How do I restate my thesis so that it sounds more academic?

You can beef up your use of Latinate or Ancient-Greek words, select the longest words instead of those pesky short ones. Add an extra phase to any sentence you feel you can. And most essential, be as obtuse as you can, so if any sentence is clear and sounds natural, then rewrite it so it is obtuse. Oh, almost forgot paragraphs and indeed even sentences may be pages long. And finish off by putting as much punctuation and as many foreign words or phrases as you can fit into every sentence. Then you are all set for an academic essay.

Though of course I would NOT write like that, and neither should you!