In this post we decided to set problematic aspects of essay writing aside and give you a few general pieces of advice that will make the process easier for you (at least, we hope so). Read, enjoy and use them wisely.
First of all, relax. Once you stop treating this assignment as a pain in the neck, practically all the stress will go away. This is only an essay, and it will not decide whether you succeed in life and whether you stay at college. Even if you fail the course, this is not the end of the world. Don’t make yourself worry more than you should.
Another way to make the process more pleasant for you is to find something exciting to write about. The point is, you can not only boost your research skills and earn a grade, but also learn something new and relevant. It’s probably not as exciting as watching Netflix, but to some extent it still can be fun.
Here is a trick for finding a good topic. Ask someone else. Amazingly, when a person is not under pressure (as it is not he who will be writing the paper) he might come up with better ideas.
Invent a ritual that will help you set yourself to work. What is it for you? A cup of coffee? Glasses on? Mobile off? Whatever usually helps you concentrate. Also, find a good place and time to write. By working when it is non-productive for you to work, you only waste time and achieve poor outcome. Don’t force yourself and better work more during the next productive session. The same applies to where you write. If the lighting is bad and there is a noisy party across the hall, you will spend efforts in vain.
We will not tell you here about structuring your essay and writing an outline. Instead, we will advise this: always plan before you get to writing. It is amazing how many students neglect to do so. Putting your thoughts on paper helps you understand and see the flaws in your logic. This way you can fix them much easier than after all the writing is done.
Once your thoughts are put together, and it seems that the train of thought is smooth and uninterrupted, go down to writing.
If you were careful enough to start early, you would have time to put your paper aside for some time and then go back to it. This simple exercise will let you see mistakes you haven’t noticed before. Try it after the first draft, a couple of times in the process and finally when the paper is ready.
Edit ruthlessly and do not be afraid to cut big parts of the text – you will be better off without them, if they don’t fit. It might be difficult at first, but soon you will learn to treat it lightly.
Engage other people. Not many of them are willing to read your papers, but some of them will – don’t lose that chance. Their criticism and notes will serve you well.
Last but not least, don’t let your spirits sink. There are thousands of students who did it before you and who will do it after you graduate. They all coped and so can you. Although the task might seem impossible to fulfill, it certainly can be tackled. No matter what. The secret is to be confident, to write about what you like and plan ahead. The rest are technicalities.