School of Social & Political Sciences

Author: Ivan Vadzinskyi, MSc International Relations student

The exam season is an extremely stressful time. While many master’s students do not have exams, they still face a difficult task to accomplish: writing a dissertation. Sometimes, the amount of work to do during the summer might feel overwhelming.

However, it does not mean that this is the only way for things to be. After all, there should be some methods that may help you face the challenge without fear and even with ease. That is why I would love to share some tips that I often used during both semesters and continue to use while I write my master’s dissertation.

Set your priorities

Probably the most general yet very useful skill, which I believe can be handy throughout your future career, is to understand what you should do in order to achieve your goal. While university life gives you clear instructions and addresses expectations, it is not always like that. Whether you decide to apply for a job in the future or to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, it is essential that you can define the importance of each particular task you have.

Define all the timelines

Sometimes, all the tasks which you find yourself under can seem equally important, and then this creeping feeling of anxiety rises from within. In this scenario, time management can be the solution. I, personally, always write out the deadlines and the tasks on paper or by using Notion, as it allows me to clearly see the progress I make and the time I have between two submission deadlines. Moreover, it gives me an opportunity to create the structure of my work and how I split the tasks within the week or two I dedicate to an essay, dissertation chapter, or preparation for a test.

I do have a lot of friends and classmates who cannot start doing anything before they realize that it is only days before the deadline. I, on the other hand, usually find myself even more confused if I act without spare time and when the deadline is hours away. That is why I believe that while this tip may sound generic, it is the most crucial one.

Spread the tasks across the time

I am not a major fan of doing everything at the last minute, as you may have guessed. It is crucial to me to split the task into smaller sections so that it does not look as threatening. For example, when I write an essay I usually dedicate a few days to the readings, then I leave the ideas overnight to form an argument and to build the essay structure. Later, I spend a few days writing and polishing, adding references, and proofreading. After that, I know that I did the best I could and can rest assured that I submitted the best version possible.

Try to find time to relax

It feels to me that the toxic concept of education and career development, where a person needs to sacrifice all their time to achieve a goal, is nothing but harmful, and the least bad outcome of it would be burnout.

It is essential to spend time with friends, enjoy nature, or just do what you like to do the most. I believe that baking cinnabons or walking with friends around Pollok Country Park is just as important as spending nights in the library. All those little things are essential, as they will give you additional energy and will allow your mind to switch to other things, which in turn will help you to focus on your dissertation or assignment later.

Overall, I hope that this text gives you some new ideas about how to better prepare yourself for future assignments, and maybe it will even help you in the future. While I know that this period may be stressful and challenging, these few tips may really improve the process.

---

First published: 12 June 2026