hate my thesis

Screw you thesis!

Last time we met my friend, PhD student and working academic ‘Dave’ he was walking through the Valley of Shit . Dave emerged from the deathly valley soon after I published that post, but he has now hit the last phase of PhD study, which I call “PhD detachment”. Dave, somewhat more colourfully, calls this phase “Screw you thesis!”.  He tells us why in this post, but caution – there’s some strong language!

Them: “Do you hate it yet?” Me: “Huh?” Them: “Do you hate it yet… your thesis? You know you are ready when you begin to hate it.” Me: “Uh… well, uh…no. Not yet.” Them: “You will.”

I’ve had this conversation a few times over the past few months and it was really starting to bug me. I never knew how to deal with it so I usually just smiled, nodded and said something like “I guess I will… eventually”, but that always felt false to me because on the available evidence, I didn’t really have any reason to hate my thesis.

Sure, I had my moments of doubt about the quality of my work and the worthiness of my contribution, but from what I can gather, this is all pretty normal stuff . After all, it’s not until the examiners have given it the Big Red Tick do you know with any certainty how good it is.

I couldn’t see why anyone would hate their project. That seemed counter-productive to me. Don’t worry about how you feel about it, just get on and finish it. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to waste energy on emotions about a project.

That is, until this morning when, all of a sudden, I hated it.

Not just hated it, but HATED it. The kind of burning hatred that consumed me with the heat of a thousand suns . I was pissed off and this realisation hit me, like many other realisations, in the shower.

You see, this morning I looked down in the shower and noticed that I was sharing the shower with two rubber ducks, a small rubber chicken, a tugboat, a plastic shark and my two year old son. When did all these things get in the shower with me? How long had they been there? Have I always had children’s toys in the shower, or is this a new thing? And what’s with the chicken? All the others at least have something to do with water, but a chicken? That’s just odd.

Come to think of it, what was the conversation about over the breakfast table this morning? What plans did I make with my wife? What did I agree to do later this week? What are the plans for today? I mean, I know what my plans are; I’ll be writing. But what will the rest of my family be doing?

Will they be going out in the sunshine? If so, with who and to do what? Was I invited? Even if I was, I would have said no, but the point is, I can’t remember if I was invited or not. AND if I wasn’t invited was that because I always say no anyway or has it become normal that my family make plans without me? When did THAT start?

This was starting to turn into a pretty heavy shower.

And that’s when I realised that I hate my thesis. Well, not my thesis exactly, but the all-consuming nature of it. I hate the fact that I can’t think about anything else. I hate the fact that my son is growing up fast and I can’t find the time to enjoy it with him.

I hate the fact that everything in my life is on auto-pilot and I don’t want to change anything. Change would mean I’d have to put energy into thinking about how I would have to re-enter the world again, for a little while, until I can put that part of my life back on auto-pilot again. I hate the fact that I haven’t had a good night’s rest in months. I hate the fact that I’ve lost nearly all of my friends as their patience for me finishing runs out. I hate the fact that I have come to hate my thesis.

But really, is that right? Maybe this hate thing is not hate at all, but resistance to change. Maybe I’ve mis-diagnosed hatred as resistance? Is that possible?

I’m reminded of some work done by William Bridges on organisational change.  He argues that there are three stages of transition that people go through when they are faced with change: Endings; The Neutral Zone; and New Beginnings.

Briefly, when people are faced with change, something comes to an end. For people to transition successfully, Bridge suggests, they need to recognise that they will lose something , or indeed, they will lose part of their current identity.

When people accept this loss, they move into the Neutral Zone where they spend time examining the way they do things. What different behaviours and attitudes might better suit the new (changed) state? This examination can take longer than the change itself.

Finally, once the first two transition stages have been navigated , people begin to work towards New Beginnings. However, while this appears to be a neat little theory, people often find the psychological transition stages difficult and so they resist going through them.

Maybe that is what is happening with me and my thesis?

I’m nearly at the end of my project. I’ll be done in December. Come 2013, I’ll be doing something else. Something different. Something NOT my thesis. So I guess there is a sense of loss there.

