New to-do list with specific dates and details

New responsibilities keep coming...making me afraid of the next semester. I know I usually work better under pressure but this is getting out of hand. I just hope all these new resp's won't get in my way of writing my dissertation.

For the summer, the plan is still the same except that I have to devote a few weeks to my new task.

I've been reading lately but haven't written anything yet. I keep thinking about everything that needs to be accomplished by the end of the summer, and not seeing any solid progress makes me feel uncomfortable. So, the devil in me wants me to make a more detailed plan now.

July 2 - 11: Keep reading and write the section on role of instruction

July 11-16: Update the section with causatives

July 18-23: Finish the last part of the analysis

July 25-30: Write the conclusion for the poster

Aug 1-6: Finalize, and print the poster

Aug 8-13: Make the lesson plans

Hmm, it looks more achievable this way. The only challenging task is the first one. It might take longer than I may think, but we'll see. I'll be back here on July 11 to tell you where I am.

Alles gut.

Desperately trying to find motivation

I've been so uneasy today. Been thinking and thinking about how to spend my time most efficiently dissertation-wise. All the work I have to do makes me want to vomit. Instead of vomiting, I ate, and ate, and ate....today.

I will note down the main points I have to work on until the completion of my thesis (just to make myself feel better):

• Update the section on causatives
• Write the section on role of instruction
• Update and finalize methods chapter (which also means write the lesson plans for the treatment)
• Finalize pilot stats and get ready for the poster presentation
• Pre-testing
• Treatment
• Post-testing
• Follow-up testing
• Write the data analysis
• Write the conclusion
• Finished?

Am I forgetting something? Yeah, the most important part: Find a new statistician because I ate the first one. Oh, here we go again...Busy summer ahead, not only dissertation-wise. Hoping to get the first 4 done by the end of the summer. I'll be back with updates but not feeling like being productive anytime soon, yet.

3rd progress report

*Sigh*

I presented my 3rd progress report today. Everything was going well until someone in my jury asked me a question I couldn't avoid. She didn't like my answer and now they want me to collect my data again, I mean AGAIN - third time! I'm trying to be calm. It will sink in soon but still it makes me feel bad. I mean they could have told me that something was wrong before I was this far...and sometimes I think they are amnesiac.

Well, whatever. I have to accept this fact. So, new plan is (for the summer):

- Finalize the analysis for the pre-test anyway because I'll present it in Hungary in August

- Get my lesson plans ready for the groups I'll teach next semester

- Finalize literature review and methods sections

Now, I'll look on the bright side. There is one thing I know for sure now...that I'll finish my dissertation by the end of spring semester next year because if not, they'll kick me out :D Ah certainty, I like.

Getting ready for the 3rd progress report

Hey, I've been dealing with my data now for almost two months and it finally started to make some sense. I started writing my data analysis, and have something to present in my 3rd progress report next week (June 9). Tomorrow, I'll keep writing my data analysis. And at the weekend I'm hoping to finalize the analysis for the first test...have it read by my supervisor on Monday or Tuesday and present it on Wednesday. I'm very pessimistic about life in general.