Brainstorming and Structuring Your Essay

Paper Possibilities

  • Initiation Story:
    • Examples: Headhunter story, "The Man on the Internet".
    • Possible topic: Baptisms (funny or serious accounts).
      • Example: Woman's paper "Baptized Before My Time" about a sunken baptismal.
      • Example: Musician accidentally joining a black church.
  • "Calling Home": Character does the wrong thing and faces consequences.
  • Sports:
    • Winning a championship might not work due to space constraints.
    • Bad injury/illness and recovery can be viable.
      • Diagnosis of a disease and learning to cope.
  • General: Any situation where a lesson was learned.

Essay Structure and Introduction

  • Outline: Avoid only five paragraphs. Use as many as needed.
  • Introduction: Thesis statement as the last sentence.
    • Example Introduction:
      • Growing up without pets, only family cats and a dog named Kenzie.
      • Discovering Hattiesburg is the "feral cat capital of Mississippi."
      • Encountering a feral cat (Joe Junior) on the porch.
      • Joe Junior's persistence and eventual integration into the family.

Personal Anecdote: Joe Junior, the Cat

  • Joe Junior's integration:
    • The speaker found a black and white cat on his porch, named him "Joe Junior".
    • Joe Junior's persistent presence led to him becoming a member of the family.
    • Kenzie, the dog, didn't see Joe Junior as a threat.
  • Joe Junior's personality:
    • Affectionate and dog-like behavior, typical of tuxedo cats.
    • Slept on the speaker's chest and only showed affection to him, much to his wife's amusement.
    • Brought "presents" (mostly dead snakes) to the speaker.
  • The Squirrel Incident:
    • Joe Junior brought a live squirrel into the utility room.
    • The speaker avoided dealing with the situation until he left for school.
  • Moving with Joe Junior:
    • In Goodman, Joe would scratch furniture to signal he wanted to go outside.
    • In Lake Norman, loose dog packs made it dangerous for Joe to go outside.
    • The speaker felt it was cruel to keep Joe, an indoor/outdoor cat, inside permanently.
  • Joe Junior's Disappearance:
    • One night, frustrated with Joe's disruptive behavior, the speaker pushed him outside and never saw him again.
    • The speaker was secretly upset but tried to hide it.

Other Paper Topics

  • Non-traditional student experience:
    • Fears of being the oldest student.

Draft and Submission Details

  • First Draft: Bring to class for peer editing; bring computer, print, or hand write the draft.
  • Submission:
    • Upload file or paste into a text box.
    • Do not use OneDrive.
    • Accepted formats: DOCX, RTF, or DOC.
  • Content: Memorable event where a lesson was learned or a moment that altered your perspective.
  • Final Draft: A revision of the first draft.