It’s always hard to write. Even as someone who loves writing, I hate sitting down to actually do it. Especially now, with the paradoxical pandemic life of being exhausted, wired, busy, bored, lonely, and completely overwhelmed with Zoom-based social activities, it’s really, really hard to write my seemingly endless dissertation.
With campus closures and classes staying online, it can be hard to transition from the structured schedule of classes and other activities to large blocks of free time. Here are some of our tips for managing writing assignments while you’re home all day. We encourage you to mix and match techniques to suit your needs!
The title of this post is misleading. It implies that productivity and self-care are separate and opposing things. But they aren’t. We can’t be productive without taking care of ourselves. This relationship between productivity and self-care is particularly important right now, during a stressful, frightening situation where expectations on all of us nonetheless remain high. While we navigate the coronavirus pandemic together, we can try three simple things to tackle our research and writing:
Have you ever tried getting Google Translate to rap before? It’s probably one of the funniest things you can do with translate, outside of totally messing with Disney songs. When I’m not using translate as a means to laugh though, I’m using it to revise my essay by having Google read it out loud to me. Granted, that usually is also very funny, as the automated voice has a habit for tripping over lengthy sentences as well as butchering incorrect spelling of words. Use that last bit with caution though, Google Translate does have a habit for pronouncing everyday words like “get” very wrong.
When I was younger, the more pieces of punctuation I could add to a written work, the more I felt like some sort of literary genius. “Yeah, I’m ten and can use a comma, period, exclamation mark, and question mark within two sentences. I’m just that cool.”
Memorize outlines, not entire essays.
When your instructor shares the essay topic(s) before the exam, it can be tempting to memorize an entire answer in advance. However, if you have a tight schedule during exam season, this strategy may not be the best use of your time! Try memorizing only the basics: the main points that support your argument and the information that proves those points (in other words: an essay outline). This approach not only saves time but also allows for greater flexibility if the adrenaline rush of the exam provides you with new ideas!
Exam essays can be intimidating. Summarizing an entire course in a few pages doesn't seem humanly possible, right?
Well, it's certainly not an easy undertaking — but as a seasoned veteran of exam essays, I can ensure you with confidence that it IS possible. Summarized in four key takeaways, this guide is what I've learned about exam essays and how to survive them.
Life is a balancing act and sometimes it can really test our perseverance. We are constantly juggling and multitasking a number of different things from work, assignments, plans with friends, personal downtime- you name it. There can be so much on your plate that it’s hard to prioritize your mental well-being. When this happens, it’s time to take a step back and practice some self-care strategies.
When it comes to writing, every word has an impact and brings meaning along with it. In our assignments, our job is to take these different meanings and weave them together to be clear, engaging, and provide information to our audiences. Yet, when we get stumped or feel like our work is getting too repetitive, we turn to Google or Microsoft Word to help find synonyms. Sometimes this can work wonders, but other times it can have negative repercussions.
Ever email your professor or employer and click the send button, only to realize seconds later it was littered with typos and grammar mistakes?
The art of professional email writing can be challenging if you’re not too sure where to start. Learning the dos and don’ts of what to include will not only steer you in the right direction but help you develop your professional persona. Having a professional voice in writing and in speech is important because it establishes how you want to be perceived. There are so many ways you can let your professional side shine, and emails are one of them.