Writing essays can be tough, especially if you’re not in the right mindset or you’re not prepared enough. Here are some tips that will help you focus in and write an A-worthy essay.
Outline your ideas:
Making an outline for an essay is probably the best thing you can do when you don’t want to write something. It may seem time consuming and unnecessary, but it can make the actual process of writing the paper go faster and easier. This is especially helpful if you don’t know what you want to write about yet, because you can try out a few ideas without fully committing to one.
Look over the requirements:
Something that always helps me get on track with an essay is looking over the guidelines that the professor provided a few times. This helps me feel like I have a better understanding of what is being asked, and it sometimes gives me ideas if I look at it for long enough.
Go somewhere where you won’t be distracted:
The place I always go whenever I need to really buckle down and focus on an essay is the library. If you like a good amount of background noise to help you focus, the first floor of the library is a great place to be. There are always tons of people there; if you don’t like that, the second and third floors offer a much more quiet and private place to study.
Put on some music:
One thing that always helps me write is playing some music because I can’t handle writing in silence. I usually put on classical music because there aren’t any words and I won’t be tempted to stop writing to sing along. But if a different genre works best for you, then go with that!
Get help:
If you really can’t get through an essay, consider going to the writing center or emailing your professor. Either of those resources can really help you get on track with your paper, and they can give you some good ideas that you can take and use. Asking your professor is especially helpful because they are the only people who know exactly what they want out of the assignment.
Every college student will have to write what seems like millions of essays, but you can use these tips to make the process a lot smoother and less stressful.