Lessons from My Thesis Journey
By Samuel Cavalheiro
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Truthfully, I didn’t want to write the thesis. When I was accepted into UMass and the Honors College, I was slightly hesitant because of it. It seemed like a chore—the only barrier between me and air conditioning in my dorm. As many of you reading this might be thinking, it became a problem for my future self.
The years passed, and the thesis became more pressing. I began thinking about it and dreading the grueling manuscript I would soon undertake. As I started talking to various professors and exploring different research avenues, I happened to get an email. It was from a political science advisor, informing honors seniors about classes offered in the department to write their theses. One of them, 499C/D: Health and Healthcare Inequalities in the U.S., taught by Prof. Dean Robinson, piqued my interest. As someone who has had extensive contact with the healthcare system and witnessed these inequalities firsthand, this class seemed like an obvious choice.
From the first to the last class in the fall semester, Prof. Robinson provided us with varied perspectives on the inequalities within our healthcare system and the overall scope of inequality in the United States. We covered issues of gender, class, race, sex, and much more. Prof. Robinson, being a proud union member, also focused specifically on unions—a perspective I had no prior experience with but have now come to admire.
In February, we were given the opportunity to spend three days in Quebec to study and immerse ourselves in their healthcare system. We visited medical schools, spoke to professors who studied all aspects of healthcare, met with labor studies professors, visited community clinics, and ate authentic poutine. It is an experience I will never forget, and I hope that future students can gain as much from the trip as I did.
The rest of the class was dedicated to the writing and formation of the manuscript. As someone who benefits from significant guidance on projects like this, Prof. Robinson was there every step of the way, giving me constructive feedback and helping me structure what is the most intensive research I have performed so far. Soon, I found myself writing 41 pages of a thesis titled “Medicaid Expansion Under the Affordable Care Act: What Accounts for Differences Between the States?” I studied the political factors that led a state to adopt or continually reject Medicaid expansion after the Supreme Court’s decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. I am ever grateful for the opportunity to undertake a project like this and would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout the journey.
I have learned a few things I’d like to share with those who may be beginning their thesis journeys:
There are so many paths you can take; do what you love.
Although I did the traditional manuscript, I was fortunate enough to profile and meet many different honors students who were doing something far from a manuscript. I profiled ballet dancers, scripts for a new television comedy, and portfolios of creative nonfiction. Each of these students was able to express themselves in their theses and showed me that it isn’t just an act of research; it’s an act of self-discovery. I discovered new things about myself and was able to research a topic that I am deeply interested in. If you see me out and about and ask about Medicaid expansion, be sure to reserve eight hours of your time, minimum.
You are capable of a whole lot more than you think.
When thinking about research, I imagine beakers and test tubes with Einstein-like scientists finding cures for incurable diseases. It had always felt like something I could never access nor undertake. Boy, was I wrong. This whole process has taught me that research is not just test tubes and beakers but an exploration of topics and burning questions that you have a strong desire to answer. And it has also taught me that I can do this; I wrote all that like it was nothing!
Don’t cram… space it out!
I admit, I am guilty of procrastination (quite often). I may have indulged while writing my thesis, which is something I cannot advise more strongly against. If you are writing a manuscript like this, space it out over the semester or the year; it’ll make the rare warm April/May afternoon so much more enjoyable.
Now that I am done with my thesis, I feel an immense sense of accomplishment and gratitude. It has boosted my confidence and given me skills I never had before.
If I could speak to my first year self, I’d tell him to stop worrying; the thesis will be one of the best experiences you’ll have at UMass.
