Where Do You Begin?
Updated: Apr 7, 2021
You're under pressure to write stellar college essays that will change lives, save the world, and get you into your dream school. It's not an ideal state of mind. But that's where you begin – with an honest assessment of your thoughts, especially the distracting ones that drive you crazy!
Check out College Essay Ink's Six-Step Guide to determine where you are in the writing process. And the next time you sit down to write, remember to relax and get centered. If you sing, dance, or play sports, then you already know the importance of deep breathing and visualization. It's hard to positively engage when you're feeling scattered.
Try this simple practice: Take a five-second inhale through your nose, hold for five counts, then release through your mouth, slow and steady for another five. Repeat a few times.
Then, visualize your writing goal. Are you still in the brainstorming phase? Or developing a key idea? Set a doable task that can be completed in a limited chunk of time. For example, tell yourself: "In this next draft, I'm going to explore how this key experience changed me." Set a timer for 10 minutes, and commit to your writing choice.
College essay writing has become a stressful rite of passage. Be kind to yourself along the way. Your imagination will thank you.