The room was silent, except for the light, bored tapping of pencils and the heavy sighs as my teacher explained our class's assignment. She was assigning our senior thesis, something every one of us had been dreading since the ninth grade. I was not really paying any attention to what she was saying until the words "it must be fifteen or more pages" came out of her mouth. I knew that it had to be that long from previous seniors complaining about it, but when it hit me that I had to write that much, I was shocked. I thought to myself "fifteen pages?!! What is she thinking? I can't write fifteen pages!" Even the thought of having to write fifteen or more pages scared me to death and I knew there was possible way I could do this. During the first few days of trying to think of something to write about my head was spinning and I was already stressing out about this monster of a paper. A thesis paper is not just your regular research paper, it is basically a defensive paper, so of course along with writing the defense we had to verbally defend our paper and opinions on the book in front of a panel of four people. This just packed on the stress even more.
Dr. Klucking, my literature teacher, warned us in the eleventh grade that the thesis would come faster than we imagined, but as usual I did not even take that into consideration and did not worry about it all summer. Then, like a train wreck, the work load hit our class. She began assigning the thesis statement, the first page, and so on. The first step I had to make was to choose what book I wanted to do my thesis on. I chose Gulliver's Travels as my thesis book and decided my thesis would be on the satire of the government in England that Jonathan Swift portrayed in his book. Before I knew it the first page was due, then the first five, and the first ten, then all of a sudden the first draft of the entire paper was due in just a few days. Throughout the entire time of writing this defense I had stressed out moments, anger moments, and complete breakdown moments. There were times that I thought that I was going to fail and not be able to graduate, but finally the day came where the paper was done and that feeling was indescribable. Once my verbal defense was complete and I walked out of that room I felt so free and felt like I could do anything. It gave me confidence in the writing area of my life.
At the beginning of the paper I was scared to death of writing such a huge paper, but thanks to Dr. Kluckings help, guidance, and support throughout the entire paper, I was able to complete it, without dying that is. The thesis paper taught me how to manage my time wisely along with teaching my how to write. I can't just spit out fifteen pages on the night before it's due and expect to pass; I had to write one to two pages at least, a week. Dr. Klucking would have two to three pages due each week which also helped in managing my time. This paper took the procrastinator right out of me; there was no way I could procrastinate with this paper and receive a passing grade. This writing task was difficult and challenged me greatly, but I came out on the other side of this challenge as an improved writer and a confident one. Although I still do not love to write I have learned to like it and to not be scared of a writing assignment given to me.I have confidence that I need for any future writing assignments in college or wherever I go. This thesis paper brought out the writer that I never knew was inside of me and I am thankful, although it was painful, for this challenge.
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