From Procrastination to Progress

Writing is a journey. As university students we may often think that this journey is meant to be taken alone. My first encounter with writing was a solitary act. Going at it alone resulted in procrastination, feelings of self-doubt, and writers’ block. But when I began working with Writing Support at the Student Success Centre (SSC), my approach to writing began to change. Many students think that Writing Support is a last resort, or worry that getting support means that that they don’t have what it takes to be a university-level writer. But take it from an English major, the SSC is a space for all UCalgary students to connect with tutors who are equipped with skills that go beyond the classroom and can support students at every level of writing. 

Here are just a few of the writing challenges that SSC’s writing tutors have supported me with: 

1. Trouble with thesis statements 

Arguably, a thesis statement is the backbone of any academic paper. The pressure of finding a strong thesis to fucus your paper can be stressful, taking that on alone is not your only option. Talking to a writing tutor helped me realize that there are many ways to go about writing a thesis statement. SSC writing tutors have resources and guidance that can help you develop formulas and check-lists for thesis statements. But working with a tutor goes beyond formulas and guides. Arriving with a broad idea and leaving with a fully fleshed-out, coherent thesis statement is possible during a 30-minute appointment. Trust me when I say that a core argument can be teased out from your subconscious through conversation, and my creative process has always been respected when working with tutors. 

2. Articulating my ideas 

Having all the ideas but no way to put them down on paper is my absolute favorite thing about writing (just kidding)! After all, I do know what I’m doing to some extent, right? A session with the tutors usually starts with guiding questions that help me to organize my thoughts. These questions set realistic expectations for what can be accomplished during a meeting. Regardless of what type of assignment I bring to an appointment, SSC writing tutors can help me find a clear structure. An implicit message I always walk away with is that there are different ways to communicate my ideas. Tutors help me to consider the audience I am writing for, within a university context, and to use this as a tool to helped me write better. The pressure of writing academically used to be a daunting task, now it is a challenge I am equipped to face. 

3. Organizing main points 

The editing process is very inclusive in the sense that these tutors take you on the editing journey with them. Tutors always provide an explanation when giving feedback and making suggestions. Simple practices like reading my writing out loud and asking me questions about what points I am trying to convey have made a big difference in helping me organize my ideas. One useful tip I have started implementing in writing is rearranging sentences in order to improve clarity. Typically, after discussing how my ideas are organized, it is likely that ideas and sentences can get moved around. But this is a collaborative process and I have grown to appreciate how writing tutors always make a note to preserve my style of writing when making recommendations to improve the organization of my work.

In the end, my experience with Writing Support is unique to my own writing journey. SSC Writing support has helped me a lot with my process and they will be able to help you with your unique process as well. We—and this is the collective of belonging to the University of Calgary student body— are so fortunate to have a space that caters to our writing. I have recommended the SSC’s writing tutors to friends from different faculties and they have left their appointments sharing my sentiments. You are always leaving with more than you started with! 

To learn more about SSC Writing Support visit: https://ucalgary.ca/student-services/student-success/writing-support