Welcome back to the season of essays. It is not always an easy task to keep up with all of the writing assignments. Sometimes, it is even harder to prevent the curse of procrastination, so here are some tips for students that can help:

• Put on some background music
• Have a snack handy
• Have a dedicated space to write in
• Start small with bullet points covering the overall point of the assignment
• If you need extra support, visit the Writing Center

The Writing Center is located in a lounge in the basement of Harden Hall filled with student tutors waiting to help their peers with their writing assignments. The lounge itself is covered with warm lighting and comfortable seating for visitors to cultivate a perfect space for starting or finishing their essays. 

The tutors are a group of diverse students who all have different reasons for joining the Writing Center. However, they are all proud to see their peers improving and finding their voices in writing after just a few visits. Meeting students face-to-face, finding their writing style and working through their thought process gives them a great sense of accomplishment. 

Molly Sobiechowski, a new addition to the tutoring staff, joined because of her love and appreciation for writing and helping her peers. Her favorite genre of writing is literary analysis, which helps her be a passionate tutor and a friendly face for students. 

Another tutor, Maria Hoenke, is gaining experience in tutoring before starting her career in education. 

“I appreciate working with other students and seeing students improve,” she said.

The writing center is walk-in friendly, so there is no need to worry about making an appointment. It provides an alternative location to the library while it is under renovation, with the added benefit of tutors. The main writing center is located in Harden Hall, left of Fieras.

There are also two satellite locations available this semester, so if you happen to find yourself in the PEIF and suddenly remember you have an essay due soon, you can find a tutor there. If you live in the Woods dorms and find yourself in the same predicament, then you might find the writing tutors mixed among others in the tutoring lounge.

Students can also make an appointment to speak to a tutor online by visiting Schedule a Virtual Tutoring Session | NMU Writing Center. Currently, there is no drop-in option for online tutoring, but if one is not able to make it in person, this is could be a solution. Students can also visit their webpage at Home | NMU Writing Center and find plenty of guides and resources for formatting different types of essays. 

The Writing Center strives to make connections with students and help them to reach out in as many ways as possible. There is no escaping the writing assignments we all have to endure over the semester, so make yourself comfortable in the Writing Center. Their tutors are always happy to help.