an essay about let me be

9 Tips for Writing an Essay About Yourself

You know yourself better than anyone else, but writing about yourself can still be tough! When applying for scholarships or to college, essay prompts  can feel so general (and yet so specific!) that they leave us stumped.  So we’ll show you 8 tips to write an essay about yourself, so that you can land more scholarships. (Psst – Going Merry makes applying easy .)

1. Create a List of Questions

2. brainstorm and outline, 3. be vulnerable, 4. use personal examples, 5. write in the first person, 6. don’t be afraid to show off…but stay on topic, 7. show personality , 8. know your audience, 9. proofread and edit.

Let’s start with some examples of personal essay prompts:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Describe a challenge or event that made you who you are today.
• What are your short and long-term goals, and how do you plan to achieve them?
• Write about a time you failed at something. How did it affect you?

These are just a few of many scholarship essay prompts that require you to look internally, to answer a question, solve a problem, or explain a scenario in your life.  

We get it. You might not be a big fan of bragging about yourself, or you might want to keep your personal stories to yourself. But by opening up and sharing your story, you can show scholarship providers, colleges and universities who you are, and why you’re deserving of their scholarship.

(Don’t just take our word for it – check out our scholarship winners page full of students like you who were brave enough to share their stories with us).

To get started, check out these 9 tips on how to write an essay about yourself:

After reading through the scholarship essay prompt, breathe, and make a list of smaller questions you can answer, which relate to the big essay prompt question. 

Let’s say the main essay prompt question asks you, “What were challenges or barriers you had to work to overcome?” Then the smaller questions might be something like:

• What is your background? Family, finances, school.
• What was challenging about that background?
• What’s your greatest accomplishment? How did you get there? How have previous challenges influenced your goals?

Think of these questions as mini-prompts. They explain your story and help you answer the main essay prompt with more details than if you just answered it without a plan in place.

After considering smaller questions, it’s time to brainstorm your answers.  Take out a pen and paper – or open up a document on a computer – and take your time in answering each mini-prompt. Organize your responses in order:

• Intro to main essay prompt.
• Answer about 3 mini-prompt questions.
• Conclude by rewriting the answer to the main essay prompt with a summary of your mini-prompt answers.

This organization will help you stay on topic and answer the prompt directly. (Or check out these 6 scholarship essay examples for alternative essay structures.)

Don’t be afraid to let your strengths, challenges, and personal stories shine through in your essay! Scholarship and admissions committees love to see that you’re self-aware how you can improve as a person, or how you’ve grown because of your experiences. Honest writing can help tell the best stories (in this case, YOUR story).

Since this essay is all about you , you should make your answer as specific as possible! Avoid using generalizations (e.g., “I’m really good at music). Instead, go for more personalized statements (e.g., “My fourth-grade teacher Ms. Matay really inspired me to pursue my interest in the clarinet”). Your personal examples are what will help your scholarship essay stand out among the thousands of applicants..

 You’re telling your story, so write from your perspective! You can narrate your story. You can provide an overview of what you learned from your experiences. However you choose to answer the prompt, we recommend writing in an active tone, and using “I” and “me” throughout your essay.

Most students worry about bragging in their essay, but we say go for it! This is your time to shine, so highlight your accomplishments and strengths.  Review your essay to make sure that you’re keeping the tone informative and that you’re still on topic. (Brag while answering the essay prompt; don’t just mention random, unrelated but impressive facts about yourself!)You can use this brag sheet where you can brainstorm your accomplishments. While the worksheet is geared toward requesting letters of recommendation , you can still use it to write out your hobbies, interests, college list , and strengths to help you answer your scholarship essay prompt.

Just because it’s an essay doesn’t mean it has to be dry and boring. This essay is all about you, so let your personality shine through. If you’re the class clown, you can use a bit of humor. If you wear your heart on your sleeve, don’t be afraid to show emotion. Trying your best to express who you are as a person will have a huge effect on the admissions or scholarship committee!

If you’re applying for a scholarship, research the scholarship provider. If you’re applying to college, research the school. Understanding what makes the provider/college unique and what their motivations are, will allow you to incorporate that information in your essay. For example, many scholarships are funded by private companies that sell products. You might want to reference those products in your essay. A good example of this is Emily Trader’s essay for the Life Happens organization , where she uses her personal narrative to explain the importance of insurance planning, since that is the mission of the organization (which is funded by insurance companies).

