CPE Essay Sample and Correction

Dear Gustavo

kindly read my essay for CPE .Thanks.

Eliza Fernandez

Genetic engineering

Over the past few decades science and technology have changed every aspect of life . However in medical science it’s its evidence is even more transparent for the recent research innovated a process called genetic engineering that eventually makes way for unnatural birth for the first time on earth. (Feedback: Is the introduction clear? By reading the introduction, does the reader have a clear idea of what your are goint to write about?)

 

As scientists claim genetic engineering is an evolutionary process itself . The process is capable of editing faulty genes from animals while the embryo is under gastronomical development. This replacement of faulty genes will ensure healthy cubs free from genetic mutation and diseases that originate from parental genes will also be edited which indicate birth of more healthy animal cubs and crop. Reasonably, there will be more new varieties of plants as well as new species will be created to satisfy the increasing demand for meat . overall, the process will redress food crisis in the world.

However, the process involves negative vibes such as besides animals and plants human cloning is also possible which will disastrously change the natural process of birth and might proved to be a fatal experiment interfering with natural evolution. For example the rate of mortality will decrease day by day which means a threat of overpopulation in every country of the world, secondly, human cloning is something, if experimented in the real life will destroy the existence of mankind- nonetheless to say the world is not prepared to manage such man created disaster.

In short, genetic engineering is beneficial only when it will be experimented and applied with proper justification otherwise reckless experiments are certainly posing a danger that might soon outlive man’s existence on earth. In my belief, no matter what, all scientific experiments have their own good or bad results now, whether the risk is worth taking or not this rhetoric question has no confirmed answer at present.

Feedback: all text in green needs to be re-checked

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Letter to the Editor Sample CPE exam 2017

Good morning Gustavo, I have read in your blog that you offer yourself to correct CPE writings I have decided to send you one so you could give me some comments and feedback in respect.

Thank you,

Clara Grau

You read this comment recently in a literary magazine about a book you enjoyed reading. “The author’s use of language to build up atmosphere and to give insights into the characters’ thoughts and emotions is not as effective as it could be. This was a disappointing aspect of the book”. You disagree and decide to write a letter to the magazine, expressing your opinion. Write between 280 and 320 words.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you because I disagree with a comment posted in your last week’s magazine issue about the last novel of Sarah Nuttall, and I would like to give my opinion in respect to it. For the past two months, I have been experiencing a tough time due to family problems and it has been very difficult to me to find something to entertain myself with and give me the necessary energy to keep going. However, this changed last week, when I started reading the book I mentioned before (name of the book).

The novel is based on a real case and tells the story of a young woman whose family dies in a plane crash and has to get through this horrible situation all alone. Despite seeming a drama at the very beginning, you soon begin to realize that the last thing she is going to do is giving up. Thanks to the simplicity of the author’s language, the reader is able to get an idea of her feelings and take her place to understand the emptiness she is experiencing. (You "entertain yourself" reading about a plane crash? )

Contrarily to what superreaderexpresses in his comment, I believe that Nuttall achieves to perfectly describe the thoughts of the main character and her disorientation after the tragedy. Although it is true that she does not use a very detailed and descriptive vocabulary referring to emotions, this is perfectly understandable to me because, by doing this, she avoids an overdose of sentimentalism and allows the reader to imagine by his own.

Being always in favour of the freedom of speech and opinion, I think it is positive to see that your impression of a book can differ substantially from the one of another reader. Nevertheless, to help your readers decide whether to buy it or not, I would like to recommend you that you include including more than one opinion for every single work you talk about book that is discussed.

Yours faithfully,

Clara Grau

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Good morning Gustavo

I would like to have my writing corrected. I attatch you the file

Regards,

Sara Muñoz

Enviado desde Correo de Windows

INSTRUCTIONS

Write an essaydiscussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, and provide reasons to support your opinion.

Methods of minimising the use of fossil fuels

Recycling

Increasing taxes of petrol

Increasing the number of nuclear energy

Some opinions expressed in the discussion

‘Is the technology for recycling adequatedly developed?’

‘Increased taxation will not be a sufficient deterrent’

‘Nuclear energy is too risky’

How fossil fuels should be limited?

