I used to do ALL the things not to do when writing an essay (here's how I stopped)

Hi friends! I'm Taurus, and I'm a recovering procrastinator. It's been 6 months since my last all-nighter. (Applause please! )

Seriously though, when I started college, my essay writing process was a disaster. I would do literally every single one of the things not to do when writing an essay that you can imagine. Wait until the night before? Check. Write one draft and submit it without proofreading? Check. Use the word "plethora" seven times because I thought it made me sound smart? CHECK.

It took a solid B- on a paper I actually worked hard on (or so I thought) to wake me up. My professor's comment? "Good ideas, but the structure is all over the place and the conclusion doesn't match the introduction." Ouch.

So I made a change. Now, before I write a single word, I spend time outlining. Like, a real outline with bullet points for each paragraph and the sources I'll use. It takes an hour, but it saves me ten hours of confusion later. I also started reading my essays out loud to catch awkward phrasing. Game. Changer.

What's the one bad habit you've kicked to the curb? Let's celebrate our growth!

Taurus, this is such an inspiring post! I'm studying to be a teacher, so I love hearing about these "aha!" moments. That professor's feedback was blunt but clearly effective. Reading out loud is SUCH a powerful tool—I tell my tutoring students to do it all the time. It tricks your brain into actually hearing the mistakes.

Another trick I love is changing the font before you proofread. It makes the text look unfamiliar so you actually see what's on the page instead of what you think is there. Congrats on leveling up your process!