If it helps I re-read my dissertation from 2012 recently (I have a few times) and given it was not far off a first, realising just how strawberry floating brilliant it is. It straddles a wide range of angles and has some genuinely original insights and ideas in there, which is frankly not normal for an undergrad. It's more like a masters thesis. I strawberry floating crushed it but I remember being extremely nervous about all of it.
I remember adding a whole extra chapter in the middle of the night before handing it in, the whole thing was at least 3 months late. You'll get into a flow, it will end and then never look at it again, but I genuinely appreciate my own efforts "in the past". I did have learning support but I really struggled to just start writing and keep writing. I had to muscle up everything I had to write most of it by hand on sheets of lined paper arranged on a big table in a silent area and a pile of books. I also dictated parts of it I'm sure.
Getting a fresh perspective or some time away and having dedicated lumps of time, even if you only get a few sentences in, is key. It's super hard to concentrate on one thing that big/long (I think partly this builds up in the mind) - while you are expected to juggle multiple other units and assignments - it is really damn hard.
I also broke mine down into about 7 chapters and tried to not edit much while I wrote. I went back and expanded sections and edited as I passed one sort of "phase" to another, it eventually came together somewhat non-linearly. Not sure how helpful this is but it was a big achievement for me, just looking back it was worth the perseverance as I'm really proud of it. I might actually publish it is as a short book.
I never even submitted a draft by the way as I missed the deadline at least a few times. But I remained determined, I had my issues but I guess I just knew to get the Honours part of my degree I had to do it, got there eventually and hit just over 10k words. I read it back and (almost
) every word has a purpose, even if it's just to add conviction or interesting (bordering on lyrical) writing devices so it sounds like I wrote it, not anyone else. I still re-read it and think, strawberry float that's interesting now, that's 12 years later and while I work as an artist I barely do any of the more conceptual ideas that are in there; it's a great tool to rediscover my passions. A set question or essay can't give you that, so it's 100% worth it I think. My god I was depressed and stressed out and worried constantly, I get it but that also drove me to make something that was uniquely my own. I legitimately felt crazy by the time I was done. You're not alone!
Edit: Oh and me, I forgot, speaking of powering through I broke my wrist last Friday night and didn't even notice much until Wednesday when pharmacist told me to go to hospital immediately, I'm now in a full cast on left arm and it's probably strawberry floated up ligaments as well. As a guitarist that's extremely concerning as I have limited movement AND I have a big legal accounting deadline for my business side, that's midnight on Sunday. So no fun time for me, just doing accounting with one and a half hands in 3 days - one of the most banal and boring activities imaginable, I kind of feel satisfied "sorting" things but I'm avoiding it even now. There are consequences if I don't submit on time, deadlines eh they forever loom.