I’ll no longer have to spend my weekends worrying about such things as methodologies, or qualitative codes. I won’t have to feel guilty because I didn’t hit my minimum words-per-day target. And, I suppose, I’ll no longer have the excuse of having to work on my thesis to get out of various social obligations.

I guess that also means that I’ll have to re-think the way I plan my time and focus my attention. I am already doing that to some degree – even though it’s only September, I’m already thinking about my teaching and research obligations in 2013 in light of the fact that the thesis will be done – it will no longer compete for time. How will that look, exactly? What routines will I have to change?

And finally, what does all this mean for me and my family once I’m finished? How do I begin to act as a Post-Doc father? I’ve never had to do that before. Where do I begin? What do I do?

As my project winds up, I realise that the deadline is approaching faster than I’d like it to. The change is coming , but I haven’t completed the transition and so I’m feeling a little edgy about that; I’m resisting and it’s manifesting as a strong emotion: hate. As the wonderful Leela James sings: “Whoever said it was ‘teasy, they lied; it ain’t easy…” but at least now I know what it is that I’m up against.

So, Screw You Thesis.

The change is coming and there’s nothing I can now do about that. But how I respond, well that’s up to me and I’m done with the hating bit. I see you for what you are now Thesis. I understand that once you are finished, I can get about living differently; a better life.

So I’m going to embrace you as I race to the finish. I’m going to look forward to this new life I am about to begin. I’m going to stop hating you and use you as a springboard into the future. The next time someone asks me “do I hate it yet”, I’m going to say: “I did. Briefly. But I’m over than now and am looking forward to finishing.”

Are you looking forward to finishing? Or resisting change? We’d love to hear how you are feeling about The End of your thesis journey in the comments.

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The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.

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My Dissertation Is Killing Me – Turning Dissertation Hell To Bliss

My dissertation is killing me! Those are the five words that are threatening to break you down. But, they are the tip of the iceberg. Your supervisor has told you that you are on the wrong track, you are stuck on the data analysis chapter, and now you are finally sure of one thing: you are going down. Giving up is not an option!

Efforts to follow your supervisor’s instructions do not seem to yield much. Indeed, you appear to be sinking deeper into confusion. My PhD supervisor hates me, and I hate my dissertation are now part of you. But you know what, enough is enough, you can get it right! Actually, professional help to help you roll over that dissertation is only a click away.

This post is crafted specifically to help you deconstruct I hate my thesis to my thesis is the best. We have helped others, and your case is no different. Come on; take a sigh of relief, and you will see everything molt right in front of your eyes.

Finishing Your Dissertation Even When You Hate It!

To finish dissertation even when you hate it so much requires only two things. One, think about the first time you enrolled for your PhD and rekindle that innate drive. To become that doctor, engineer, or sociologist of your dreams, you need to rekindle that fire. Therefore, simply keep calm and finish your dissertation.

Another thing you need to know is that your supervisor’s rating is based on how well he guides PhD students to success. It is not that he is hell-bent to make your dissertation hell. As such, think of what he said and look at it positively. For a moment, try to put aside the notion that my dissertation is bad and focus on the positive side. You will get it right. Does that work? Now follow the dissertation carefully from the start and make the next step.

Finish Your Dissertation In No Time Like A Pro

The moment you picked a dissertation topic and started the research journey, perhaps it was unclear about the mountains and valleys on the way. But hold on; no one said it was going to be a walkover. The title (Dr. or PhD) you are about to get will attract honors like a magnet everywhere you go. Therefore, it is time to work for it by replacing the notion my dissertation is killing me with a workable formula. The most outstanding formula to finish your thesis like a pro is crafting a winning structure and working on it step after step.

After crafting the structure, finishing your dissertation becomes so much simplified. And, every component you add helps to build the thesis. For example, when you write the literature review, you will understand the topic more and grasp the theoretical underpinnings related to the research questions. But this is not all. The most important thing about following the best dissertation structure is that you will be able to see how to finish dissertation from previous scholars.

