Welcome back to LSE! I hope that for anyone reading this, you had a wonderful winter break and were able to spend time with family and loved ones. It is such a challenging and difficult time for all of us right now with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, so taking time away from it all and relaxing is very important. But now with Lent Term here and all of us resuming our responsibilities, I hope you are feeling recharged and ready to go!
If you’re like my students in HY116: International Politics since 1914: Peace and War, then you likely have another essay due soon. For my students, their second essays are due at the end of Week 3. Coming back from a long break and having to dive right into an essay can be tough, so here are some tips to make sure you are on top of your game for this next piece of work.
First off, review the feedback you received on any Michaelmas Term essays and written work. It’s vital that you are incorporating your professor or class teacher’s suggestions and trying to understand how to improve your performance. It can be easy to make the same mistakes again, so the easiest way to avoid that is by taking previous critiques to heart and trying to avoid them this time around.
Something else I’d recommend is meeting with your professor or class teacher before your essay deadline to discuss your essay plan. Office hours are such an invaluable resource and too few students take advantage of them. It can be so helpful to get their feedback and hear what they have to say about your outlines. There’s no reason not to meet with them, so book your appointment as soon as possible.
Finally, you should always leave plenty of time before the deadline for preparing and writing your essays. Sometimes, students make the error of waiting too long to work on their essays, thinking it will take less time than it does. However, that is never true. You should always leave more time, not less, so that you have plenty of flexibility for outlining, researching, writing, and editing. Writing good essays takes time, and you should invest in it. You will only improve your skills and grow. Good luck!
