Posts by Susan M. Inez:
Would you write an email to your boss using the same word choices and style that you’d use to send an email or text to your friend? Would you start your email to your boss with “Hey dude, wassup?” Probably not. Why? Because writing to your boss demands a...
2019.9.23 / by Susan M. Inez
Imagine you’re auditioning to be a contestant on a cool new TV show that requires you to traverse the country in search of clues. If you get to the final destination first, you win a million dollars. (Not a bad deal, right?) As you step in front of a panel of...
2019.8.26 / by Susan M. Inez
Let’s say you’re a single person who’s looking for a significant other but can’t seem to find any normal people at school or at work, so you decide to try an online dating app. You want your profile to stand out among potential dates, so you carefully select...
2019.8.19 / by Susan M. Inez
What makes you so special? At one time or another, someone has probably asked you this snarky question to call you out on something. But when it comes to college admissions essays, it’s a downright serious question. The people reading essays really do want to...
2019.8.5 / by Susan M. Inez
Think essay titles don’t really matter? Think your profs don’t care whether you have an interesting and original title? Think again. Here’s a quick math equation to help explain why titles do matter. English profs often teach 4 classes each semester, with...
2019.7.22 / by Susan M. Inez
Remember those packs of building blocks you used to get as a kid? Each pack contained just enough tiny pieces to construct your favorite superhero, princess, or jet fighter. As a child, you likely relied on the picture on the front of the plastic package, rather...
2019.7.15 / by Susan M. Inez
One of your worst nightmares comes true: public speaking. Your next speech is due within days, and you imagine yourself standing in front of the class, shaking uncontrollably, and suddenly unable to remember anything you’re supposed to say. Your professor seems...
2019.7.8 / by Susan M. Inez
It’s late Sunday night, and you’ve spent more time than you should binge-watching your favorite crime drama. Even though you most certainly feel like those eight hours were time well-spent, they did nothing to help you think of a good topic for your upcoming...
2019.6.24 / by Susan M. Inez
Hungry for tacos? Feel like you can’t fully concentrate on your writing assignment until you make a trip for a late-night snack? As tempting as a few tacos and a burrito sound right now, don’t rush to satisfy your cravings just yet. Instead, continue reading...
2019.6.17 / by Susan M. Inez
Tell me if this has happened to you: your phone gets dunked in water (we won’t discuss how), and you start researching to see if putting it in rice will actually save it. You read a few blog posts and watch a few videos. But instead of immediately putting your...
2019.6.10 / by Susan M. Inez
Imagine getting hired as a bus driver, and on your first day on the job, your boss tells you to “start driving.” Your first reaction might be, “Um…okay, where should I go?” Without a clear idea of where you should be driving (or for that matter, where...
2019.6.3 / by Susan M. Inez
When you were a child, how many times did your parents say “absolutely not” when you asked for something? How many of those times did you persuade your parents to finally say yes? Sometimes it’s a given that you’ll never be able to convince your parents....
2019.5.20 / by Susan M. Inez
Let’s say you’re sitting in class, and you make any random claim like “Professor Smith never eats fast food” or “the neighbor’s dog is stealing my dog’s toys.” Your friend might tell you to “prove it” or might ask, “How do you know?” What...
2019.5.13 / by Susan M. Inez
Read this post to get an awesome grade on your next essay! Okay, so I can’t exactly promise that by reading this post alone you’ll get an awesome grade on your next paper. But that opening line likely grabbed your attention, right? You’re still reading this...
2019.5.6 / by Susan M. Inez
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is an old saying that means you shouldn’t judge something (or someone) by appearances only. If you literally shouldn’t judge a book’s merits by cover art alone, then what should you do to learn more about a book (aside...
2019.4.29 / by Susan M. Inez
I’m pretty sure we’ve all texted someone and experienced autocorrect turning our statements into nonsensical garbage or something totally unintended. You know the types of texts. “Meet me at the library” somehow turns into “Meet me at the liberty,”...
2019.4.22 / by Susan M. Inez
Your heart is pounding so hard that you’re positive everyone in the room can hear it. Beads of sweat form on your brow as you try to load your presentation. You pause and breathe deeply. It does nothing to calm you. The presentation finally loads … but...
2019.4.15 / by Susan M. Inez
Ever wake up and say to yourself, “I need to make some changes in my life”? Maybe you want a new job, a new college major, a new significant other, or even a new haircut. Whatever it happens to be, you know that something has to change. If you’ve ever felt...
2019.4.1 / by Susan M. Inez
You’ve just finished reading The Handmaid’s Tale. You know the plot backward and forward. You know all about chemical spills, the oppression of women, declining fertility rates, and the story of a Handmaid (Offred) and her life in a totalitarian society. The...
2019.3.18 / by Susan M. Inez
“You held me down, but I got up Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough” —“Roar” by Katy Perry “R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Take care, TCB” ...
2019.3.4 / by Susan M. Inez
Creative geniuses cannot create their masterpieces until they’re inspired. Perhaps you’re that creative genius who simply hasn’t been inspired to write a thesis statement to help focus your thoughts for your upcoming compare and contrast essay. Perhaps...
2019.2.18 / by Susan M. Inez