trying to be my best self

Just in case this helps anyone!! Go decorate those notes, friends!!

Ravenclaws are the ones who question. Who point at birds and ask why they can fly and humans can’t. They are the ones who pull up flowers to study the roots. Who would follow lines of ants when they were children. They are the ones who strike up conversation and point to the cobwebs on the ceiling. They listen to music for the instruments, not the words, and when they write, they end only because they have run out of parchment, not because they are short on things to say. They are the ones who try to teach themselves to knit. Who leave notes in the margins of books that drive librarians mad. They listen to conversation with rapt attention, gratefully jumping in whenever pause allows. They are the ones who lie awake at night, wondering about the universe and the depths of the ocean. They are the ones who find wonder in life.

Gryffindors are the ones who discover. Who plunge into the woods with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They are the ones who explore dust-ridden attics. Who fall into streams, only to find that the water is perfect temperature for swimming. They live for the sun beating against their cheeks and an untrodden path before them. They travel to places others have never heard of and return with thrilling tales and exciting stories. They are the ones who try new foods. Who watch foreign movies and dance alone in the early morning. They’ll pick a direction and drive for miles, stopping only when sleep decides to claim them. They push past flowers without fear of the thorns, cupping the small blossoms in their hands as they pass. They are the ones who find excitement in life.

Bullet journal spread 🦄 Hope everyone is having a great day, no matter where you are 💜💜

1. Know your stance: Make sure you know exactly where you stand on the issue! Which side will you take? What are your biases? The importance of a persuasive essay is to be able to assert your point while simultaneously acknowledging the opposition. State your claims and back them up.

2. Understand your topic: One of the most important aspects of a persuasive essay is the evidence that you use to back your assertions, and disprove your opposition’s argument. This can only be done if you have a very clear and thorough understanding of the topic at hand. This means doing research, research, and more research!

3. Audience: It’s important, especially in a persuasive essay, that you know your audience. While you may stand strongly on one side of the argument, keep in mind that there will always be others who don’t see the situation through the same lens as you do. It’s important in a persuasive essay to not only assert your opinions, but to also consider and address the opposing side. Whether it’s to disprove an argument, or to concede to some valid points, it’s essential to acknowledge the other side.

4. Structure is key: The foundation of a good essay (of any kind) is in its organization. The introduction to your essay should grab the audience’s attention, state your thesis, as well as provide some background information on the subject at hand. The body is where the bulk of the argument comes in. Remember that each paragraph should assert a certain point (a clear topic sentence is key), and that each of your points should be backed with strong evidence. Evidence can include research, quotes, data, or real life examples etc. And finally, include a strong and succinct conclusion to round off your essay!

Tips: Remember that the flow of your essay needs to be logical, so that your reader can clearly see the point of the argument instead of getting lost in the midst of a scramble of ideas.

Additionally:

Outline and Draft! Forming an outline really helps when writing any essay. If you have written a structured and detailed outline, then writing the draft will be much easier. Flesh out the outline that you have prepared and just let your ideas flow. Don’t worry too much about wording or grammar the first time around, just try to get your ideas out onto the paper.

Revise! Congrats! You’re almost done! Now, go over and edit your draft. Really pay attention to the flow, coherence, and organization of your ideas. This is also the time to look for any grammatical errors.