| How to Start a Scholarship Essay Posted: 17 Aug 2021 05:00 PM PDT College scholarships can be incredibly competitive and most of them have an essay component. While you may dread writing these essays, they're nothing to fear—the scholarship committee just wants to know a little more about you. With a strong introduction that hooks your reader, you're halfway there! But how do you start a scholarship essay? Here, you'll find some great ideas for how to start, along with some general writing strategies that you can carry through to the rest of your essay. [Edit]Include the 3 key elements of an introduction. - Get your readers' attention, give an overview, and list a thesis statement. Start the intro with an attention-grabbing first sentence to draw your readers in. Then, write a few sentences that summarize what your essay will cover. Finish the introduction paragraph with a short thesis statement that directly answers the prompt.[1]
- A great intro sentence could be something like, "I never thought I'd have to raise my siblings," or, "On April 7, 1997, my life completely changed."
- Your overview sentences could go on to say, "My parents struggled to look after us, so I become the only constant in my brothers' lives. I had to grow up fast, but I also learned a lot about myself in the process."
- Your thesis statement might look like this, "I realized that I have a lot to offer and I'm starting a career in social work. This scholarship will give me the financial support that I need to start my educational journey."
[Edit]Open with an element of surprise. - Use a surprising or shocking fact about yourself to draw in the reader. If there's something about you that's extremely unusual, you can sometimes use it to your advantage. Start your essay with a more conventional description of you, then transition into the unexpected to surprise your reader and make them want to know more.[2]
- For example, you might write: "If you looked at my parents' mantle, overflowing with trophies and medals, you'd probably conclude that I was an athlete. But what you wouldn't know is that I was born with only one leg."
[Edit]Compare yourself to the scholarship's namesake. - Show what you have in common with the person for whom the scholarship is named. Many scholarships are created in honor or in memory of another person. Read up on that person and find out what you have in common with them. Drawing parallels between their life and yours could give you a leg up for the scholarship.[3]
- For example, you might write: "Mary Lewis dedicated her life to improving her community with public vegetable gardens. Last year, I worked with fellow disabled students to create a sustainable vegetable garden at our school that was accessible to others with disabilities."
[Edit]Raise a question. - Ask your readers a question to stir their curiosity about the answer. Rhetorical questions can be tough to use in writing. But done correctly, a question can help you set the stage for the rest of your essay. Questions are most effective when the answer is something unexpected.[4]
- For example, you might write: "For the past 4 years, I've volunteered with my local hospice. Why would a healthy, athletic young woman want to volunteer with people who are dying? Because I, too, have faced death. I know what it's like to be told you only have a few days to live."
[Edit]Set the scene dramatically. - This option works well if you have a strong, compelling personal experience. If your essay hinges on a life-changing personal event, make it the centerpiece by taking your readers into the experience with you from the very beginning. Write in present tense and use short fragments to really put your reader into the middle of the experience.[5]
- For example, suppose you're writing an essay about rescuing an injured dog and how that made you decide to become a veterinarian. You might write: "I could smell him before I saw him. Small and frail, he limped toward me. His fur was matted and he trembled. His large eyes were full of fear. He pleaded with me for help."
[Edit]Include quotes with caution. - Use famous quotes only if you can quickly tie them to personal experience. Something someone else said, no matter how famous, isn't likely to say anything about you—and that's what your essay is about. At the same time, a short, punchy quote used well can pull your reader in and interest them in your story.[6]
- For example, you might write: "Nevertheless, she persisted." I never really understood the meaning of that rallying cry until, at 14 years old, I stood in front of the principal of my school to speak on behalf of myself and other disabled students."
