Advice for the Weary College Senior

It's a chilly, dark and rainy day down here at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe. I am working alone, visitation is down, and the Park Service has switched over to the Winter Uniform. I was just asked for the thousandth time what the siren coming from the two prisons means. "No, prisoners have not escaped, it's the 4pm head-count."

I feel like hibernating. Instead I have been sitting here thinking about all the struggle I have been through over the past year on the quest to become a Classical Geoarchaeologist. I was prompted to write this post after browsing through several of Zu's postings. He too has shared some of my same struggles as a learned undergrad making his way through a senior honors thesis. The most important piece of advice I can give him (and I really hope he takes it), is to enroll in History 783: Honors Research. This was a pivotal class for me and was probably the only reason I was able to complete my thesis and get it defended before the end of last spring.
So what can Zu get out of taking this class?
1) Confidence
2) Motivation
3) A time table for completion
4) Long-lasting friendships with other theses students
5) A non-critical sounding board that offers practical writing advice
6) Advice for and camaraderie at the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum
7) The opening of doors for other research forums and events
8) The building of close personal connections with advisors and professors as the undergrad years come to a close

I can't emphasize enough the importance of this class in shaping and defining my Senior year. (Props to my good friend Mark for taking the class.) This led to the successful completion of my thesis and earning Cum Laude and with distinction in History.

So hang tough weary college senior, now is your time to shine. Instead of shoving those history books under your bed, pull them out, dust them off and pump out a draft of that thesis. I know you are discouraged and the task seems impossible. I was there. I conquered.

If you recall, I was under a mountain of data that made no sense. I got frustrated and I cried, I procrastinated and tried to hide. But it IS possible and finishing is one of the most rewarding moments in life you will ever experience.