#weeklywednesdaywisdom: Writing Exercise

Happy Wednesday!

I don't know if you guys can tell, but I love writing #weeklywednesdaywisdom. Maybe it's from working in Admissions for two weeks now or helping Professor Eichhorn get the FYS program ready. I'm excited to meet you all in the fall and I'm also excited that I get to write this weekly post to help you guys get ready for all the fun you'll have on campus.

But enough about me, time to focus on you. That's the point of this feature, is it not? Today's topic: the writing exercise. I'm sure some of you have already completed it, and if you have, good work! Way to get an early start. For those of you who have not, never fear, there are still two more sessions this summer; one in July (16-19) and in August (3-6).

Since I did my writing exercise on campus, handwritten, during Orientation Week, I hopped onto Moodle to check out what your format is. It looks like it's the same thing I did when I was a freshman, but online and you are able to type it up and think about it. Lucky you! Here are my pointers for those who have not taken the online writing exercise.

Read the guidelines ahead of time: On the bottom of the Moodle page is a link to a page of guidelines. READ THEM. Doesn't seem that hard but people sometimes skip over that step. Make sure you understand how you need to submit your document and what the committee is looking for.


Utilize as many days as you can: What's nice about this assignment is that you have several days to complete this assignment. For me, some of my best writing is done when I write the paper the first day and then come back the next day or even the day after that and review what I've written. Just an eight to ten hour span between writing the section and then rereading it gives your brain enough time to refresh itself and give you a new (and better) perspective on what you've written. Or, don't even write anything on the first day; use that first day to read the prompts and start to think about how you're going to tackle them.

Reread what you've written before you submit it: This might seem self-explanatory, but after working with first-years last year as a Writing Fellow, revision isn't always covered in high school curriculum. I am a firm believer in revision; yes, your first draft is good but it's simply that, a draft. A reread and revision allows you to better define what you're trying to say and clear up anything that isn't as polished the first time around. REVISION IS OKAY. Throughout your years at Coe, revision is going to be a big deal. Many professors let you write a paper and then give you the opportunity to revise it and submit it again for a better grade. Might as well get into the practice of revision before you even step foot on campus.

Don't stress out about the writing exercise: If I were to guess, some of you are freaking out about the writing exercise. Yes, this is important, an exercise you should take seriously, but at the same time, a freakout is not necessary. If you are freaking out, take a deep breath. Everything will be okay. Do your best, because that's all we are asking for.

And, if you have more questions or concerns, Heidi Heaton (heheaton@coe.edu) is just the person to ask. She's actually my roommate (been my roommate for the past two years) and is an all around wonderful person. Heidi is the student overseeing the three writing exercises so she has the low-down if anyone has any concerns or problems.

Best of luck on the writing exercise. I hope you're all having a good summer and if you have any questions, let me know! :)

#summerwriting
#writingswag
#preparingforcollege