10 pieces of dissertation wisdom

Writing your dissertation is a beautiful time in your life. It challenges you mentally, emotionally and psychologically. It can make you hate all of humankind and wish death on anyone who comes within a 5 mile radius or make you cling onto your friends and family like they are your life's sustenance. In all your time at university, it will be the most intensely you've ever worked before and nothing in your degree will prepare you for it. But no matter how stressful it will be, I promise that you will come out of it alive and be a better, more confident person. Especially, if you follow my advice...

1. Quality, not quantity.

Having just done my dissertation this year, I think this is the most important piece of advice I can offer you. For those of you who have been granted an experimental project (if you haven't made up your mind yet, I would highly recommend experimental over analytical), you need to realise one hugely important thing: your dissertation is not how much you can do in as little time as possible, it's about whether you can analyse whatever results you've gained.

The majority of my friends did an experimental project, like me, but just went completely overboard with it. Some would get into the lab for 8-8.30 am and work until past 7 pm every single day of the week. I even had one friend who went into the lab on the weekends (which I'm pretty sure is against university policy...). Although it's great that they did so many experiments, especially for those who want to go into research, it just wasn't necessary. Most of them don't understand half the experiments they did and a lot of the research they produced won't actually be used for their dissertation. They're now overworked and overstressed. Don't be scared to tell your supervisor that you have extra-curricular commitments and that you need to take certain days off in a week. You're still at university and you're already juggling a lot of things, why stress yourself out even more?

I was only in the lab 3 days a week, 9 am to 6 pm, and the only experimental technique I used was western blotting (for those of you who don't know what this is, western blotting is sticking proteins onto a gel, chucking some antibodies on them, waiting for a couple of hours and then seeing which proteins the antibodies bind to). For the first five weeks of my project, I attained absolutely no results and out of the 30+ western blots that finally worked, I probably used about 6. That hasn't stopped me from being able to chuck out 7,790 words for an 8,000 word dissertation, and when my supervisor read what I had written she absolutely loved it. Even though I may not be the best scientist experimentally (I maybe needed help to thaw out cells, i.e. roll the Eppendorf tube between my hands until the buffer solution melted), I will still get higher marks than the lab genius who I was working with because I analysed my results well and was thorough in my research.

This is not to say that you should be lazy! You need a good rapport with your supervisor because the amount of enthusiasm and initiative you show during your time in the lab will not only get you marks in the experimental aspect of the project, but also make your supervisor more inclined to help you with the writing element. Bribing them with freshly baked cake and seasonal cards is another way to do this. I recommend both really. 

2. No results IS results.

About 90% of science fails; it's the very nature of the work. Don't get upset if you don't produce any results - it doesn't mean you're a bad scientist. Before you start your experiments, predict the outcome of the results based on your hypothesis. If your results come out proving your prediction, then that's great! Well done you! If they don't, however, think of experimental variables that might affect the production of your work (don't overlook the small things like sunlight/temperature or even incubation time). If you did everything perfectly, then chances are your hypothesis is wrong. Take time to come up with a new hypothesis which would better suit your results, and you'll find that you now have at least an extra 500 words to write about.

As I mentioned before, the first 5 weeks of my project yielded no results. Yes, it really did affect me but I did what any sensible scientist would do and started changing different experimental variables to figure out what happened. In the end, I discovered that the membrane that we had been using to put our proteins onto had expired, that the milk solution we kept our antibodies in had a shorter shelf-life than expected and that the best way to clearer results was to double the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. BOOM, I get extra marks for initiative and I have something to write about in my dissertation (#badmanz).

3. Write your introduction during your first semester

Your introduction takes the most time to write and requires the most research. I would seriously suggest that you write this one out while you're still doing your experiments in first semester. For your introduction, it is always better to write too much than write too little, and the reason for this is because you can move parts of text to your abstract section or your discussion. Split your introduction with sub-headings so that each section has a clear focus.

4. Spend your Christmas holidays writing up your lectures

If your university is like mine, then you won't have any exams in January to encourage you to write up your dissertation. And if you are anything like all my friends and I, the thought of not having exams to revise for during the Christmas holidays will make you go a) a little crazy/wild (WOOOO! NO EXAMS!) and b) extremely lazy. Every single one of us said that we would use the Christmas holidays to write up our dissertation and that was all a lie. I read about 3 research papers, added a couple of paragraphs and that was it. 

By the time it gets to Christmas, the last thing you'd actually want to do is dissertation. If I could do third year again, I would have spent my Christmas holidays writing up my lecture notes at a nice comfortable pace with all the extra reading required instead of lying to myself about getting my dissertation done and have it gnawing away at the back of my mind throughout the holidays. 

5. Stop comparing yourself to others

The only person you should be comparing yourself to is you. It doesn't matter if someone has written more than you, so stop panicking! They could just be waffling and need to cut bits out afterwards. On the other hand, don't you dare slow down your pace if you have written more than other people. Doing as much as possible as early on as possible will help you in the long term, especially since deadlines tend to converge around the same time of year (a few weeks short of exams). Just keep to your own plan of work and review your dissertation periodically.

