Departing Words From Our Seniors | Part 1

Hey everyone! It’s me, Annie, logging in to share another blog post with you! As we near the end of the semester, I’m sure most of us are beginning to realize that our senior friends are so close to graduating and moving onto the next stage of their lives. Although saying goodbye is difficult, it is so exciting to see where our friends will go next! The Writing Center family has to say our goodbyes to 13 senior tutors and 4 receptionists. To help us say our goodbyes, I reached out to our seniors to ask them to offer advice on college and writing and to explain their favorite part of the Writing Center. I’ll highlight the answers of six of our seniors in the blog this week and five more next week!

Rose Bower is a Secondary English Education major with a minor in Spanish. After graduating this semester, Rose will begin teaching at Ridgeland High School!

What advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

My biggest piece of advice is to be yourself, even in your writing! Many of us find ourselves trying to be more interesting, more intelligent, more sophisticated, just more. Readers want to hear YOU in your writing!

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

My favorite part of working at the Writing Center has been learning about different cultures, fields, and perspectives through interactions with students who I may never have encountered if it weren't for the Writing Center.

Damon Wright is a Communications major and History minor. After graduation, he hopes to pursue his Master’s degree in either Sports Management or Business Administration! He looks forward to seeing what God has in store for his future.

What advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

As for college, please get your rest. I know we are all busy and dealing with numerous responsibilities, but a lack of sleep will lead to a shutdown and major deterioration of mental health, so I recommend maximizing sleep/naps/quiet time as much as possible! As for writing, always make sure you proofread an assignment before submitting it. It can be a long and tedious process, but building that habit now will greatly benefit you in the future at whatever job you land. For incoming students, know that the professors are your friends and to never take their kindness/generosity for granted. A lot of people sacrifice a lot for the student body, so be sure to seek wisdom from faculty and staff, upperclassmen, and any others that can help you understand the inner workings of MC.

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

My favorite aspect of the Writing Center has been having the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone to connect and collaborate with various individuals from multiple different backgrounds at MC. It has truly been a blessing to meet the Writing Center family, as well as other MC students that come into the Writing Center; whether it be for a session or just to grab candy from the receptionists' desk, I will always be grateful to the Writing Center and the experiences I have gained through it. My favorite memory will forever be our in-depth discussion on the best cut of potato (French Fries, Chips, Baked Potato, Hash Browns, etc.). There is only one right answer, but I will leave that up to interpretation for any reader.

Kennedy ZumMallen is a Psychology major and English Writing minor. She is beginning a Masters of Arts in Counseling Program at Reformed Theological Seminary in June!

What writing advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

Sometimes you have to start writing even if you haven't found the "perfect" idea yet. Your first draft doesn't need to be flawless, and you can't start improving it until you've written something.

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

I've loved the people I've met while working at the Writing Center. The other tutors have become some of my best friends, and tutoring has allowed me to meet students from all departments and backgrounds who I wouldn't have met otherwise.

Rachel Summerlin is majoring in Kinesiology / Pre-Occupational Therapy major and minoring in Psychology. She is starting a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at UAB in May!

What advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

Be your own advocate. College is hard, and sometimes professors/employers/parents don't really understand since it is such a unique experience for everyone. Take days off when you need them, learn to say no, and stand up for yourself if something doesn't seem quite right. It's definitely hard to do at first, but advocating for yourself helps you advocate for others in the long run!

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

My favorite part of the WC is the community we have!! The tutors I have worked alongside the past two years have become friends and have walked through so much of life with me (aka ALL the stress of graduate school applications). I'm so grateful for the laughs and conversations that have happened within the Center walls!

Allison Hommerson is a Language, Writing, and Linguistics major with a minor in Communications. She hopes to teach Spanish and English to high school students in the fall!

What advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

My advice to incoming and current students is to not write goals off as impractical or impossible. I waited way longer than I needed to to begin studying linguistics and Spanish (what I have always wanted to study) because I was worried I wouldn't get a job or that I did not come to college prepared enough. I didn't know until I finally started pursuing this degree that there are lots of amazing opportunities as a linguistics major and that nobody else was an expert on the subject when they started college. That's what college is for!

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

My favorite part of working at the Writing Center is the people. Literally, the English department and the Writing Center have the most accepting people at MC. I am so sad to leave it.

Anna Armstrong is an English Education major! She plans to go abroad during the summer to get real-world practice using Spanish. After the summer, she is going to tutor and work in a private school!

What writing advice would you like to pass onto other college students?

As a senior, jotting down random thoughts in a first draft then later asking for a second pair of eyes has always helped my writing.

What has been your favorite part of working in the Writing Center?

I loved the conversations between fellow tutors and fellow writers. There is a lot I learned from everyone.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know our graduating senior tutors and receptionists a little more! The Writing Center will be open through Monday, May 3, so you should stop by and say bye to our seniors one last time!