No!  Not the “D” word!!!!  As a graduate student, it is easy to get into the grind, keeping your nose to the book (or eye to the microscope), especially with a dissertation looming eerily overhead.  Ooooooo, Ahhhhhhh, Eeeeeeee!  How appropriate with Halloween approaching. 

UT Arlington is where you spend the majority of your time and energy.  Everyday, the same people and places – also the same resources.  Advice from these familiar locations begins to blur together in a sea of blue and orange jibber jabber.

• A great way to regain strength is to get a new perspective. 
• A new perspective requires new information. 
• New (and reliable) information is available online; yes, you CAN stay in your mad scientist cave and still get a new perspective, so no excuses! (Upon reflection, disorienting fevers above 101 degrees and no less than two broken arms, preventing the use of a mouse will be allowed.) 

One great place to start is at UT Austin’s Intellectual Entrepreneurship Consortium and List serve.  While every aspect of the site may not be available to you – some fresh advice from Professors in your discipline IS available to you.  Tips from Faculty along with sample proposals from students at a different university are at your fingertips.  I’m not sending you elsewhere for kicks and giggles (is kicks the right word?). This info can give you a new perspective.  It can also help you get an idea of the performance standard in your area of expertise across institutions.  

More knowledge = Less anxiety = not avoiding your dissertation = you graduating! 

Still afraid of the “D” word?  

…….Well, now I have to assume you mean the DARK! And that’s a totally realistic fear, so who am I to judge?  Maybe after you visit the web page I suggested you can leave your computer screen on as a night light.

Tags: advice, anxiety, dissertation, graduation, proposal, Resources, writing