The last step in answering your essay prompt is to double-check your work! One typo can be distracting and cause scholarship providers to scratch their head while reading the essay. ( Psst, humble brag: Going Merry’s application platform includes spellcheck because we’ve got your back .) In addition to proofreading for typos and grammatical errors, also consider whether the sentence or paragraph structure makes sense. Are you breaking paragraphs in the right place? Are you using topic sentences well to signpost your main ideas? Does the essay flow? Consider these “bigger” structural questions too.  You might also want to ask a friend, family member, teacher, or guidance counselor to review your essay. They might catch something you didn’t see the first time around, and that can really help your essay! In fact, that is scholarship winner Daniel Gill ’s #1 tip. (Another tip is to apply for scholarships using Going Merry !)

Also, check out this helpful list of the 10 most common scholarship essay topics while you’re brainstorming!

Now that you know how to write an essay about yourself, it’s time to start applying for scholarships! Remember: You’ve got this. 

Sign up for your free Going Merry profile . From there, you can easily upload and submit your essay for thousands of scholarships. We make it easy so you’ll only need to enter your profile information once! And then, you can apply away. In fact, we even have some bundled scholarships so that you only enter your essay once, to apply for multiple scholarships at the same time.

Or if you’re not ready to register, simply sign up to receive an email with 20 new scholarship opportunities each week. Just enter your email address below:

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Let Me Introduce Myself

First lines from the application essays of stanford’s newest class..

Reading time min

Illustration: Nick Dewar

IT IS A TRUTH universally acknowledged that a high school student in possession of a good résumé must still be in want of a personal essay. In the best of times and the worst of times, first impressions matter. Any student who hopes to be the hero of his own life will strive to write a great opening line.

Picture the dark and stormy nights and the rosy-fingered dawns during which college applicants for the Class of '12 took pen in hand. What would work best—a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream? A screaming comes across the sky as lines are written, then abandoned. The rewriting and editing seems to last till the clocks strike thirteen.

But at last their personal statements for the Common App are crafted. The undergraduate admissions staff, while evaluating students on their total merit, take notice of the first lines that make essay-reading a particular pleasure. We asked them to share some of their favorite openers from those students who, starting in September, can write, Call me Cardinal.

Unlike many mathematicians, I live in an irrational world; I feel that my life is defined by a certain amount of irrationalities that bloom too frequently, such as my brief foray in front of 400 people without my pants.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor of a Bhimanagar slum dwelling in Bangalore, I ran my fingers across a fresh cut on my forehead.

I almost didn't live through September 11th, 2001.

When I was 8 years old, I shocked my family and a local archaeologist by discovering artifacts dating back almost 3,500 years.

When I was in eighth grade I couldn't read.

While traveling through the daily path of life, have you ever stumbled upon a hidden pocket of the universe?

The spaghetti burbled and slushed around the pan, and as I stirred it, the noises it gave off began to sound increasingly like bodily functions.

I had never seen anyone get so excited about mitochondria.

Cancer tried to defeat me, and it failed.

I stand on the riverbank surveying this rippled range like some riparian cowboy—instead of chaps, I wear vinyl, thigh-high waders and a lasso of measuring tape and twine is slung over my arm.

I have old hands.

Flying over enemy territory, I took in Beirut's beautiful skyline and wondered if under different circumstances I would have hopped on a bus and come here for my vacation. Instead, I saw the city from the window of a helicopter, in military uniform, my face camouflaged, on my way to a special operation deep behind enemy lines.

My younger sister, Jessica, arrived home one day reeling about the shirt that her friend had worn to school. It had simply read, “Genocide, Homicide, Suicide, Riverside.”

I'll never forget the day when my childhood nightmares about fighting gigantic trolls in the Lord of the Rings series became a reality. Sword in hand and clad in medieval samurai armor, I dragged myself into the battleground as I faced my opponent, a warmongering giant.

Good Grief! You never would have guessed that an unassuming meek lovable loser like Charlie Brown would have an influence on anyone; but indeed he has.

Some fathers might disapprove of their children handling noxious chemicals in the garage.

I was paralyzed from the waist down. I would try to move my leg or even shift an ankle but I never got a response. This was the first time thoughts of death ever crossed my mind.

As an Indian-American, I am forever bound to the hyphen.