6. Arrange to see your supervisor every week

Your supervisor is a godsend. They are probably the only person who understands what your dissertation is about and, if you ask nicely, can provide you with a few research papers to cover the background of your project before you even start. For most of them, the research you are carrying out will actually form part of their work and so they will be willing to help you. By meeting them every week, you build up a good working relationship with them, keep them updated on your work and they can also help you if you find yourself at a dead end. If you're unfortunate and have got a supervisor who hates students (there are always a few), see if the PhD or postdoc researcher will be willing to help you - or even a lecturer that you like. 

Different supervisors provide different levels of help. My supervisor was wonderful because she went through each section of my dissertation with me and corrected my work, however many other supervisors will give you vague comments like "it's good, but maybe reword your introduction" - don't panic. Leave your dissertation for a while and go back to it later with a fresh perspective (see point 7). It would also be useful to get one of your friends to read your dissertation (bribe them with food) to help correct it and point out areas that you need to work on.

7. Know your limits

There will be a point in your dissertation where you no longer understand what you're writing. In fact, what are words? Who are we? What is the meaning of life? Why has that unicorn been standing there watching me work when there are leprechauns to find? When you get to this stage, just STOP. You've had enough. Please for the love of all that is good in the world, take a break.

For me, this happened more than once (okay, the unicorn bit never happened - we all know that unicorns can't stand still) but I ended up getting into a pretty good routine because of it. I would do a week of constant dissertation, and then take the next week off to write up all my lectures and catch up on my extra-reading. By breaking up my work in this way, I was able to keep on top of my notes, look over my dissertation with a fresh perspective and the extra reading helped make my dissertation sound more science-y.

8. Do your presentation alongside your dissertation

The dissertation presentation may be the most daunting part of the entire project for you, but every single person who has done one will tell you that "it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be". The whole point of the presentation is just to make sure that you understand your own project and you can make logical deductions from your results. It is not to catch you out or make you cry. In fact, in my presentation I only got asked experimental questions ("why did you crosslink your samples?", "if you had more time, what other experiments would you conduct and why?" etc.) and a couple of questions about the results ("why do you think you found that protein in the cytoplasm?"). Nothing stressful at all. 

Writing your presentation alongside your dissertation will be really useful for two main reasons: a) it means that you save a ton of time and, b) it will actually help you write your dissertation by letting you see your work in context as part of a bigger picture. I didn't really do this myself, and so once I had made my presentation and gone through it with my supervisor, I realised that more than half of my written dissertation was wrong and that I was going off on a tangent completely. 

9. Set yourself deadlines

The main problem with doing a dissertation is that it doesn't have an end as such; there's no point when you'll be 100% happy with it and there's always something more you can add. Set yourself deadlines to stop yourself waffling and reduce your procrastination. Once you have finished each section, send it over to your supervisor (or PhD/post-doc/lecturer/friend) and get them to check it. It is important in your last year to work efficiently - spending hours on a piece of work won't necessarily improve its quality and that's something you really ought to know by now. 

10. Stock up on chocolate and get off BuzzFeed!

I think this one is self-explanatory really. 

So young one, I hope my advice will help you on a long journey you have ahead. Keep calm and never be scared to ask for help if you need it.

Tanvi x. 

So... What now?

There's a phrase that I, like every other student in their ultimate year of study, have been hearing non-stop this year. It's an innocent enough question, sparked by some mild curiosity or polite attempt to make small talk but for a great number of us these three simple words cause a whirl of internal chaos and unprecedented amounts of fear. These three words are: "so... What now?”

To answer the question bluntly, I really don't know any more. Medicine is my passion and I have always believed it would be what I would end up doing. Yes, this may be because both my parents are doctors but really, why should that matter? I've grown up around hospitals and spent the greater part of 10 years in the small one or two bedroom accommodation provided by hospitals for doctors with young families. It's not a glamorous job by anyone's standards and the wards themselves are political minefields. The job has long working hours, years of studying, a lifetime of training and involves more paperwork than actual treatment of patients but it's what I want to do. There's a world of good I see in medicine and I want to be part of something that immediately and undoubtedly helps the lives of so many people. Clichéd, I know.

But it seems that medicine doesn't want me. This year counts as my third attempt at applying for medicine through UCAS (I also applied for a course transfer through my uni). Out of the thirteen applications I've sent off over the past few years, I've only had two interviews, both of which were subsequently followed by rejections. I don't know what medical schools are looking for, but it seems like it's not me. 

So here comes the conundrum. Do I spend the next few years doing jobs in a healthcare setting or do I grow up, let go of my dreams and get a job?

Naturally, you must be thinking, "Well, you want to be a doctor, so just do the jobs in healthcare, gain experience and apply again," and you're right, of course, but it's just not that easy. 

First of all, doing a job in the NHS that isn't being a doctor just doesn't appeal to me. Call me arrogant if you want, but it's more because I would be doing something so similar to what I love, and yet be so exceptionally far from it. I would probably spend my time walking up and down the ward getting frustrated and feeling positively useless.