[Edit]Use buzzwords from the essay prompt. - Highlight important nouns and adjectives that apply to you.[7] Make it so many, if not all, of these words appear in the first paragraph of your essay. This lets the reader know that you're paying attention to the prompt and addressing it directly.[8]
- Look into the background of the organization awarding the scholarship as well. Find out what the organization's core values are and how you can best communicate that you embody those values. The organization's website is a good place to start, but you might also search for any articles written about the organization.[9]
[Edit]Include a roadmap of your essay. - Share tangible, real-world examples that directly address the prompt. Use the last part of your introduction to let your readers know what you're going to tell them in the rest of the essay. Explain clearly how the content connects directly to the prompt you were given.[10]
- For example, you might write: "My compassion for and special connection to animals spurred me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine." Then, in your essay, you would provide an instance that demonstrated your compassion and another that demonstrated that special connection.
- Your roadmap doesn't necessarily have to be a "spoiler." For example, if the prompt is to "discuss a book or experience that made you want to be a writer," you might write: "While I'd always loved reading, I never considered writing stories myself until my 7th grade English teacher gave me a book for an extra-credit report." In your essay, you would then go on to discuss the report and name the book.[11]
[Edit]Close your introduction with your thesis statement. - Your thesis statement tells your reader the purpose of your essay. Use your thesis statement to relate back to the prompt and tie the introduction into the rest of the essay. Look back to the prompt for clues on how to structure your thesis to answer it directly.[12]
- For example, if the prompt is to describe what sparked your interest in veterinary medicine, your thesis might be: "My experience rehabilitating stray dogs sparked my interest in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine."
[Edit]Write in your own voice. - Let the reader know who you are from the first line. Make it clear from the first line that this essay connects your unique experiences, perspectives, and ambitions to the core values of the scholarship.[13] Don't write in the style you imagine the readers expect—let your passion and personality shine through.[14]
- Focus on standing out, not writing like everyone else. Although you can look at samples of other winning scholarship essays to get ideas, make sure the words in your essay are your own.
- Your own perspective is key. For example, if you're a person of color, don't try to "whitewash" your essay. Scholarship committees like diversity, so if you try to cover up your identity, you're only hurting yourself.
[Edit]Make your sentences active and concise. - Use short sentences and action verbs to make your writing pop. Compelling writing carries your reader along. Maintain the active voice throughout your essay to show, rather than tell, your reader why you're the best choice for the scholarship.[15]
- For example, you might write: "I strive to demonstrate my passion for the environment every day. In my sophomore year, I started the recycling program at my school. As president of the environmental club, I teach fellow students what they can do to help save the world we live in."
- Have friends or family read your essay—they can give you tips on how to make it stronger.
- Make your introduction short and sweet. The general rule is that the introduction should be about 10% of the total word count of your essay—this usually isn't many words![16] Most scholarship essay introductions only have 3-4 sentences.
[Edit]Warnings - Typos can ruin an otherwise beautiful essay! Make sure you proofread carefully.[17]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Adjust to a New Job Posted: 17 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT Just like when you started at a new school when you were younger, the first few days, weeks, and months of any new job can take some adjusting. Whether it's your first professional job or a new step along your career path, there are lots of ways you can make adjusting to your new role smoother. Below, we've put together some of the top tips and tricks you can use to help you settle in at your new place of work. [Edit]Brush up on your professional knowledge. - The more prepared you are, the faster you'll adjust. Read up on the latest trends, technologies, and terms for your industry to get up to date. Google your new company to find out if there's any hot news you're not aware of,in case it comes up in conversation at work.[1]
- Reach out to your new boss or manager and ask for a list of any professional readings they would like you to be familiar with that would help you with your new role. This shows initiative as well!
[Edit]Strive to make a great first impression. - Looking and acting professional shows that you take the job seriously. Show up to your first day of work dressed well, on time, and with a positive attitude. Keep your personal phone away and focus 100% of your attention on your new job. Take notes and make an effort to remember people's faces and names.[2]
- If you're naturally more of an introverted person, try to push yourself out of your comfort zone when you first start a new job and be a little more extroverted until you feel settled in. It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but you'll appreciate the effort later on!
