Writing a dissertation or a final project can be very daunting for various reasons: including the weighting it holds on our final grade, perhaps never having written such a big piece of work before, and not knowing how to even start it. Feeling scared about it is a very valid and natural feeling, but remember, everyone is in the same boat because it is likely that no one has ever written a similar project before.

There are ways to manage the stress that comes with writing a big piece of work. One of my biggest tips is trying out different methods and seeing what suits you best, because everyone works very differently. Figure out what time you work best, whether it’s in the morning right after waking up, midday after you get some errands out the way, or at night if you work better in the quiet. Even figuring out the environment is so important, do you work better at home, or at the library or coffee shop? Figuring out these small details can really help in the long term.

My next step is to just start even if it feels very scary, because whether you start late or early, it needs to be done regardless. You might as well start sooner when you have more time to figure it out. From the point you receive the brief for your project, you should get in contact with your supervisor regarding your research area and independently creating a plan, such as creating personal deadlines, splitting time between research, writing, and when would the best time to check in with your supervisor. This plan can be refined as you go, but having a plan from the start will allow you to visualise your journey and hold yourself accountable.

If you are stressed about not knowing how to research, critically analyse, or write, a good way to manage this is by talking to your peers, supervisor and most importantly utilising the university library resources. They offer in-person workshops which are super interactive, or you can do online courses which are informative as well. This will set you up for success as you will save time on figuring out how to do it on your own.

My next tip would be to tackle the project in little chunks rather than seeing at a one big piece of work. As dissertations/final projects tend to be very lengthy, it can be daunting to see it as one big piece of work. Rather, splitting it up into sections makes it feel more manageable. In your plan you could include at the end of each week how many words you want to write, giving enough time to proofread and tweak where required. One way I found useful to hit my word count goal is to use the ‘Pomodoro Method’ where you have a focus block for 25/50 minutes (depending on your preference) and then have a 5/10-minute break. After having done a few work blocks like this, you would be surprised at how much you can get done.

My final tip for managing stress is to remember to take well deserved rests, seeing your friends and family where you can and reminding yourself how close you are to the end, so enjoy the process as well!

Written by Farzana, a BSc Business Accounting student

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