, fulfilling one is a milestone. 

(with Marc Joseph Felix)