[Edit]Talk to your boss about expectations. - It's easier to adjust if you know exactly what you need to do. Set up a meeting with your new boss or manager as soon as possible. Ask them about basic things like how they want you to communicate, especially when it comes to problems and decision making.[3]
- You can also ask your boss to work with you to develop 30-day and 90-day plans for your success. These plans can lay out expectations about what you should learn how to do and what you should accomplish during your first month and first quarter at your new job.
[Edit]Adapt to your boss's working style. - Your boss will appreciate how capable and receptive you are. Try your best to adapt your working habits to suit the preferences and priorities of your new supervisor. If they seem to want a lot of communication from their employees, give them frequent updates on your work. Or, if they seem to prefer people to work more independently, focus on working more autonomously.[4]
- If you still aren't sure about your new boss's working style, ask your close co-workers for advice.
[Edit]Ask lots of questions. - You'll learn the ropes faster and feel more engaged. If you aren't sure how a process or tool works, ask a co-worker or your supervisor for help. Ask questions in meetings to show you're paying attention and gain a better understanding of things.[5]
- If you're feeling overwhelmed with all the new tasks you have to learn how to do, ask your boss or manager to assign you a "buddy" or a mentor on your team to help you adjust to the new job.
- Don't worry about communicating too much with your boss or co-workers. The more you communicate, the fewer misunderstandings and miscommunications there will be.[6]
[Edit]Study how the internal organization works. - Get a feel for everyone's roles and how you fit into the picture. Examine any internal documents and organizational charts to help you understand the organization and the duties of its members. Watch the interactions between different leaders and managers to get a feel for the daily interactions and power dynamics between them.[7]
- Try to draw conclusions about who the most respected and influential people within the organization are. These are people to keep in mind when you're building relationships later on.
[Edit]Observe the company work ethic. - Try to settle into the normal pace and flow of things. Pay close attention to things like how early people show up for meetings, what people do on their lunch breaks, what hours people work, and how much socializing people do at work. Do your best to adapt your work style to the new company's culture, as long as it doesn't affect your work-life balance.[8]
- Never compromise who you are or what your work ethic is just to fit in at your new job. If you are only contracted to work 8 hours and people regularly work 9 or 10, don't feel bad going home when the clock strikes 5!
[Edit]Pay attention to how people communicate. - Follow their lead so you can adapt and fit in quickly. Do they send instant messages, write emails, or talk in person more frequently? If people use certain means of communication for certain types of requests or updates, make sure to do the same.[9]
- For example, if people tend to send emails for formal requests, don't make formal requests verbally or via chat.
[Edit]Get to know your colleagues. - Building personal relationships makes work enjoyable. Go out to lunch with coworkers or chat with people in the breakroom. Say hi to people around the office and try to learn their names, even if they're not someone you work with directly.[10]
- Be careful not to get caught up in any workplace gossip or start hanging out with just 1 clique at work. The goal is to be friendly and get to know everyone in a positive way to help you settle in.
[Edit]Build relationships with key people. - Learn who the key players are and reach out to them. Try to set up short introductory meetings with stakeholders and other key people within the organization. If you're not sure who you should start building relationships with at first, ask your boss or manager.[11]
- When you meet with people, ask them about their roles to help you understand the company better. Then, ask them how your role relates to there's to get an idea of how you might collaborate.
[Edit]Aim to make 3 key contributions early on. - Early wins establish your credibility as part of the team. Anything that helps your team or the company succeed can be considered a key contribution. Aim to tick at least 3 things of your list of goals early on, or volunteer to help out a teammate or take on extra work when you have free time.[12]
- For example, if you're working in a new sales job and your team has a goal of hitting $30,000 in sales by the end of the month, try to make at least a couple solid sales during your first week or 2 at work.
- Or, if you see there are a couple members of your team that have to stay late at the end of the day to finish entering some date into a database, offer to stay and help to make it go faster for everyone.
