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Writing Studio
By Makenna Myers, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 1/12/2021 - 3 minute read
I’m going to tell you an embarrassing story. It was the second semester of my sophomore year, and I had just started working as a Writing Studio consultant. We were doing a series of short presentations in our staff meetings and I, the lucky new girl, had the first slot. I dutifully put together my presentation about writing introduction paragraphs, complete with a fancy Prezi. I stood up in front of my new coworkers and was struck with the most sudden and overwhelming stage fright I have ever experienced. I suddenly knew nothing about introductions or how to form a sentence, my mind stuck in panic mode. I did my best to collect myself and fumbled through the content I’d worked so hard to prepare. Midway through the disastrous presentation, a horrible realization hit me—I forgot to give my introduction… to my presentation about introductions.
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By Alec Leissring, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 12/10/2020 - 3 minute read
One of my favorite things to do is to travel. By travel, I mean seeing different sights (even if it’s just the beach twenty minutes away!) and experiencing something new. I notice that when I travel I talk to God more because I have left my busy and routine life behind me. I feel blessed for being able to experience His beauty, which I sometimes glance over or forget completely in the busyness of my everyday life. Although I haven’t been able to travel to faraway destinations recently, I have found journaling through the Psalms to be a helpful escape during this time when I feel trapped in my room. Journaling through the Psalms has reminded me that I can be happy in the midst of struggles and anxiety because of the great blessings I still have in my everyday life. So, grab your Bible and journal, find your quiet space or travel to whatever landscape you love (hills, mountains, city, coffee shops, beaches, etc.), and let’s begin!
By Kirstie Skogerboe, Writing Studio consultant Posted on 11/17/2020 - 2 minute read
Philip Sidney, heartthrob poet of the mid 1500s, wrote a piece around 1581 entitled “The Defence of Poesy.” Its lesser-known title, per Dr. Kerri Tom’s 2020 Major English Writers class, is, “Why Everyone Should Read Fiction.”
By Denise Sprimont, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 3/23/2020 - 3 minute read
The coronavirus pandemic has affected people worldwide, but it has uniquely affected students. It has disrupted schedules, forced classes to transition to online formats, made students evacuate campus, and forced many to live a very different life than they were living just a few weeks ago. At times, a disruption in schedule and routine can make students feel unmotivated, and even like they’re stagnant in learning! At the Writing Studio, we know it’s hard to stay motivated when everything is so uncertain. Here are a few tips to help you stay motivated and finish the semester strong, regardless of where you’re studying!
By Zoie Moore, Writing Studio consultant Posted on 3/9/2020 - 2 minute read
I am only one and a half semester into my experience as a consultant at the Writing Studio, and I have already lost count of how many times I have had the same frustrating conversation.
By Makenna Myers, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 2/20/2020 - 2 minute read
I rip the wide ruled pages from my pink floral composition book, the loose sheets fluttering to the floor. My hands shake as I ball up dozens of pages full of my own handwriting and tearfully mash them into the bottom of the trashcan. I stand there for a moment and let the realization wash over me—I’m twelve years old and my writing career is over.
By Ingrid Becker, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 2/14/2020 - 3 minute read
Have you ever tried to bake a cake? Whether you bake a cake from scratch or use a boxed recipe, cakes take a lot of work! From finding and measuring out the ingredients to mixing them together to putting the batter in the oven, cakes take time, patience, and work to make. Writing is similar to the process of baking a cake. Whether it be a poem for your creative writing class, a research paper for your core history class, or even an academic showcase, all forms of writing require these three main ingredients: time, patience, and work. By comparing the process of baking a cake to writing, we can understand the importance of each step in the writing process.
By Natalie Wellman, Writing Studio consultant Posted on 1/27/2020 - 3 minute read
When professors announce that an exam will be in essay format, students experience several emotions. Some are ecstatic because they are better at writing than taking multiple-choice exams. Others are unsure or terrified because they struggle with formulating their ideas into words. Wherever you are on this spectrum, I’m here to help! Here are three tips for thriving on your essay exams:
By Noorah Alfaddagh, Writing Studio consultant Posted on 1/16/2020 - 2 minute read
After a long and glorious winter break, it can be difficult to get back into the swing of a new semester, especially when it comes to those writing projects. One way to boost your writing energy and motivation after a long break is to find a new, exciting writing environment. Thankfully, there are an abundance of perfect writing spots less than twenty minutes from campus. Check them out, and get your writing back on track.
By Owen Duncan, Writing Studio Consultant Posted on 11/15/2019 - 2 minute read
It’s happened to almost everyone. You have some paper for a class that slips under the radar somehow; maybe it was on the syllabus but you never got around to writing down the due dates on your calendar; maybe you lost your calendar; maybe you’ve been so crazy busy that you only just now had time to look at your calendar. How you got here doesn’t matter; what matters is that your paper is due tomorrow.