Turning that Dissertation Hell into Bliss

My dissertation is killing me ! How hard is it to write a dissertation? This is the question that you should have asked before commencing the journey to write your thesis. The answer to the question is hard and simple. That is right. Writing your dissertation can turn out into a living hell if you pick the wrong topic, lack the right skills, and take the wrong approach. But now that you’ve already started, it is time to change the notion “I hate my dissertation ” to “I love it .” You can achieve this by doing two things:

Following your department’s recommendation: When you carefully follow your department’s recommendation, you will always be sure that your dissertation is on the right track. Using a sample of another well-written dissertation: Well, no matter what chapter is making your dissertation hell, having a sample as a guide can be of great help. If you have several samples, improve on the structure, and you know what? Your thesis will be a lot better!

The No-Fail Secret to Writing a Dissertation… No Need For Stress

Have you read the above strategies and wondered, I have tried all of these, and none is working? Indeed, there are many things that can stand on your way to finishing your dissertation correctly.

The time you have to finish the dissertation can be limited.

Your writing skills might be insufficient.

Your supervisor might be busy elsewhere and is offering unreliable help.

The available resources might be inadequate.

These are some of the reasons that might be fueling the argument, my dissertation is killing me , and I hate my dissertation . But no matter what is standing on your way to crafting a winning dissertation, the no-fail secret to getting it right is seeking writing help.

Why writing help? Instead of struggling to craft a standard document with a high risk of failure during defense, the writing services are cheap and will get you professional dissertations. They have professional writers who have written dozens of dissertations and made past students pass with flying colors. Even if you are writing a dissertation in 3 months, the professional writers will get you top-rated documents. You can never go wrong with them!

Whether you are wondering how to finish a PhD in 3 years or a dissertation in just three months, expert writers are there for you . With professional writers, you can put on a big smile right away: my dissertation is killing me , and post dissertation depression will be alien phrases.

That is the no-fail secret to writing the best dissertation …. no need for stress!

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What to do if you dislike writing research or academic papers.

BY DAVID GUTIERREZ

Unfortunately, even if you hate writing academic papers more than anything else in the world, you still have to do it if you want to graduate successfully. However, it is possible to alter one’s attitude towards something – often to a greater degree than you may believe. Here are some techniques that can make writing your next academic assignment bearable, if not outright pleasant.

1.    Take breaks

Taking regular breaks is important in any kind of work, and writing is no exception. Divide your assignment into a number of reasonably small parts and promise yourself to take a break after you successfully complete each of them. Both the parts and the breaks may be as large or small as it is useful for your situation. For example, if you write an essay, you can take 5-minute breaks every 200 words. If you write something more substantial, both the parts and the breaks can be larger. Do something pleasant in the course of your breaks – this will motivate you to complete each part faster.

2.    Eliminate distractions

When you do something you hate, every potential distraction is twice as enticing as it usually is. This means that if you are surrounded by distractions while you write your academic paper, you are likely to get distracted all the time. To prevent this, single out the things that are likely to attract your attention as you work and remove them from you. If it is structure and general layout of the paper that give you trouble, consider custom term papers for sale. Block distracting websites using Leechblock or RescueTime, turn off notifications, switch off your smartphone, block out the external noises by some music in your earphones.

3.    Find a writing place that works for you

If you do something you hate, you should at least do it somewhere you feel comfortable. Where it exactly depends on your preferences: some like to work at home, others prefer a nice café; still others find it inspiring to work in the park. Take your pick.

4.    Don’t try to write like somebody else

One of the reasons why you may hate writing is because you believe that you shouldn’t write in your own voice. You think you need to imitate either someone else or to write in an affected manner that has little in common with your own way of thinking and writing. Most likely, you are wrong, and your writing will only be improved if you choose to follow your heart and write the way you like.

5.    Practice

Another reason why students hate writing academic assignments is that they are not very good at writing. The reverse is true as well – once you learn how to write more or less well, you start feeling pleasure doing it. Do a bit of practice writing assignments of the type you have to write most often. Who knows? Perhaps, it will grow on you.

