Midterm season is upon the Seton Hall community. With assignment due dates looming, some students might be facing a severe case of procrastination. Some dread writing papers, as they prove to be a tedious task.
Even with an abundant amount of time to write it, they might find it hard to sit down and focus to get the job done. Students shared five tips on how to focus and write that paper that they just don’t want to write:
Get yourself in the mood
Students might have a hard time staying focused when writing a paper. Moji Adesanya, a freshman biology major, said that she has to clear her mind and get herself in the zone when she needs to write a paper.
“I usually listen to music,” Adesanya said. “I like typing to a rhythm, and music helps keep my mind active.”
Adesanya also keeps herself active by going for a walk to clear her head before she can focus.
Create an outline
Elizabeth Rauchet, a freshman English major, said that compiling a detailed outline before writing the actual paper helps her easily write an essay.
“I like to write my thesis before anything else, and then make an outline of what each paragraph is about,” Rauchet said.
She also selects quotes and places them in each paragraph summary if the paper requires citations. With this outline, Rauchet said she can easily start her paper and finish it quickly.
Students find that creating an outline before writing their papers helps.
Get yourself motivated
Another way Rauchet fights procrastination is by talking to a good friend to help her get motivated.
“I always like to talk to my one friend because she motivates me to get it done early and on time,” Rauchet said.
She also mentioned that they will often FaceTime and write their papers together to keep each other focused. Rauchet said that having a friend to remind her to do her work is very helpful when she does not want to complete an assignment.
Remove yourself from all distractions
Students might find it easier to write a paper when they relocate to a place with little to no distractions. Some people prefer to do work in their rooms alone, some go to the lounges and others walk to the library to complete their work.
Cell phones might pose a huge distraction, so some students silence their phones and store them away until they have finished their work.
Another method a student might find beneficial is giving his or her phone to a friend with the orders not to return it until he or she has finished writing the paper.
Make a plan and stick to it
Christopher Au, a senior accounting major, plans when he has a paper and completes a little bit at a time.
“Let’s say that if it’s due in three weeks, the first two weeks I will spend picking out my thesis,” Au said. “I find three to five sources and then the last week I fill in the gaps.”
The thesis and the sources allow him to get into a flow when writing a paper. He finds this approach to be very helpful and logical.
Au said, “You have a logical start, you have an end and you have three or five points that you want to hit.”
Rebecca Amrick can be reached at rebecca.amrick@student.shu.edu.
