“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Have you ever had a job that made it feel like you weren’t even working? Maybe you enjoy the field or it challenges you to develop in different ways. Maybe your coworkers keep you entertained, or your clients are interesting and fun to be around. As a Writing Studio consultant at Concordia, I can confidently say that I experience all of these within my job, which always makes me excited to come to work! Here are my top 5 favorite things about working in the Writing Studio:
- I get to watch others improve their writing abilities. Writing is crucial for developing, growing, and succeeding in school and as a professional in any field. Working in the Writing Studio allows me to help all writers, whether they are novice or skilled, to improve their writing abilities. When I help writers approach a difficult paper, point out repetitive errors, give advice on structure and format, or praise a writer’s strengths, I am able to watch them learn and improve. It is always fantastic to have consultations with the same writer for multiple papers because I see them grow a little more each time. With every new paper, they continue to perfect their strengths and work hard to improve their weaknesses. The improvement writers show is the main reason I love what I do.
- I have become a stronger writer. As a Writing Studio consultant, I do not just help students with papers, but I have also grown as a writer! I have been given the time, resources, and opportunities to study all aspects of writings, such as brainstorming techniques, thesis development, formatting, effective organization, and grammar. I have been able to talk to professors about how to write in their specific disciplines, read books about writing methods, and research different writing techniques and skills. In addition, I had the opportunity to attend the Southern California Writing Center Association conference and learn from other universities’ writing consultants. Through all of these learning opportunities, I have not only become a better Writing Studio consultant, but also a better writer.
- I get to learn from students with different backgrounds and majors. By listening to my fellow students read through their papers, I have learned useful and insightful knowledge on business strategy, music analysis, research methods, and literary analysis, as well as compelling personal anecdotes and cultural differences. I especially love working with personal narratives because students share stories that tug at my emotions, make me laugh (like one story when a student almost burnt down their own house), and show me all the adventures there are to experience in life!
- I get to network with professors and other writing scholars. The Writing Studio’s motto is “Any Course. Any Paper. Any Time.” In order to uphold our motto, I have had to learn about writing in various disciplines through faculty who hold workshops or send emails and handouts about what they expect from their students’ papers. Talking with professors and students from different disciplines has helped me to become an informed, well-rounded writer and student.
- I get to have fun conversations. For me to give proper feedback to a student and for them to properly receive it, I need to quickly make a connection with them through conversation. As we discuss their paper, I am able to ask them questions about why they chose a topic and talk about what gives them motivation for what they are doing. I get to talk to students about their achievements and past experiences when helping them with resumes, or hear more about their lives through their personal narratives. Working in the Writing Studio does not feel like work; it just feels like getting to know someone by having a conversation over their paper.