I took the time to go visit my buddy who is working on his PhD dissertation.  He started a couple of years before me, but I met him when he was my lab partner in a Chemistry class that he was taking for an elective.

We talk on a regular basis and I try to see what is his perspective of the world and I try to draw upon his experience.  It is interesting to talk to someone who is sitting on the other side of the fence (so to speak) than an undergraduate student.

We talked about the student in one of his classes that was expelled for being caught submitting purchased essays.  He kindly "suggested" that I should write all of my own dissertations and not try to cut corners.

If I have learned anything from him over the years it is this: his advice should always be followed.