text: [Themes: edutainment, true story, humor]
  
  It is week 3 of the semester.
  
  You feel like you're on top of your studies - it's only early in the semester, everything is still easy and under control.
  
  Right?
  
  [Author's Note: This game is about how to find the most efficient way to completing your research proposal. There will be hindrances such as the couch, the internet, your social life and other commitments. You will need to strike a fine balance between staying happy and healthy and finishing your proposal on time... Good luck!]
  
  > Wrong!
  Exactly!
  
  There is no time to waste - your research proposal is due in only 4 weeks. 4 WEEKS!!!
  
  Better get to work now.
  
  Choose what you'll start with:
  
  > Reading related articles
  Great idea!
  
  Make sure you don't spend too much time reading and not enough time doing, though...
  
  Familiarising yourself with the literature will be helpful, but you shouldn't forget to conduct your own research!
  
  > You've gained a great Overview
  Excellent, you've taken the hint and started thinking about your own research.
  
  The good news is: you discovered a niche - your chosen topic has not been studied before!
  
  Now it's time to write up a literature review and think a little more about your data...
  
  > Starting the Proposal
  You find one of the most difficult aspects of this proposal is to figure out how to structure it, and also how to word it.
  
  Since this is the first research proposal of your life(!), this is quite scary and you are on unfamiliar territory...
  
  You...
  
  > Wing it!
  Really?
  
  In three years (or maybe more?) years of undergrad you haven't learned that there are rules to writing certain things, like essays, reports and possibly research proposals?
  
  How are you even starting this thing? You don't know?
  
  Well...
  
  > look at previous proposals
  Wow, this looks overwhelming...
  
  Are you going to pull this off within such a short time frame?
  
  Self-doubt is setting in.
  
  > Of course you can do it!
  That's the spirit.
  
  You start writing your literature review and find it is actually not that bad. You're interested in your research topic, so obviously articles about it are also fascinating. You enjoy learning and develop an even more refined idea about what it is you'd like to study.
  
  Research questions are becoming more apparent, you find small holes in journal articles or maybe even stumble across suggested further research. You are quickly nearing the halfway mark of the word count, but then the next section of the proposal hits you: methodology.
  
  > Methodology - what's a methodology?
  You delve into further reading and find you are required to decide on how to conduct your study.
  
  You have already chosen your data, that's a good start.
  
  Now you'll need to figure out which variables to use and then decide on an econometric model that best fits your purpose.
  
  > Great, you love econometrics!
  I'm really starting to like you...
  
  Since you're not afraid to get your hands dirty with some numbers, you'll have no issue looking at some articles (keeping your data in mind) and thinking whether the methodology used in those could also be applied to your study.
  
  Concepts like entity-demeaned OLS regressors, heteroskedasticity and cumulative normal standard distributions don't scare you!
  
  You've got this!
  
  > decide on a model
  Okay, you've identified your model of choice.
  
  You even wrote about it - your methodology section is looking great!
  
  But: you haven't actually ever modeled anything like this... You can read a textbook and you understand the concepts behind it, but how to actually construct it is a mystery to you.
  
  Will you need to become a programmer over night? Will you need to hire someone to do this for you? Will you run and never come back?
  
  > run away to the Vaterland!
  You manage to sneak into the baggage compartment of a plane heading to Berlin - very uncomfortable!
  
  You spend the worst 24 hours of your life stuck between suitcases, surfboards and bikes only to get off at the airport in the Vaterland to find the German police scanning the arrivals hall for you. You knew it - they aren't going to let you get away with this!
  
  > They spot and detain you
  'Vhat haf ve got here? Trrrrying to ezcape se rezertch propozal, are ve?'
  
  You're trying to tell the German police how badly they treat you in Australia and that you are missing the efficiency and curtness of your people, but they see through you...
  
  With a disappointed look on their face and a grimace that says: 'We thought she was better than that - tougher, more determined' they are escorting you back onto the next plane leaving to Australia.
  
  Their last words to you are:
  
  > say "You must learn how to program!"
  Good choice!
  
  Not only will this help you survive undergrad, it will also build your human capital - something we should all strive for.
  
  You feel a little lost at the start, but discover quickly that there are many great discussion fora out there, designed to let programmer freaks show off their skills to people like you. Awesome! One day this may be you helping someone to find their feet - it's the circle of life for economists!
  
  You attempt a few test runs in your chosen program, and see there: it works!
  
  > Finishing your proposal
  Your proposal is written!
  
  Sure, it needs polishing, but hey, at least it's almost done.
  
  All sections are neatly in order, nothing is missing... you've even tackled the methodology!
  
  See what a bit of perseverance can do? And you were thinking about fleeing the country - what nonsense!
  
  You quickly design a presentation for tomorrow and practice it on your cat.
  
  You decide to:
  
  > go to bed early
  You wake up - it is 3am.
  
  This didn't go to plan, you were meant to sleep until 6:30...
  
  You try to go back to sleep, but it's not working.
  
  You get up, stroll through the house. You scare your flighty cat.
  
  You make tea - green tea - it's said to be calming.
  
  At 6am, you get tired.
  
  Just five more minutes, you think... just three more...
  
  > Quick, coffee!
  A strong cup of java ought to fix you right up - thank goodness for caffeine!
  
  Now, off to uni!
  
  > Presenting your proposal
  It's time - this is the moment you've been preparing for!
  
  You present your ideas and your supervisor and peers seem to like them (well, at least they haven't fallen asleep).
  
  You take away some new ideas - you've gained good feedback and are willing to implement suggestions.
  
  So, where to from here?
  
  > Next stage
  Congratulations, you've succeeded in completing your research proposal!
  
  Well done, I know it was challenging and some hard work was required.
  
  From here, you will need to:
  
  - take a short break (your body and mind will thank you)
  
  - keep working on your research, the methodology section will need particular attention now
  
  - obtain some results
  
  - remember: there are only 5 weeks of uni left - work efficiently and don't waste time running off again.
  
  Thanks for playing, and good luck with the research!