Writing essays before the holiday: some tips…
…by Clarissa / from Indonesia / studies Nursing / 1st Year of PhD
December is absolutely my favourite month of the year! I love it because it’s the month when we can have Christmas or New Year celebrations with our loved ones. With the holidays are around the corner, we students may feel overwhelmed as we need to submit essays before we can enjoy our lovely break. So I’d like to share some tips on how to prepare ourselves for writing essays, drawing from my own experiences.
- Never wait until the last minute to start writing
You have possibly heard the saying: “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. This is true. I have experienced the stressful moment of writing a last minute paper. My suggestion is to set aside plenty of time to both read and write before the submission deadline.
- Read your course handbook.
You can find all the important information including the submission time, the word limits, the assessment criteria and procedures in the handbook. If you still have questions, don’t be afraid to ask the course organiser whom, I have no doubt, will be willing to help.
- Find a perfect spot to study.
If you prefer to study in the main library (just like me), keep in mind that it might be very busy during the exams week. To get a space, I usually go there in the morning. If you don’t fine a space there, don’t worry. There are alternative study spaces which are accessible to all students throughout the University. As I don’t mind studying in a café with background noise, I sometimes go to Teviot Row House (one of the Edinburgh University Students Association’s venues).
- Take a quick break to refresh your mind
Sometimes you need inspiration to write. Walking is my favourite way to feel inspired when I get stuck in my writing. I often take a stroll to get some fresh air and feel calmer for it afterwards. Perhaps, you can visit the statue of David Hume and rub the famous golden toes which are believed to bring good luck to students!
Once you have clicked the submission button and submitted your essays, it means that it is time to relax after all the hard work. Hope you all have a joyful holiday season!