The impact of fossil fuels in our society has rencently been discussed the question of the impact that fossil fuels have had in our society. ( Feedback: where? by who? why? )In this essay I will put forward some ideas to cut down the use of these nonrenewable energies.(Why should we cut them down?)

The most important point to outline is the recycling technique. As more and more people are becoming aware of the consequences in the environment resulted from their actions, it has led to a more responsible behaviour. However, some people have expressed their worries regarding the question of the suitability of technology to deal with this matter. Despite the fact that technology plays an important role in minimising some disposals, it is uncertain the ways in which technology is reduced.

Turning to a different point, the traditional appeal to rise the prices of petrol has resulted in being inefficent at preventing people form using their vehicles. Whereas, people should be rewarded for undertaking mesuarements that contribute to preserve our environment. It would be advisable not only punishing people for using fossil fuels, but also rewarding people who opt for other sources of energy such as electricity or gas. This is in my opinion the most important point for government to consider as it wil led to a considerable improvement in the fight against pollution.

The outcome is clear that as long as the government take care of these implementations (re-check), it will result in enormous advances in our society and a meaninful change as well. (Re-think and re-write the conclusion. )

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CPE Essay Sample 2017

Hello!

I'm not sure that you still do the free writings corrections but in case you do, I would like to send one of my practice essays for CPE (Writing Task 1).

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

Olga

Task?

1. Even in our information-rich digital age, when there are diverse ways of occupying our leisure time, museums continue to play a fundamental role in society. Over the last decade in particular, museums have become more community-orientated, and the majority seek to be inclusive rather than elitist, reaching out to everyone. This change of heart has necessitated a degree of creativity in the presentation of information. Objects rarely ‘speak for themselves’ and, where a low reading age must often be assumed, museum curators have looked to modern technology to breathe more life into exhibits, whether through interactive techniques, or accompanying audio-visual effects. 2. The purpose of museum is to stimulate learning and broaden the horizons of its visitors, yet many museums nowadays appear to neglect this responsibility in an attempt to entertain rather than educate. The dumbing down of exhibitions is widespread – in short, the medium has become more important than the message. Learning is all too often compromised by technological wizardry, which may impress on a superficial level but essentially trivialises, and provides a content-lite ‘experience’. Whether this is in response to government cuts or merely reflects a trend among museum directors, it is undoubtedly a change for the worse.

Do museums benefit from modern technology?

In our technologically advanced age progress finds its way into many areas including such traditional ones as museums. But do museums benefit from the incorporation of technology? Or does technology threatens to destroy the very essence of what museums are? The two extracts express contrasting views on this issue.

The first text stresses that although we live in a digital era and therefore have access to a large variety of information sources, museums still remain an important part in people’s lives. Furthermore, in recent years efforts have been made to make museums more understandable and accessible to everyone. Some of the said efforts include extensive use of modern technology in order to make the whole museum experience more fascinating to the general public.

Conversely, the second passage makes a point that the paramount aim of museums is to educate people. It argues against integrating modern technology into exhibitions, claiming that instead of contributing to more effective delivery of their message it becomes too much of an end in itself. Museums are becoming more entertaining but the knowledge they give is increasingly perfunctory.

There is little to disagree with in the first text. Museums still play a significant role in our life and there is no doubt that trying to make them more attractive is a very  reasonable and commendable course of action. The second text is somewhat more controversial but mostly I agree with the author’s point of view. Despite their good intentions, museum curators often get carried away with the exciting opportunities the modern technology provides and as a result exhibits turn into meaningless trinkets which attract attention but have no educational value whatsoever.

To sum up, it is important to move with the times and incorporate new technologies but the real aim of museums should by no means be forgotten.

Feedback: The text is well organised and you have summarised both texts. But, what does the task say? Only summarise? Or you have to give your opinions as well? 

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CPE Writing practice. Restaurant Review

Dear Gustavo

My name is Kate. I'm on the way to my CPE exam in June and saw your ad about sample writing corrected for free.

I'd like to send you my review of a restaurant. I might as well send you more because I know from my own experience how badly you need to read some samples sometimes when you prepare for your exam.

Hope you like it!

