Do you break into a sweat every time your professor asks you to write an essay? If you silently said yes in answer to this question then don’t be disheartened for you are not alone. A lot of students, especially international students, find it difficult to pen their thoughts down in the shape of a well written essay. Quite a large number of students suffer from writing anxieties owing to myriad factors. These factors may cause a student to come across many obstacles while writing an essay. However, the good news is that their effects are not irreversible.
Essay writing can be overly challenging for international students as it requires them to adapt to a new writing language and a new writing format. Even then, it must be understood that writing is a complex process and can be mastered with continued practice and a will to succeed. Some students fail to precisely convert thoughts into words due to language barriers while some are held back by the fear of failure. Some students struggle with the choice of the right words which best describe their feelings while some simply fail due to lack of planning and discipline.
Reasons are many, as are the solutions.
Like any other new piece of work, writing too has a learning curve of its own. A number of reasons lie behind the anxieties of a new and inexperienced writer; writing in a new language, adjusting to a new format, writing for a new audience, remembering past criticism, falling short of resources and guidance and other factors. But before you start panicking about the essay at hand, think of all the possible ways you can combat your anxieties and perform the task to the best of your abilities.
Addressing the basic hardship of an international student, the language, let us discuss the ways one can overcome this barrier. Apart from learning the many subjects, international students have an extra burden of mastering a new language which is most essential to communicating effectively with professors and peers as well as writing quality essays. There is no denying the fact that a new language can only be mastered when one communicates in it. International students must form learning groups wherein they practice and hone their language skills. Writing groups may be formed with peers where ideas can be shared, mistakes corrected and lessons learnt from each others’ experiences. Besides emotional support, working in groups offer encouragement and constructive criticism. Being a part of a group of active and positive individuals helps one stay motivated throughout the pathway to achieving one’s goals.
It must be remembered that, while writing an essay, it is important to write in a simple yet a clear and concise manner. So, don’t fret if your vocabulary is limited. For obvious reasons, a huge word bank helps you describe your thoughts more accurately, but it is completely alright if you don’t make use of big words and complex sentences in your essay for that is not its real purpose. Write to express, not to impress!
Another roadblock that students face while writing essays is lack of preparation. True, in order to put your thoughts on paper, first, you must have well constructed ideas. Essay writing will come as a burden to those who are not well versed with the topics and thus, it is very crucial to pay attention in lectures and be familiar with the subjects. Procrastination and lack of preparation leads to last minute panic which leads to confusion and disorder on paper.
The key to writing a good essay is being well informed. Information is the raw material on which you work with your tools of language and grammar to bring out a well written piece of work. And the key to being well informed is staying focused. Many a times, one loses crucial bits of information simply because he or she was not paying attention. Lectures, books, the internet are a great source of information which can be utilized to fill your knowledge pool. If you stay well acquainted with the specifics of your discipline you will not find yourself panicking at the last minute due to lack of information.
Even then, if all ways fail you and you find yourself stranded alone in the complex world of essays, take help from the experts. Ask a professor, a native student or better yet, the internet! We live in a technologically advanced world where help is just a click away. There are a variety of online forums which provide tips on writing quality essays as well as assistance in writing a good essay. International students, who face language barriers or have troubles adjusting to a new writing style, must approach and benefit from such services which excel in providing the best tips and excellent guidance on essay writing, research papers etc.
Joining a discussion forum or associating yourself with any such service providers would not only help you turn in your essay in time but also improve your writing skills for future tasks and deepen your understanding of the skills required to write a quality essay.
Essay writing requires thorough research, organization of thoughts, analytical abilities and an ability to form grammatically correct sentences. All these can be achieved with constant practice and perseverance. Writing a quality essay is not as tough a process as it may seem. With the world growing more and more empathetic towards the needs of international students and a large number of groups offering online assistance to them, an effort is being made towards simplifying the lives of international students. It is a step towards bringing them at par with the native students by providing assistance and opportunities to grow as and when needed. With such beneficial resources at hand, essay writing no longer remains a nightmare and must be taken up as a challenge to soar to new heights.