Tell me if this has happened to you: your phone gets dunked in water (we won’t discuss how), and you start researching to see if putting it in rice will actually save it. You read a few blog posts and watch a few videos. But instead of immediately putting your...

Imagine getting hired as a bus driver, and on your first day on the job, your boss tells you to “start driving.” Your first reaction might be, “Um…okay, where should I go?” Without a clear idea of where you should be driving (or for that matter, where...

With all the writing you do during the school year, one of the last things you might want to do during summer vacation is write some more. However, keeping up a consistent writing habit will help build your skills (and may even lead to more enjoyment when you’re...

When you were a child, how many times did your parents say “absolutely not” when you asked for something? How many of those times did you persuade your parents to finally say yes? Sometimes it’s a given that you’ll never be able to convince your parents....

Let’s say you’re sitting in class, and you make any random claim like “Professor Smith never eats fast food” or “the neighbor’s dog is stealing my dog’s toys.” Your friend might tell you to “prove it” or might ask, “How do you know?” What...

Read this post to get an awesome grade on your next essay! Okay, so I can’t exactly promise that by reading this post alone you’ll get an awesome grade on your next paper. But that opening line likely grabbed your attention, right? You’re still reading this...

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is an old saying that means you shouldn’t judge something (or someone) by appearances only. If you literally shouldn’t judge a book’s merits by cover art alone, then what should you do to learn more about a book (aside...

I’m pretty sure we’ve all texted someone and experienced autocorrect turning our statements into nonsensical garbage or something totally unintended. You know the types of texts. “Meet me at the library” somehow turns into “Meet me at the liberty,”...

Your heart is pounding so hard that you’re positive everyone in the room can hear it. Beads of sweat form on your brow as you try to load your presentation. You pause and breathe deeply. It does nothing to calm you. The presentation finally loads … but...

Most people run into some form of satire in their day-to-day lives—from comedians talking about politics to online comics criticizing the education system. But somehow, when students have to read or write satire for class, they tend to get a little lost. Most...

Ever wake up and say to yourself, “I need to make some changes in my life”? Maybe you want a new job, a new college major, a new significant other, or even a new haircut. Whatever it happens to be, you know that something has to change. If you’ve ever felt...

I bet you’re no stranger to electronic communication. There’s a good chance that you and everyone you know are using Twitter, text messages, and Facebook Messenger almost daily. And this is good news because it means that you’re practicing your communication...

You’ve just finished reading The Handmaid’s Tale. You know the plot backward and forward. You know all about chemical spills, the oppression of women, declining fertility rates, and the story of a Handmaid (Offred) and her life in a totalitarian society. The...

What is it about compare and contrast essays that makes them so difficult to get started? Maybe it’s having to juggle two different subjects in one essay. Usually you set your sights on one topic and tackle it directly. However, with a compare and contrast essay,...

“You held me down, but I got up Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough”           —“Roar” by Katy Perry “R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Take care, TCB”      ...

Think you’re ready to write your synthesis essay outline? That’s awesome! But I’m going to ask you for a favor: pump your brakes for a second, so you can ask yourself this question: Have I ever written a synthesis essay before? If the answer is no, then you’ll...

Creative geniuses cannot create their masterpieces until they’re inspired. Perhaps you’re that creative genius who simply hasn’t been inspired to write a thesis statement to help focus your thoughts for your upcoming compare and contrast essay. Perhaps...

If you’ve ever found yourself in a new romantic relationship, you probably know that there are three tiny words that can make or break it all: “I love you.” Those three little words can wreak havoc on anyone. Should you say, “I love you”? What if the...

Most of us can relate to film, television, or literary characters. Many of us are like Wonder Woman–professional, successful, and heroic all at once. Others are mild-mannered reporters (or other professionals) by day and like Superman by night, saving...

I’m almost positive you’ve been given at least one assignment in your academic career that was nothing more than busy work. You know the type: one that requires you to fill in the blanks by finding the correct word from a course reading or one that asks you...

Question: Who actually writes letters these days? Answer: Everyone, including you! Traditional, handwritten “snail-mail” letters might seem like they’re on the endangered species list, but that doesn’t mean that letter writing isn’t alive and well. Writing...