Sweet Success by Bailey

Sweet Success by Bailey - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

Creating a school project is like baking a cake. Both require patience, creativity, and a recipe for success. In my four years of high school, I have developed the perfect recipe to complete all my school projects with less stress and better results. Today, I will share my ultimate strategy for the sweetest school projects.
When it comes to baking, timing is everything. If you leave a cake in the oven too long, the results are disastrous. The same goes with school projects. If you don’t manage your time well, both your mental health and your end result will suffer. I created some rules to keep myself on track with school projects. It’s easy to procrastinate, but these tips help me manage my time. I know I need to set small, achievable goals. I also like to set up rewards when I reach those goals. For example, if I complete an an outline by the end of the week, I can watch the latest episode of my favorite show. If I commit to work on a project for at least thirty minutes a day, the task feels much more manageable.
For every recipe, there is a step by step process. I have a series of steps to follow to complete my project. The day the project is assigned, I begin to brainstorm ideas I feel may fit the criteria. Within the next few days, I decide which topic or format is best. For research-based projects, I try to choose topics that will have many sources. Once I have chosen a topic, I like to put my thoughts on paper. I take two minutes to simply freewrite. This is writing nonstop, and not taking time with word choice or organization. I just follow my train of thought about the topic. Once I have done this, I read what I’ve written and I edit it. I organize it into paragraphs and highlight words and phrases I like. All of these stages are about deciding the direction the project will take. Once I have a direction, I draft an outline. If the project includes research I find quality sources and keep track of where I find my information. I use my outline as a guide to complete the project. The final step is to review the project and make sure it covers all the requirements. I sometimes ask the teacher for a rubric.
In baking, it’s important to use quality ingredients and the right tools to get the job done. When baking, I can express myself and show my skills. For school projects, it is just as important to express what you know. As long as I follow this recipe, I know I can create successful school projects with sweet, sweet results.