Let’s be honest, essays are difficult and no one really wants to write one. It’s that one part of college that is totally unavoidable, just like that all-nighter you’ll probably be pulling to finish said essay. No one needs that kind of stress, so here is one way to make the writing season go a little bit easier.

Find out what the teacher wants:

Get the prompt and break it down into individual parts. This becomes the skeleton for your essay.

Don’t start with the introductory paragraph:

This is a great way to stump yourself early on. Don’t do it. Start with the body paragraphs instead.

Your awesome body paragraphs:

Tell people what you think. Seriously, don’t hold back. If something seems obvious, explain it anyway, and don’t forget to include your evidence. Make sure you follow that skeleton you created.

Conclusion paragraph:

Tell people what you just told them in your body paragraphs. Remind them of your argument, then tell them why they should care about your argument. Convincing people why your argument matters is the most important part of a conclusion.

Introduction paragraph:

Now that you have something to argue, rewrite your conclusion into your introduction. Notice how it’s so much easier now. Don’t forget to add a badass thesis statement.