"It'll be worth it," I hear you say. Er... Will it? When I went to my most recent interview, I was grouped with all the graduates. Some of these graduates had been applying every year since their A-levels, had countless years of experience and did more extra-curricular activities than I can count on both my hands and feet and yet, for the vast majority of them, this was the first and only interview they had received. Out of the sixteen of us in that group, only three or four would get offers. Now, that's scary. 

"Just do it, what's the worst that can happen?" Absolutely nothing! Who knows, maybe I'll actually be successful if I do it again! But I have only 3 months to perfect my application this year, which includes having to organise work experience and do the medical aptitude test. 

Organising work experience placements over the past few years has become impossible for students, and most hospitals will only offer work experience to A-level or GCSE students. I could volunteer at a hospital, but for some PCTs (primary care trusts) you need to have been a registered member of the hospital for three months before you're even allowed to submit your application and even then you might be rejected. 

On top of that, the medical aptitude test is my pitfall. Although I've been getting successively higher marks each time, universities have also been increasing their cut-off threshold despite studies showing that they do not predict medical school performance (http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj.f1882). 

Which brings me to my third point, applying for medicine is NOT cheap. Let's talk about the entrance exams. There are two different types: the UKCAT, which is required for the vast majority of medical schools and the BMAT, which only a handful of universities use. 

Depending on when you apply for it, the UKCAT might cost you £65 or £80*. While I can see that the UKCAT helps those people who go to under-achieving schools get a chance if their grades aren't brilliant, universities already factor school impact into their selection procedure (there have been many cases of students having grade requirements lowered) and I'm not sure £80 to do a single online test is helping social mobility.

"The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is committed to achieving greater fairness in selection to medicine and dentistry and to the widening participation in medical and dental training of under-represented social groups." 

http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/about-the-test

You can also do the BMAT, which is harder test aimed at Oxbridge-esque students that costs £44*. So, if I want to apply to prestigious medical universities, on just the entrance exams alone I'm looking at either £109 (= £65 + £44) or £124 (= £80 + £44). Applying through UCAS is another £23* on top of that, so our expenditure has gone up again. We're now looking at spending £132 or £147 and that's for the basic requirements of the application process. Once you factor in getting work experience, travelling to work experience/open days/assessment centres/interviews, interview or entrance exam courses, spending money on practise tests and books to help you perfect your application (I know I spent about £80-£100 on the books alone), your expenditure is actually close to £300+. For someone with a crippling student debt already hanging above their head, I really can't afford this.

Without going into too much detail (insert: ranting), there's also the matter of paying for the degree if I was successful in the UK or having to fund a medical degree abroad, the latter of which brings a whole host of other issues (employability in the UK being a major one), so surely I should just find a job?

Not to regress into my 5 year old self, but I really don't want to get a job just yet! Despite the fact that I would love to have money, get some independence and generally just grow up, I don't know the first thing about the Adult World. I don't know what kind of jobs I would be suited for since I have close to no experience outside of medicine and it seems that people who graduate with my degree either become researchers or teachers (I have experience in both, and... just no). 

So... What now?

I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Tanvi x.

* at the time of writing

Well, let me tell you...

So it finally happened - I finally cracked. At 21 years old I was sitting under my tiny little table in my parents' house, rocking myself back and forth with tears streaming down my face. My mascara from 3 days ago was creating dark patches under my eyes, my voice was croaking due to dehydration and my bum was starting to a little numb; neither my bleached grey leggings nor my uni society hoody was aiding my comfort levels. I was the epitome of pathetic and I knew it. 

After a good hour of feeling sorry for myself, I did what any other sane person would do and ran to my parents' room, picked my dad's laptop off his lap and awkwardly planked on his legs while crying (insert "blubbering") uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" he whispered while gently stroking my hair off my face and reaching for his endless supply of handkerchiefs.

Well, let me tell you...

My name is Tanvi. I am 21 years old and I am studying at an elite (but not elitist) university in England. I am in my final year of a biochemistry degree and all I can say for myself is that I am a failed medic†. I have no special skills or talents* and, contrary to popular stereotype, my strong melanin production and thick glasses have not given me some form of higher intelligence. I don't play any sports, I'm not part of any exciting societies and although I love to travel, I really can't afford to do so. 

In summary, I'm generally quite an uninteresting person with not much planned for my future.

I am writing this blog to describe my final days of studenthood and my first few steps into the "real" world and whatever that may actually entail. If all the Cosmopolitan articles are true, then I'm pretty sure this involves a) multiple bad decisions and b) many bottles of wine (I think the cause and effect are interchangeable at this point). I am sure there are countless different blogs just like this one, but this is as much for me as it is for your entertainment. I can already say that there may be quite a few rants on here, and I am likely to digress more often than not but please, stick by me, I hope I'll be worth the wait.

Tanvi x.

† failed medic = unsuccessful applicant for a medicine degree. 

* this includes writing (or attempts at)