6.    Don’t be perfectionistic

Perfectionism is equally deadly both for enjoyment received from writing and the results achieved. Don’t try to make every sentence perfect – it is impossible. Write reasonably well, don’t go crazy correcting what you’ve already written because you will never finish doing it.

Learning to love writing is hard and long work, and we don’t claim that everybody is capable of doing it at first attempt. But making writing pleasant is achievable – and you can do it.

David Gutierrez has worked in the field of web design since 2005. Right now he started learning Java in order to get second occupation. His professional interests defined major topics of his articles. David writes about new web design software, recently discovered professional tricks and also monitors the latest updates of the web development.

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
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Starting to Hate my Thesis Project...

By ahimsa000 August 8, 2015 in Research

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At the beginning, I chose to work on this project under a PhD student and I grew to like it after I started getting better at optimizing the protocols and stuff. Then around the end of the second semester, I started to think that it's a really dumb idea and there are several parts that don't even make sense. To top it off, my PhD student supervisor lost his main source of funding for this project, and the PI has told us that she'd make sure we would get the basic supplies we would need to finish my part of his project. 

I hate this project because it's just a bunch of qualitative analysis and I feel like I'm just making pretty pictures (I'm primarily doing IHC and histological work). I proposed a way to quantify the work, which would require some funding, but I'm in a position where that is impossible. Also, my PI thinks I have enough data, and I disagree with her. I'm worried because I can just imagine myself presenting this at the seminar and thesis presentation next year and I will be totally uninterested because I don't see the point anymore. 

I don't think I can keep asking my PI to help with this since she's in a tight spot and I'm also pretty sure she doesn't care a whole lot anyways. I'm not sure who I should talk to about this. I don't want to sound ungrateful, I just want to get the most out of this program and I don't think I'm being challenged enough. 

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can improve this situation? I understand that I most likely won't get any magical funding source within the next few months so I can pursue the idea I had. How do I handle this? Thanks guys! Sorry for the long post. 

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I would talk to your faculty adviser and the PhD student you are working with. I would be blunt and see if you can explore some other options. 

Another thing I have heard A LOT is that it is really common about mid way through to start hating your thesis/dissertation. Keep in mind that someone had to think the project was worth-while in the first place to approve it. ALSO keep in mind that null-results in science are still useful and should in principle be held as just as important as positive results. You can work through the project and present it as it is. You may want to go back and read through some of the literature that got you interested in the topic and that may help you get fresh motivation and perspective.

When you said:

"my PI thinks I have enough data, and I disagree with her. I'm worried because I can just imagine myself presenting this at the seminar and thesis presentation next year and I will be totally uninterested because I don't see the point anymore."

Why do you think collecting more data would have any impact on your interest in the project? Why don't you look at what you have and see if it is useful as enough? Your PI has been through this sort of thing a few times, and does deserve some of your trust.. 

I would think through some of this, make a list or discussion points, then call a lab-meeting and see if you can get everyone on the same page.

Yeah, you're right. My PI just left the country and will be out for a month, so I'm going to have to talk to my direct supervisor about this. I'm going to be completely honest, I usually hesitate to confront people with these types of things and stay pretty quiet, but I'm really unhappy about this so it's about time. 

Ok so I think I phrased that incorrectly about the data thing. I have already worked on several different aspects of this project, and I believe that I deserve to put this in my thesis. She made it seem like I can only write about one little portion - which is really frustrating to me. It's not about the positive/negative data at all, it's just data in general that I worked really hard to generate so I feel like I need to include it. Ah, anyways, I think I'm just being too negative. Maybe this is just a mid-program crisis. 

I'll discuss my concerns as soon as I see my supervisor. He's pretty understanding about this kind of stuff. Thank you for letting me vent and for your advice! 

It is a really tough situation to be in! I have been burned by being too hesitant, so now I try to get to the problem before it festers and I am really unhappy. :-/ Usually there is a way to turn things around that is much easier the sooner you bring it up... Hope it goes well :-)

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Miss Manners: I hate my April Fool’s birthday and getting pranked

Dear Miss Manners: Through no one’s fault, I was born on the worst date ever.