Regards,

Katerina Katabi

Restaurant review Chester

There are a number of restaurants, bars and cafes in our city which cater for different tastes of their guests. But there is one that stands out for its unique atmosphere and an excellent service. (Which one??? ) Even though it has recently opened, it became an immediate success, so to avoid any disappointment the reservation has to be made well in advance. (Recommendations maybe at the end, not in the intro)

The first thing that strikes you as you enter the place is the interior created by a famous and trendy designer. A former industrial loft converted into a restaurant may appear inappropriate for making the dining experience pleasant. On the contrary, it adds to exquisite atmosphere and genteel ambience of the restaurant. In fact, it’s the tasteful design and flawless surroundings that attract visitors here in the first place.

However, the atmosphere would count for nothing if the quality of the service and the selection of food and wine were poor. (But which food? which wine??? )A highly welcoming staff of hostesses and waiters will make you feel at home and be readily at your disposal for any request or query. It gives you a warm feeling compared to the disdainful glances of the staff in other restaurants as they immediately start to look down on you if all you want to order is a cup of coffee. (Try to follow an order. This paragraph about the food and the next about the staff).

As soon as the menu is served you can spend a good half an hour going through its pages. It does spoil for choice even the fussiest eater. No matter what diet you are keeping – vegetarian, kosher, gluten-free and so on – you’ll invariably find something delectable to your taste. Salads and main courses come from different cuisines and are made of luxury ingredients. Desserts, in the highly unlikely event you have room for them, are done to perfection and are simply heavenly. The only complaint is the winelist, otherwise quite good, but it does not list vintages and seem to be a bit over-priced. To compensate for that the restaurant has its own brewery and offers a real bargain for different kinds of beers.

Just when you think your night out couldn’t be better, a mellow piano music will please your ear and take you on a romantic journey to classic jazz and blues of the 1930s. Most probably that will be the ultimate reason why you would want to come back. Though experienced in going to restaurants I may be, Chester is easily the best place I’ve been to in years. Not only did it live up to my expectations, but exceeded them. A chance to have quality time out with your family or friends and a marvelous dining experience in Chester is not to be missed. (Is this the conclusion? This is too long)

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CPE Essay sample 2017 free feedback and writing correction

Dear Gustavo
Please correct my writing for CPE.

Eliza Fernandez

MEDIA AND INTRUSION

Everybody will agree to the point that over the past few years the extent of intrusion of the media has made into the private lives of individuals is unblustering for they are subsequently facing denigration to their right of privacy increased. The media has deviated from the informative role it once played in finding people important news on papers or containing useful information one sought all these have been mitigated since media and has engaged itself more into publishing facts and information related to private lives of famous individuals . How come the issue does not concern us ? (Feedback: Introduction hast to be short and to the point).

In most part the media is constantly tying up with the sort of news demanded from public part in that falls a section of people interested to stay tuned up with daily updates coming from glamour world which at large focus on the life of celebrities, film stars, directors politicians and the day to day gossips they pass on to media. In some cases, it becomes more serious when media stalk them and even paparazzize them only to add more publicity to their channels. Furthermore, flashing those sensitive issues like death, personal loss, crimes ,war or moments of major humanitarian crisis under the title of “ Breaking News” on tv screen is an evidence of media’s money making formula devised only to shaming the society. (Too many words. Go straight to the point. Task says: Outline the problems the media causes and how they affect the individual)

It is not expected from media to continue meddling with the personal life of people without their consent. I strongly agree that not only media but people are also responsible for encouraging media to interfere; for they want to dig more into others’ lives. In my belief, law has little to do to stop media’s outrageous nature therefore, common people have to come forward to protest against the arbitery nature long sustained by media. In addition, I opine that offenders committing crimes like paparazzi, stalking should be harshly punished. Last but not least, people should learn to adopt a more sympathetic and moral outlook towards those in grief.

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Some Notes: an Iraq War Veteran Reads about the Iraq War

“Iraq is variegated, contradictory, endlessly confusing. Over the years its people have watched as others have sought to define them, creating images to be displayed beyond its borders” (10).

