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overtheedge 21 Feb, 1996 p rs Fy se

Student Success?
The Sag

by Jason

Jason and Curby are at the bar,
and Curby has just finished
applying Murphy’s Law to his
constant problems with the ’78
Vauxhall.

Curby: Anyway, enough about my
blues. You seem to have some
troubles of your own to drown
tonight.

Me: Well, I’ve still got my head
above water, but I seem to be
having a bad luck streak.

Curby: Yeats would tell you that

life is a cycle, and you’re at a low

point. Things can only get better. Unfortunately, he’d also tell you to
wait two thousand years.

Me: I’ve never bought that theory of passive waiting—I’m an action
man. I got a paper back with this comment: “great ideas; no
organization”. I would take it as a compliment if there wasn’t a red,
pregnant “D” next it. Nothing is going right these days. Valentine’s
Day has just passed, but none of the many women I thought were
pursuing me even gave me the time of day. I figure I need to take
action and get that cycle moving just a little bit faster.

Curby: Well, Jason, essays and women are like the Vauxhall—life is
too, for that matter. There’s always going to be rough spots and
mechanical problems, but you have to look at the big, picture.

Me (sarcastically): Okay, Curby, have another. What are you talking
about?

Curby: It’s only a loose analogy. Here’s an example. When you get
comments like “poorly organized” on an essay, you have to realize that
good ideas are only a starting point, not a finished product. You have
to keep to a clear path.

Me: You’re losing me, Foucault.

Curby: Well, one approach my tutor at the Learning Skills Centre taught
me is to focus all those great ideas into a narrow thesis, and then write
aclear path statement. Your thesis is like a contract with your readers—
you make a deal on what your essay is about, and tell them in advance
what it is that they are going to know or believe by the end. Your path
statement is like a map—it tells the readers what route you will be taking,
and what stops you’ll be making before you arrive at your final
destination.

Me: Those profs really don’t like suspense, do they? But this
organization thing sounds a little complex.

. Curby: It’s not as complicated as that “D” paper you wrote; I read it,
and I was lost. Anyway, the tutors at the Learning Skills Centre explain
it better than I do. For one thing, they’re sober. They also have a
template that you can use, which makes it really easy to organize your
ideas before you write.

Me: Thanks for the tip, you may just have saved this term for me. Hey,
I feel lucky: I’m going to go ask that girl to dance. Watch my beer!

Perfect Pie Pastry

by Charlotte McLean

Are you tired of having to make a pie crust dough that NEVER
turns out? Well, this one, I assure you, will turn out perfect. It is so
easy. There are only four ingredients! Flour, butter or margarine, salt
and water.

If you are making just one pie (and this can be a meat or dessert
pie), all you need is one cup of flour and 1/2 cup butter or margarine and
that little dash of salt. Crumble it together with your hands, add 6 table-
spoons of water and make the dough into a ball. Voila! You just made
pie crust. The ball of dough should be almost sticky. When rolling it
out, use a good amount of flour. After this, you will never have to go
and buy those Robinhood packages that don’t work so well either!

In the next issue, I will put a pie recipe to fill that lovely crust
everyone can do!

Problem: The writing biahs!
Solution: See a Writing Tutor!

Now in Residence—
Fourth Floor, North, Study Room
Tuesday—Res 1 —
Wednesday—Res 2 |
6:00 until 9:00 on a trial basis .
Use it or lose it!
Drop-in or make an appointment at 960-6367

Learning Skills Centre