Each birth anniversary, there's a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke. Everyone — family, friends, teachers, co-workers, boyfriends — thinks they're the first person to play their joke and expects me to laugh. Because I love them, I try to play along, but it gets tougher each year.

I open beautifully wrapped presents, but there’s nothing in the box (APRIL FOOL!), or birthday cards are full of glitter or other messes (APRIL FOOL!). I get visits from “police” with arrest warrants (APRIL FOOL!), “CPS caseworkers” with orders to seize my child (APRIL FOOL!). I answer wee-hour calls telling me to rush to hospital because somebody’s hurt (APRIL FOOL!). My husband asks for a divorce (APRIL FOOL!) and bosses fire me (APRIL FOOL!). I’ve bitten into birthday cakes flavored with hot sauce or baked with salt instead of sugar (APRIL FOOL!).

The church women’s society met on my birthday. When I arrived, they jumped out yelling “Surprise!” For a moment I was touched and elated, but the joke was that it wasn’t a party for me. I tried — really I did — but 26 years was too much. A few tears escaped, so I ran to my car and left. The ladies called to apologize and explain they were just having some fun with me. I had my husband say I wasn’t home.

I don’t want to be an old sourpuss who can’t take a joke, but I don’t know how to face them or think of a nice way to ask friends to please stop pranking me on my birthdays. What is a gracious way to get out of this?

As appalling as you will find this suggestion, Miss Manners suggests playing tricks on them. And that is to pretend that after 26 years of enduring these mean-spirited attempts at humor, you fail to recognize them as such.

So when the box is empty, look up puzzled and ask, “Was there supposed to be something in here?” When your boss pretends to fire you, say sadly, “I loved this job, and I tried to do my best at it.” When you bite into the cake, make a slight face and decline having more without explanation. They will then be forced to retreat, as the church ladies did. At that point, you can say a quiet “April Fool” — not uppercase, not with exclamation marks, not with a smile — and explain that you have been enduring all that your whole life.

Oh, and when your husband asks for a divorce? Tell him you will call your lawyer. And if he hasn’t yet understood how these supposed “jokes” affect you, you may mean it.

Dear Miss Manners: Is it polite to blow on your spoon of newly served, very hot soup?

No. Sorry. But that does not mean that Miss Manners is fine with your burning your tongue. You need only fill your spoon and hold it aloft for a moment while making a few seconds of charming remarks to your dinner partner.

New Miss Manners columns are posted Monday through Saturday on washingtonpost.com/advice . You can send questions to Miss Manners at her website, missmanners.com . You can also follow her @RealMissManners.

© 2024 Judith Martin

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Dear Annie: I love my friend’s dog, but I hate when he jumps on me

• Published: Mar. 31, 2024, 5:30 p.m.

Annie Lane writes the Dear Annie advice column. Creators.com

DEAR ANNIE: I have a dear friend with a loving dog, but I dread going to her house because her dog enthusiastically jumps up on me for the first few minutes I am there. I have tried doing what she asks me to do -- turning my back on him -- and have been not doing what she doesn’t want me to do -- putting my knee out to keep him back or sternly saying “no.”

But he gets no better at any subsequent visit with her method of dealing with it.

I have had, and fostered, numerous dogs and have trained them to not jump up with just a few minutes of training. I’m coming off caring for her dog while she was out of town and am very over her dog jumping on me. She lives alone and relies on her friends to step in with the dog’s care when she travels.

Thanks for any advice short of meeting her elsewhere. -- Friend’s Dog Manners

DEAR FRIEND’S DOG MANNERS: Have you tried to train the dog yourself while you are staying at her house? If you have, and he still does not listen, then it may be time to hire a professional dog trainer. Having a jumping dog is not only annoying but can cause someone to fall over. Talk to your friend and tell her your concerns so that she is aware of how much the problem bothers you. Since you work with fosters, you could probably find a highly recommended trainer for your friend.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected] .