                                                                                    —Anthony Shadid, Night Draws Near

It may not be surprising that I, along with the other soldiers in my platoon, didn’t really consider the war outside of what happened to us directly. The suffering of Iraqis, the lives they were trying to live amidst the presence of us, our war, our occupation, was hardly ever our focus. Usually, we had so many of our own hardships to deal with that it was difficult to imagine much else beyond our daily tasks and missions: patrolling villages and towns populated with tens of thousands of people, training and working with Iraqi Police and Iraqi soldiers with too few interpreters, raiding homes and farms late at night to arrest men or take weapons and bomb-making materials, standing all day outside pulling security for political meetings and city council meetings, too many IEDs or IED scares to count, indirect fire attacks at the base which were, thankfully for us and not so much for the insurgents, poorly aimed and unsuccessful. After so much time—twelve years—has passed and I’ve developed more of an emotional distance from my time in Iraq in 2004, I’ve been able to, finally and fortunately, begin to study, as best as I can, the war through the eyes of Iraqis.

“There’s a line from history that nearly everyone in Baghdad remembers: ‘Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators.’ The speaker was Major General Sir Stanley Maude, the British commander who in 1917 entered the capital to end Ottoman rule” (17).

In Night Draws Near, Anthony Shadid, the Lebanese-American journalist, documents his time from March 2003-June 2004 living with and among Iraqis. His accounts overlap, somewhat, with my time in the country—roughly late February 2004-December 2004. While deployed as a twenty year-old specialist in the Army National Guard, I was aware of the British occupation after WWI but I had never heard about this well-known line from Maude. I imagine most Americans have not. If Shadid emphasizes anything, it’s how that the longer he stays in Iraq, the more complicated and complex the country and the war becomes. Before deploying, as a nineteen year-old trying to understand the gravity of my situation, I started reading, when time permitted, about Islam, Iraqi history, Saddam Hussein and his family, among other things. I also asked my undergraduate advisor—I’d finished one semester of college at the time—for reading suggestions and she mentioned, Rabbit, Run; Portnoy’s Complaint; A Farewell to Arms. At the time, because my professor knew me well, all of these fit my interest as a young male drawn to masculine-driven realist fiction. Beyond literature, I also read the “news” obsessively. I began to read about the war with more intensity and attention because I knew I would, soon, be going to Iraq; somehow, as the deployment became more inevitable, each morning I’d consume every word in the newspaper—usually the Cleveland Plain Dealer since my family still received daily copies back then—that dealt with any aspect of the war: bombings, militias, civilian deaths, insurgents, al-Qaeda, troop surges and reductions, IEDs.

Shadid: “Some Iraqis foresaw the American invasion as a liberation” (42).

An Iraqi man says: “The American invasion has nothing to do with democracy and human rights…it will bring more destruction, more civil war, and a nationalist war against American intervention in the internal affairs of Iraq” (47).

An Iraqi man says of Bush: “From the bottom of my heart, I really respect, I adore this man” (150).

Another Iraqi man: “It is basically an angry response to the events of September 11” (47).

After a bombing, an Iraqi man says in a hospital: “Our floors are covered with blood, the walls are splashed with blood…they came to free us? This is freedom?” (77)

Of course, Saddam is also mentioned, again and again, as justification for the invasion. If Shadid’s book proves anything, it’s how unclassifiable and complicated each Iraqi felt about the American invasion and presence. Shadid writes in the introduction: “There is a word in Arabic that I have heard uttered over and over in the city: ghamidh, meaning ‘mysterious’ or ‘ambiguous.’ If Baghdad’s soul is loss, its mood always seemed to be ghamidh” (10). Shadid argues that someone in his position, a journalist trying to “capture” the war, must “surrender to the ambiguities and embrace what is ghamidh” (10). He later asserts what does seem to be the most effective way to present the war landscape: “Perhaps we simply tell stories” (10).

Almost every day in Iraq I “left the wire” as we would say. We’d rumble out on our Humvees—I drove the last one in our small convoy of four—and do patrols, route clearances, and sometimes just drive around the hills or villages or towns doing “presence patrols.” Every now and then we’d stop for various reasons and I’d stand outside my Humvee where, unless we were in the middle of a desert field, Iraqis, usually young men or boys, would approach us and talk. To generalize, I’d say that any Iraqi approaching us had more positive feelings about our presence and what we were doing; so when they spoke to us, usually with broken English, they complimented what we were doing, thanked us, told us stories and stories about Saddam and the regime. Those who didn’t want us there probably, I think, would not approach us. For much of Shadid’s book, he does, remarkably and vividly, tell stories of the families dealing, on an intimate level, with the invasion, the bombing, and, later, the occupation.

