Students blog

Have you ever had an idea for a blog topic for the Pearson Students blog but stop short of submitting it because you think you “aren’t creative enough” or “aren’t a good writer”? It’s time to put a stop to those negative thoughts and instead, focus on your approach. Whether you are writing content for a blog or an essay for school, creativity comes from how you think about the task. Everyone has their own unique approach, but I recommend mapping out all your thoughts and breaking down the process in order to captivate the right audience.

Get your ideas on paper

Most students fret sitting in front of a blank screen, their hands on the keyboard, as if something is just going to ignite their fingers to type out something amazing. I found that most of my creativity comes when I write out all my thoughts using actual paper and pen. Before you even turn on that computer screen, get all your ideas onto a piece of paper because there is something about the glow of the computer that makes your mind flutter when trying to think a coherent thought. This might just be me, but I also find that I am much more creative when I write on blank white copy paper; it’s like the blue lines on notebook paper constrict my thoughts.

Organize your thoughts

Blogs or essays, no matter the length, follow a standard pattern: Introduction, main points, and conclusion. Most people start with the first sentence, but I usually keep those for the end. It sounds backwards, but you first need to know what’s going to go inside your sandwich before you start laying out the bread.

Start with your main points

Depending on your topic, organize four or five points that strongly support your main topic and that you can elaborate on in order of how strong they are. Once you have solid main points with good explanations, go down to your conclusion and summarize them. If your piece is a blog, you might ask the readers to reflect on the topic. If your piece is an essay, you would want to demonstrate your understanding of the material, maybe by adding some personal insight.

Do not save the best for last

Capture your reader’s interest, put the best content first in your introduction, but write it last. Once you have the rest of your piece done, you know about the entire topic and should be pretty knowledgeable and passionate about it. While it’s still fresh in your mind, ask, “What is the most exciting thing I learned through this piece? What is something I want my readers to think about?” You usually want to have a catchy opening sentence that either relates the topic to the reader or tells them something they may not know.

Whether writing a short blog or a long essay, it’s easy to make your content captivating and creative. It’s all a matter of how you approach the situation. When it comes to writing, I recommend mapping out your thoughts on good old fashioned paper and organizing them before going to the computer screen. When you start typing out the content, start from the middle, then move on to the conclusion, saving the introduction for last.

What do you think about when you see the word ‘Pearson’ written in white text on the dark blue background? Do you think of a textbook or a digital learning application? For me, Pearson means so much more. It’s more than just a company, it’s full of life changing experiences. I have been a Pearson Campus Ambassador for about three years and have had very memorable stories I would like to share with you.

Nationwide connections

Pearson employs a student Campus Ambassador at over 50 campuses across the country. Up until last summer, I hadn’t met a single one of my colleagues in person. However that did not stop wonderful friendships from blooming. I feel like each one of the other Campus Ambassadors is my friend, and it’s a privilege to work alongside such dedicated students who care about education as much as I do. However, the Pearson community extends way past the Ambassador program.

Putting students first

Down to earth is usually not how you would expect to describe executives of an international corporation. However, representing the student voice on a Global Call hosted by John Fallon (Pearson’s CEO!) I was surprised to see how nice he was. I had the privilege of meeting some of the VP’s of Pearson at a national meeting in San Diego this past summer, and witnessed them reaching out to students to get our unique perspective and insights. They truly care about the students.

Students: you have a voice on your campus and in your community; it’s up to you to use it! If there is something that you don’t think is right, you should address it with the proper administration or officials. For example, I am a huge animal lover and I do not tolerate the exploitation of animals for any reason. Here are ways I learned to speak up and be an advocate on my campus.

Seek out those with similar interests

I found other students with similar interests by starting an Animal Rights Club. It was the very first Animal Right Club at Missouri State, and therefore posed challenges in getting it started, but it was well worth the feat! I encourage you to start your own club on your campus as well. Read my blog about starting a club on campus.

Identify a goal

Together, we advocated for reform on campus. We started with the goal of increasing vegan options available in our dining halls. We talked to the executive chef, and through collaboration we were able to get a full vegan meal offered at every meal of the day, including Silk milk machines and vegan desserts! The executive chef said that he didn’t realize there was a demand for these options until we showed him! Read my blog about this experience.

Seek compromise

A concerned student reached out to our organization regarding the petting zoo that was scheduled to come to our campus. We talked to the programming board that was bringing the petting zoo to campus, and they did not have any remorse. Undeterred, our members researched the petting zoo for USDA violations and found that it wasn’t even registered. That turned out to be a violation of our school policy. We were able to compromise with the programming board to not bring the petting zoo, and instead the  host an alternative event for the student body.

Look for ways to educate