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Scottish Hate Crime Law Takes Effect as Critics Warn It Will Stifle Speech

The legislation expands protections and creates a new charge of “stirring up hatred.” Critics, including J.K. Rowling, said the law was “wide open to abuse.”

By Sopan Deb

A sweeping law targeting hate speech went into effect in Scotland on Monday, promising protection against threats and abuse but drawing criticism that it could have a chilling effect on free speech.

The law, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2021, expands protections for marginalized groups and creates a new charge of “stirring up hatred,” which makes it a criminal offense to communicate or behave in a way that “a reasonable person would consider to be threatening, abusive or insulting.”

A conviction could lead to a fine and a prison sentence of up to seven years.

The protected classes as defined in the law include age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity. Racial hatred was omitted because it is already covered by a law from 1986. The new law also does not include women among the protected groups; a government task force has recommended that misogyny be addressed in separate legislation.

J.K. Rowling, the “Harry Potter” author who has been criticized as transphobic for her comments on gender identity , said the law was “wide open to abuse by activists,” and took issue with its omission of women.

Ms. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, said in a lengthy social media post on Monday that Scotland’s Parliament had placed “higher value on the feelings of men performing their idea of femaleness, however misogynistically or opportunistically, than on the rights and freedoms of actual women and girls.”

“I’m currently out of the country, but if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offense under the terms of the new act,” she added, “I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment.”

Rishi Sunak, the Conservative prime minister of the United Kingdom expressed support for Ms. Rowling a day after the law went into effect, telling the British newspaper The Telegraph that “people should not be criminalized for stating simple facts on biology. We believe in free speech in this country, and Conservatives will always protect it.”

Although Scotland is part of Britain, it enjoys political and fiscal autonomy on many matters, including economy, education, health, justice and more.

The new law has long had the support of Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, but it has raised concerns about the effect it might have on free speech. Mr. Yousaf, who was Scotland’s justice secretary when the bill was passed, was asked directly on Monday about the criticism from Ms. Rowling and others who oppose the law.

“It is not Twitter police. It is not activists, it is not the media. It is not, thank goodness, even politicians who decide ultimately whether or not crime has been committed,” Mr. Yousaf told Sky News . He said that it would be up to “the police to investigate and the crown, and the threshold for criminality is incredibly high.”

The law was introduced after a 2018 study by a retired judge recommend consolidating the country’s hate crime’s laws and updating the Public Order Act of 1986, which covers Britain and Northern Ireland. Scotland’s Parliament approved the new law 82-32 in March 2021.

Supporters of the legislation have spent years rallying support for it, saying it is crucial to combating harassment.

“We know that the impact on those on the receiving end of physical, verbal or online attacks can be traumatic and life-changing,” Siobhan Brown, Scotland’s minister for victims and community safety, said in a statement celebrating the law. “This legislation is an essential element of our wider approach to tackling that harm.”

But there has been fierce pushback against the law, including from Ms. Rowling, and the Scottish Conservative Party, whose leader, Douglas Ross, told Mr. Yousaf during first minister’s questions on March 14 that “the controversial new law is ripe for abuse.” In a separate questions exchange on March 21, Mr. Ross said that the law was “dangerous and unworkable” and that he expected it to “quickly descend into chaos.”

“People like J.K. Rowling could have police at their door every day for making perfectly reasonable statements,” he said.

Mr. Yousaf, who is of Pakistani descent, has cited the 1986 law as proper precedent for the new bill.

“If I have the protection against somebody stirring up hatred because of my race — and that has been the case since 1986 — why on earth should these protections not exist for someone because of their sexuality, or disability or their religion?” he told Parliament on March 21.

The issue of how the Scottish government should handle misogyny has been examined by a government-commissioned task force, which recommended in 2022 that protections for women be added in a separate bill with elements similar to the hate crimes bill that was passed the previous year.

The first minister at the time, Nicola Sturgeon, welcomed the report , promising that her government would give it full consideration. Mr. Yousaf, her successor, has also indicated his support, but there has been no serious movement in Parliament yet.

Claire Moses contributed reporting from London.

Sopan Deb is a Times reporter covering breaking news and culture. More about Sopan Deb