An Iraqi man says: “‘I can’t show my fear in front of my children…if I’m afraid, they’ll become afraid. Life’s not comfortable,’ he said, recalling the twenty missiles that had struck nearby the night before” (64).

After an American bombing, Shadid describes what a man says to him: “He simply turned to me and said matter-of-factly, ‘Fuck all Americans.’”

Over the past year as I’ve worked on my second manuscript of poetry, tentatively titled, Service, I’ve been attempting to write poems with a more expansive and wider range of personae. Specifically, I’ve wanted to write, I say with much humility, more in and of the Iraqi experience of the war. Most of the voices I attempt to develop are centered around the soldier or veteran experience. I’ve wanted to create a more multi-vocal, polyphonic tapestry which will, hopefully, provide a more layered multi-dimensional portrait of the war. I’ve been reading accounts from Iraqis, journalists, and reaching out to speak to Iraqis who might be willing to talk (that’s still in-progress). I say this with no self-congratulation or nobility. My current position as a graduate student allows me to, luckily, simply explore and read what I want. Although I’ve worked over the past few years to discover first-person nonfiction accounts of war by non-soldiers, non-veterans, I’ve seen how very few there are. As I read Shadid’s account of what Iraqis tell him leading up to and during the invasion, I also remember what people, in America, said to me.

 “You see how they act over there—they’re a bunch of animals.”

“We should just bomb the whole place.”

“They should be thankful we’re going over there.”

“We’re just doing it for oil.”

“Just like Vietnam.”

Although it seems to be a well-known, tidy cliché, I’ve always found it true: I really didn’t consider the political, social, historical, economic—to name a few—complexities involving my deployment to Iraq. All I knew: I was going and I wanted to do everything in my power to come back. This was, usually, mixed with a feeling of vicious, nightmarish self-loathing and regret at joining: how did I get myself in this? After all, I signed on with the Army National Guard approximately four months before 9/11 as an incoming high school senior. I remember practicing, in the barracks at Fort Bragg, disassembling my M16 and thinking, in terror, that if it took me just a second or so longer to disassemble and reassemble I might die. It never came to that, thankfully, but how was I to know?

One Iraqi man tells Shadid: “We have eleven thousand years of history…I know it sounds facetious, but it gives you resilience” (84).

A woman, Nadeen, says: “What gives them the right to change something that’s not theirs in the first place? I don’t like your house, so I’m going to bomb it and you can rebuild it again the way I want it…what they’re doing to us, they deserve to have done to them, their families, their children” (87).

Shadid’s account is one of the more startling and comprehensive among the many journalistic accounts of the invasion. His focus is solely on the Iraqis, those caught with the war, literally, in their backyards and front yards. Amidst the bombings, the destruction, the gradual and relentless movement of the war, life does, as much as it can, go on. Shadid writes: “Scenes from normal life persisted: young boys, their bodies dark and thin, swam in the muddy Tigris, while fishermen led their boats along the clumps of green reeds rising from the banks” (54).

Although this seemingly innocent and bucolic scene he mentions above does fall under that wide and complex landscape of war, it happens alongside more of this: after a bomb during the invasion, Shadid writes, “Across the street the severed hand of a seventeen-year-old boy was tossed gracelessly in a pool of blood and mud” (79). Much of the book is filled with this image: blood mixed with mud. There is also very much blood with water, oil, debris on the street, blood in various shades as it dries. Although we enter, as readers, the lives of Iraqis as they struggle through the invasion and the first months of the occupation, even Shadid can’t come—like I want—to some plausible conclusion or closure: “Baghdad is a city of lanterns amid the blackouts,” he writes. “A city of ghosts shadowed by fear, a city that is forsaken. The city I knew would always remain ghamidha” (308). 

*

Hugh Martin is a veteran of the Iraq War and the author of The Stick Soldiers (BOA Editions, Ltd., 2013) and So, How Was the War? (Kent State UP, 2010).  He is the recipient of a Wallace Stegner Fellowship and the Gettysburg College Emerging Writer Lectureship. He is completing his Ph.D. at Ohio University. 