[Edit]Ask for feedback after 30 and 90 days. - That way, you know how you're doing and where you could improve. Sit down with your supervisor after 30 and 90 days and ask them to evaluate your performance. Take notes on what they say you're doing well and on any areas for improvement.[13]
- Depending on where you work, there may already be a formal system in place for regular feedback. If not, make sure to ask your boss or manager directly for an evaluation.
- Try not to miss your old job. It takes time to adjust to a new job and it's normal to feel nostalgic. [14]*If any second thoughts about leaving your old job cross your mind, tell yourself that your new job will eventually feel just as comfortable.[15]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't compare how things are done at your new company to how they were done at your old job. This can make it harder to adjust to new processes and tasks.[16]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Soften Cuticles Posted: 17 Aug 2021 01:00 AM PDT Dry, peeling cuticles can be very unsightly. If left unattended for too long, they can become cracked and damaged which can lead to a variety of fungal or bacterial infections. You can purchase a commercial cuticle oil to apply to your nails, but using common household ingredients like coconut oil, lemon, or vinegar is an easy, affordable way to keep your cuticles soft and healthy naturally. [Edit]Using Home Remedies - Soak your nails in lemon water for 5 minutes. Add of lemon juice (the juice from about 1/4 of a lemon) to of very warm water in a small bowl and mix together well. Soak your nails in the mixture for about 5 minutes. Pat your hands with a clean, dry towel to remove excess water. Use a cuticle stick to carefully push back your cuticles. Finish by rubbing in a dab of your favorite moisturizing lotion.[1]
- Add of honey to the mixture to promote healing and enhance hydration.
- Avoid soaking your nails in lemon if they are cut or damaged. The acid can lead to painful burning and stinging.
- You can use this remedy once a week to soften up your cuticles.
- Plunge your nails into vinegar if you want a simple solution. It doesn't get much easier than this. Fill a small bowl about one-third of the way full with undiluted distilled white vinegar. Soak your nails for about 5 minutes. Rinse your hands, then pat them dry with a clean towel.[2]
- Vinegar is acidic and can burn and sting wounds. If your nails or fingers are cut or damaged, do not soak them in the vinegar.
- An added bonus if you plan to paint your fingernails after your soak: the vinegar will help your nail polish last longer. The acidic vinegar removes oil from your nails, allowing the polish to adhere better.[3]
- Massage coconut oil onto your nails to soften your cuticles. Coconut oil is a natural emollient, meaning it works specifically to soothe and soften. It also has antibacterial properties, which makes it great to use if you have hangnails, cuts, or scrapes. Coconut oil also helps to strengthen your cuticles. Add 2 drops to each nail bed. Use your thumb to really work the oil into your cuticles. After a thorough massage, put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves to trap the moisture and allow the oil to soak in. Remove the gloves after 10 minutes and wipe off any excess oil that wasn't absorbed.[4]
- You can use cuticle oil if you want something specifically designed for your cuticles.<[5]
- Do this at least once a week to keep your cuticles moisturized and strong.
[Edit]Healing Damaged Cuticles - Drop of raw honey into a small bowl. The honey encourages the skin to retain moisture which helps nourish your cuticles and nail beds. It not only cures fungal and bacterial infections—which is a health risk associated with cracked and damaged cuticles—it also works to prevent them.[6]
- Make sure you use raw honey rather than regular honey, as the regular honey tends to lose a lot of enzymes and antioxidants during the pasteurization process.[7]
- Add of aloe vera gel to the raw honey. Aloe vera is an antimicrobial agent that works to fight against bacterial and viral infections. Its nourishing properties help heal dry, cracked cuticles and work to remove dead skin cells, making your skin feel soft and smooth.[8]
- Use fresh aloe vera from a plant if you have one at home. Just be sure to wash the leaf before cutting it open and scooping out the gel.
- If you don't have your own aloe vera plant, you can purchase a commercial gel from your local drugstore or department store. However, it will not have as many healing properties as fresh aloe.
