So you want to write a thesis [Part I]

On Wednesday I had the greatest epiphany of my academic career-- I finally knew the residual message (or thesis statement) of my honors thesis paper that I have been working on since September.

Okay, that's a lie, I am supposed to have been working on my honors thesis since September-- OOPS!   Well now that I finally have some clarity I feel I can give a few tips on writing an undergraduate thesis so here it goes.  Let's first start with 1 of 3 scenarios you can be in.

1. If you don't want to write a thesis and you don't have to write a thesis to graduate-- DON'T
No, but seriously if you don't want to and don't have to there will be not motivation and it won't happen.  Or worse, your product will be sub par.

2. If you have to write a thesis, but don't want to-- TIME MANAGE
In my thesis program we didn't even meet once a week, and when we did meet nothing had to be turned in it was all very abstract.  Make yourself turning something in every week, ask if you can meet with your faculty advisor every week at the same time.  If you don't have something to keep you accountable you will be spending many all-nighters before your proposal is do.  30 sources in less than 30 hours, you're gonna have a bad time.

3. If you want to write a thesis (regardless of whether you have to or just want to)-- KEEP MOTIVATED
You would think this is the easiest scenario to be in--WRONG, so so wrong.  You will lose motivation, you will ask yourself why you're doing this, and you will threaten to end it.  You will also be extremely hard on yourself because you want it to be perfect, but you'll still procrastinate.  You will need to time manage just as carefully as those people who don't want to write a thesis, but have to.   You can do it! You want this, remember?  

I'll continue with specific tips later this week. Have a good night everyone! =)