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Dear Freshman Me

And there you have it, Class of 2017. Just like that, your college career has come to an end. Commencement 2017 was an epic day for us here at Tulane. Commencement was filled with amazing music, fantastic speeches, and the very memorable Helen Mirren. You can catch a wrap up video here.

Commencement is always the best time to reflect back on your Tulane experience. Four years goes by in a flash. For us in admission, we love to see our "kids" who we recruited years ago walk across that Superdome stage. Now, the cycle's started all over again as we are about to kick off New Student Orientation for our incoming freshman next week.

That got me thinking. With one class leaving and another class arriving in a few short months, perhaps there were some parting words of wisdom that the Class of 2017 could leave for the Class of 2021. Better yet, if you had the chance, what would you say to your freshman self if you had four years of college wisdom to bestow? What letter would you write to your freshman you if you could? I asked eight students just that. Here's what they had to say.

As you'll see in their letters, Tulane isn't perfect—no college is. And no college experience is without its ups and downs. That's what college is for. And when it's over, you can look back and reflect taking what you learned to start something. That's what commencement really means: the beginning.

Dear Freshman Nate,

Experience everything, but remember that the world is not designed to just be an experience. This means that you should be adventurous, stay out late across town, take in a new culture and talk with different people about foreign things. But when you go out exploring, remember that society doesn't exist solely for you to develop as a person. You should help develop it. My experiences have shaped me, I have loved my time in New Orleans and at Tulane, they have given me so much. It makes me proud to be able to say that I have given back as well, that's the best advice I can give.


Best,

Nate

Dear Freshman Me,

WAKE. UP. You live in an incredible place, it's time to make it your own! You can hear what your parents say while still doing what's authentic to you. Try new things—especially dope upper-level classes about specific topics—that is the name of the game in college. It's easy to get swept away at the activities expo, which makes balancing school, clubs/orgs, work, and a social life the ultimate feat. Messing up is gonna happen, but finding your people and taking care of yourself can get you through. You can determine who you are, what you care about, how you can be better AND how Tulane fits into all of of this! Ultimately, you have to live all your mistakes. Only you can figure it out. I believe in you. Don't stop doin' you!

Love,
@Rinnney

Dearest Yung A. Silb.,

We made it this far, and it's only going to get better from here. As you progress through college, keep on keeping on with what made us so successful.

• Always remember to find time to relax. It's easy to get caught up in school, work, and extra currics, but you live in New Orleans. Take advantage of the city's homier offerings. Streetcar downtown just for beignets, take a blanket to the fly, enjoy 70 degree weather year-round. School will always be there, and it will always be challenging, find time to chill.
• Clean as you go. This mantra first met me in the kitchen, but it can be applied to all aspects of life. Everyday has its own little struggles, if you address them daily, life goes on much more smoothly than if you wait for your problems to pile up. Keep your room, kitchen, and life tidy. 
• Have fun wherever you go. Be a tourist, make friends with strangers, and never be "too cool" for anything. 
• No matter what, do not wear Mardi Gras beads outside of Carnival season. 

Cheerz,
Aaron

Dear Ches,

Welcome to Tulane! You have a long five years ahead of you, but they will be over before you have enough time to enjoy your 100th beignet. You’ve chosen to study architecture, which from my perspective was the best decision you’ve ever made next to attending Tulane, so stick to it! The hours will be long but be patient with yourself, your professors, and your peers, and know that all of the hard work will absolutely pay off. Take risks, stay caffeinated, and stay focused on a few priorities and projects instead of trying to get involved with everything all at once—you’ve got time to grow, explore, and discover yourself and your strengths. Over these next five years, be sure to fully explore New Orleans and remind yourself that it’s okay to take a full Saturday off to see a show with your friends and relax outside! Running is a great way to explore the urban fabric of New Orleans, while also getting a break and providing some inspiration. Another great way to explore the city is by eating at as many restaurants as possible—be sure to keep a running tab of all the places you have visited, and try your best to never eat at the same place more than once!

