Writing is Hard- But the Writing Lab Can Help!
In the quiet moments when I stare at my large, intimidating writing assignments and sense that knot in my stomach, sometimes it feels like I am alone in my academic fight. Writing is hard! Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Even strong writers experience the challenges that accompany composition. It is one thing to have an idea. It is another to coherently transfer those ideas onto paper. There are many factors to consider when sitting down to write a paper for school, work, or for fun. Organization, grammar, subject comprehension, sentence structure, and tone are just a few examples of the spinning plates all writers must consider.
Students rise to this challenge in different ways, and there are plenty of strategies out there to help get you through the seemingly endless waves of writing assignments. There are also external and internal factors that may make writing even more difficult. I know I am not the only one who has been struggling with perfectionism, a lack of confidence, and general, sure enough burn out.
The first and most important thing to realize about writing assignments is that you are not alone. There are resources available on the internet and provided by Regent University that will truly make a difference. The Regent Writing lab is one such resource. I joined the writing lab as a tutor in 2020 and discovered the surprising effect tutoring can have on the writing process. Reaching out, scheduling an appointment online, or testing the waters by joining a Walk-in session are all worth the effort. The first step is to visit the Writing Lab website and browse the available options. This website contains a myriad of resources like grammar and punctuation instruction, videos on how to avoid plagiarism, and formatting sample papers for APA, MLA, and Turabian.
Writing Lab tutors can help you work through your writing process and answer any questions you have about writing. The tutors are college students as well, so they understand the challenges that every student faces. Writing tutors cannot edit your work, but they will go through the paper with you and lead you to become a better self-editor.
While in person tutoring sessions are not available, you can still schedule an appointment and choose a Blackboard Collaborate or phone session. Collaborate sessions are one-on-one video calls, similar to Zoom, where we can share our screen and send you a recording of the appointment. It is completely free and students can schedule up to two sessions each week for as long as school is in session.
Never underestimate the power of a second pair of eyes. Sometimes the only thing standing in between you and an epiphany is talking out your ideas to another person. You are not alone in the fight for your degree. There is an entire team of tutors waiting in the wings to assist you should you need it.
