I have spent 51 weeks on my postgraduate degree program at the University of Bristol and am glad to have submitted my dissertation a couple of days ago.
After clicking the upload button, I expected to feel a sense of relief, thinking, "Oh, yes! I am finally done with this." But the feeling wasn't exactly like that. This was because my body had adapted to the research rigour, especially when I started working on my supervisor's feedback and from a couple of people I shared with.
I remember staying awake for about 18-20 hours daily for approximately 2 weeks, working on the feedback without unusual fatigue. And every second, minute, and hour became more precious to me. I could estimate my daily progress. I would wake up every morning, look into the mirror, and tell myself, "Afeez, this is what we are doing today." Even if I didn't complete those tasks, I was always close. It was more like I reached a threshold—a steady state, but with a clear goal in sight.
Before this time, I had struggled with some symptoms of depression, confusion, and some related symptoms. It lasted a while, but I felt much better after taking healthy precautions. This made the final weeks of my dissertation more enjoyable for me. While writing the abstract and the acknowledgment, I was just smiling at myself and consistently saying my prayers with gratitude and hope for a better moment going forward.
Reflecting on my 51-week journey, I am proud of every moment, the resilience, the academic and research skills learned, and the courage to take the lead from here, hoping for more opportunities to explore, learn, and apply knowledge for more significant impacts.
Afeez Olalekan Saka © 2024
#Sakaspeaks #GradSchool #Milestoneachieved #cheveningscholarship #universityofbristol
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