- Add of extra virgin olive oil to the mixture. Olive oil is a wonderful moisturizer that helps soften your cuticles and leaves your nails shiny as well. The oil continues to work by strengthening the cuticle tissue.[9]
- If you don't have extra virgin olive oil, virgin or regular olive oil will do, but they may contain more chemicals and fewer antioxidants.[10]
- Olive oil even by itself works great to keep your cuticles soft and healthy.
- Mix all of the ingredients together well. Use a small spoon to thoroughly mix the honey, aloe vera gel, and olive oil. Make sure to scrape along the sides of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are mixed together.
- Apply the healing mixture to your cuticles. Dip your fingers into the bowl, or use one hand to scoop some of the mixture out and put it on the cuticles on your opposite hand. Massage the mixture in for about 4-5 minutes for soft, healthy-looking nails and cuticles.[11]
- For the best results, use this healing mixture on your cuticles 2 to 3 times per week. You should notice an improvement each time you use it. Once your cuticles are healed, use this treatment to keep your cuticles moisturized and healthy.
[Edit]Maintaining Healthy Cuticles - Use lotion daily to keep your cuticles soft. Apply the lotion or hand cream at least once a day, but ideally, after each time you wash your hands or whenever you notice your skin is dry. A small scoop of coconut oil massaged into your hands also works great.
- Put a heavy layer of lotion on your hands at night before bed, and then sleep in a pair of white cotton gloves to retain the moisture.[12] Spa gloves or even loose rubber gloves will also work.
- Select a thick, high-quality lotion or cream for the best results. Cheaper lotions tend to be heavily scented, but lack the elements required to help your skin retain moisture.
- Push back your cuticles with an orange stick about once a week. This will prevent the cuticles from becoming overgrown, which can lead to dryness and more risk of damage. Use the flat surface of a cuticle pusher or orange stick to gently push the cuticle back towards the bottom of your nails. Run the tool along the bottom of your nail bed to smooth out the cuticle.[13]
- Take care not to press too hard, because it can be painful and/or damage your cuticle.
- Apply cuticle oil to soften the skin. You can put a drop or two of store-bought cuticle oil onto each of your cuticles before you push them back to make them easier to move. Cuticle oil is also great to use any time you want to soften and moisturize your cuticles.[14]
- Look for cuticle oils that contain nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, vitamin E, and jojoba oil.
- Sterilize grooming tools before and after each use to prevent infections. Soak nail files, cuticle pushers, clippers, and buffers in isopropyl alcohol for 5 minutes after each use. Before using a grooming item, pour some alcohol on a cloth and wipe down the surface. Allow the items to thoroughly dry before using them or storing them.
- Alternatively, use a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water to clean items. Rinse the item and allow it to dry completely before using or storing it.
- Throw away orange sticks after use and always use a new stick.
- Wear gloves when cleaning to protect your nails and cuticles. Wear a pair of rubber gloves for any cleaning job you do—whether it's wiping down mirrors or scrubbing the floors. The gloves will protect your hands from the harsh chemicals, which can dry out and damage your cuticles and nails.[15]
- If rubber gloves are too bulky for your cleaning job, try using a pair of latex or vinyl gloves instead. Any protection is better than no protection.
- Carry travel-size lotion in your car or purse to keep your hands moisturized on the go.
[Edit]Warnings - Using cuticle clippers to cut your cuticles should be avoided if possible. If done incorrectly, you can injure yourself and become more prone to fungal and bacterial infections.[16]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Using Home Remedies - Small bowl
- Lemon juice
- White vinegar
- Cuticle pusher or orange stick
- Coconut oil
- Rubber or latex gloves
[Edit]Healing Damaged Cuticles - Small bowl
- Raw honey
- Aloe vera gel
- Olive oil
[Edit]Maintaining Healthy Cuticles - Lotion
- White cotton gloves
- Cuticle pusher or orange stick
- Rubber gloves
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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