Best of luck - you’re going to love it!!
Chesley

Dear Freshman Me,

I so vividly remember move-in day freshman year. The nervous energy as everyone looked each other up and down, wondering if they were staring into the eyes of a future friend, as we all tried to embrace our first encounter with the beast that is NOLA in August. As I decorated my dorm with pictures of my friends and family from home I couldn’t help but question whether I would ever be able to make as strong connections in just a short four years. College is going to be everything you think it will be and nothing all at the same time. It’s great to have a dream of what these four years might look like but just know that it’s not all going to turn out how you planned…and that’s okay because if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. Tulane will challenge you and certainly change you (for the better I can confidently say now). Savor every moment you have as an undergrad and please believe people when they say these four years will fly by.

- Maddie

Dear Freshman Me,

     You don't know me, but I know you. You're a newbie. You've just left the comforts of home and can't wait to start your New Orleans adventure. From exploring the French Quarter to kayaking through City Park, there is simply so much for you to do. There are however, some tips/rules that you should know before you decide to hop on the streetcar.

1) Don't be afraid to travel by yourself. Be cautious, but don't let the need to travel in a group prevent you from having your own adventures.
2) Be open to (almost) anything. You will only regret the things that you did not do.
3) Enjoy yourself. You have four years at Tulane, so make the most of them!
4) Do not let one bad grade or experience get in your way.

When it is all said and done, you won't remember the grade you got on an exam. Instead, you'll remember the friendships you made, the adventures you took, and the joy that came with being a part of the Green Wave. Also, the diploma is pretty great! So, freshman me, take my advice for once in your life. Have fun, dance, and don't forget to call your parents!

XO,

Jennifer

Dear Freshman Me:

I want you to know that you don't have everything figured out, and that is ok. Stay open minded and say yes to every opportunity you can. Say yes to joining a sorority even if you swore you never would, and then become its president. Say yes to adding two new majors because of inspiring professors and late night conversations with floor mates. Say yes to Halloween on Frenchman Street, afternoons at the fly and anytime someone offers you food. Say yes to extracurricular projects with peers, and then file patents, start companies and pitch on local and international stages. Keep your heart and mind open, practice empathy, never be afraid to ask for help and remember to breathe.
So, no, the next four years will not go as planned, they are going to be so much more than you could have ever imagined.

-Perri

Dear Freshman Kelsey-

As you anxiously but excitedly get ready to attend Tulane University, everyone fed into your excitement telling you to get ready for the best four years of my life. And the first year went just like that. You fell in love with the city of New Orleans, biking around to find second lines on Sundays or biking at midnight to get beignets at Café du Monde. You met some of your best friends that you graduated with just a few days ago and you even decided to stay that summer after your freshman year to work at Upward Bound, where you found your love for education and working with youth. However, no one prepared you for some moments to come. The anxiety that would hit, the broken heart, the sudden passing of your father, the tears that would stay with you until graduation. It wasn’t until you asked for help from your Posse mentor (which you are very lucky to have) that you learned it’s okay to not always be okay. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to feel sad sometimes when everyone around you is smiling. It’s okay to see a therapist AND a mentor (yes both) once a week. It’s okay to email that professor asking for help. It’s okay to take a deep breath and stop. It’s okay to tell your friends you need help. It’s okay to take care of YOU.

Before attending college, you didn’t even know what mental health was. There was no stopping you. Coming to college you felt things you didn’t know you could. But after your father passed, you remembered something he always used to tell you when we went to the beach (grew up in LA)…. When a big wave comes, take a deep breath, dive all the way under and grab the sand. It will pass right over. So that’s what you did. Sometimes the waves were huge. Sometimes they were small. But you learned to take a deep breath and let the feelings pass. Tulane’s Green Wave came with more than you had planned for—laughter, fun, love, tears, books, food and more—but you'll come out on the other side still breathing. Still smiling. Still biking. Still working at Upward Bound. Staying in New Orleans. Living with your best friend. So get ready to pack your bags. But don’t forget to grab the sand. And something Dad never told you, but I would have told my freshman self, open your eyes while you’re down there. You’ll never know what you’ll discover. On the campus you choose. The city it resides in. Or within yourself.

-Kelsey


Amazing stuff, Class of 2017. Here's to the beginning!

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