Ok, I have not posted in ages. And I know this. I’ve been depressed and feeling like an idiot. If someone reads this in later semesters, I hope they learn something from my starting mistakes.
Mistake 1. Start with the theory, not necessarily with the topic. Know a little bit about a bunch of theories, or a lot a bit about a few theories. Find a way to apply them to a topic that interests you. I started with a topic, thinking a theory would emerge. It just becomes a disorganized mess.
Mistake 2. Know the professors in the college and what they study. Read their articles and know what theories they know about. They will be useless to you except for moral support if they don’t know what you are talking about. It’s their reputation on the line too if they support some crazy idea out of left field.
Mistake 3. It’s not personal. A professor saying no is not the end of the path towards a doctorate. So get up, find a new theory, and deal with the problem.
So now I start over. I’m thinking maybe something with . I could still help the by getting interns funding to help nonprofits around town! And I can study social media aspects of fundraising. I’m remaking the same mistake, I know, but I don’t have a theory background. I’ve got to go with what I know. And ask for a lot of help along the way.