Journey to Gulu's outskirts and you will uncover the scene where education was raped 11 years ago; some Ugandan teens also lost their innocence in exchange for their lives.

I have been surfing Lake Michigan since I was 3 years old.

On a hot Hollywood evening, I sat on a bike, sweltering in a winter coat and furry boots.

I change my name each time I place an order at Starbucks.

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• Career Counselling /

Free Samples To Introduce Yourself in an Essay

• Updated on  
• Dec 13, 2023

Have you ever wondered what is the reason behind introduction essays? We can give a speech or self-introduction on ourselves. Then why write a self-introduction essay? Introducing yourself in an essay allows the audience or reviewer to understand your writing skills and self-awareness about yourself. However, how you introduce yourself can set the tone for the rest of your essay and leave a lasting impression on your readers. Further, a good introduction will also ensure you can hold the attention of the reader. This blog will explore some good ways to introduce yourself in an essay.

This Blog Includes:

Start with a hook, provide some background information, state your thesis, explain the purpose of your essay , conclude with a call to action, personal narrative essay, persuasive essay.

Also Read: Self Introduction Samples for Master’s Degree

How to Introduce Yourself in an Essay?

A strong introduction can grab your reader’s attention and make them interested in reading more. Here are some tips to introduce yourself in a good way for an essay: 

The first sentence of your essay should grab your reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading. You can achieve this by starting it with a hook, which can be a surprising fact, an interesting quote, or a provocative statement. 

After you have hooked your reader, you can provide some background information about yourself. This can include your name where you are from, your educational background, or any relevant experiences that relate to the topic of your essay.

Also Read: Best Way to Start an Introduction About Yourself

Your thesis statement is the most important part of your essay and should be introduced early on in your introduction. Your thesis statement should clearly state your main argument or point of view on the topic you are writing about.

After you have introduced yourself and stated your thesis,  you should explain the purpose of your essay. This can include why you are writing the essay, what you hope to achieve with your writing, and what your readers can expect from your essay. 

Finally, you can conclude your introduction with a call to action. This can be a sentence or two that encourages your readers to take action or think about your topic in a new way.  

Samples 

Here are some sample introductions for different types of essays:

Growing up, I never imagined that a single moment could change the trajectory of my life. But that’s exactly what happened on a hot summer day when I was twelve years old.

Imagine a world where everyone had access to clean drinking water. It’s a simple concept, yet millions of people around the globe are still without this basic necessity. 

Here is a sample of how to introduce yourself in an essay.

Hello! My name is [Your Name], and I am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce myself to you.

I was born and raised in [Your Birthplace], a place that holds a special corner in my heart for its rich cultural heritage and warm community. Growing up, I was surrounded by a loving family that instilled in me the values of honesty, perseverance, and kindness.

From an early age, I developed a keen interest in [Your Passion or Hobby], which has become a significant part of my life. Whether it’s [describe a specific experience or achievement related to your passion], I find immense joy and fulfilment in pursuing my passion.

In terms of education, I completed my [Your Degree] at [Your University]. During my academic journey, I not only gained valuable knowledge in my field but also cultivated essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication.

On the professional front, I have had the privilege of working in [Your Industry or Field] for the past [Number of Years]. My experiences have allowed me to collaborate with diverse teams, tackle challenging projects, and continuously learn and grow. I am particularly proud of [mention a specific accomplishment or project], which showcased my ability to [highlight a skill or quality you possess].

In my leisure time, you can often find me [Your Hobbies or Interests]. Whether it’s [specific activities or hobbies], I cherish these moments as they allow me to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance

At last, I would like to say that I am someone who values integrity, embraces lifelong learning, and seeks to make a meaningful difference in the world. I am eager to connect, collaborate, and learn from the diverse experiences and perspectives that others bring to the table.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better. I look forward to the exciting journey ahead and the chance to learn more about you as well.

Related Articles

Your introduction should be long enough to introduce yourself, provide some background information, state your thesis, and explain the purpose of your essay. However, it should not be too long and should not contain any unnecessary information.

Yes, using a quote can be a great way to start your essay, especially if it relates to the topic you are writing about. Just make sure to cite the source of the quote properly.

No, a call to action is not necessary in every essay. However, if your essay is meant to inspire action or change, including a call to action can be a powerful way to end your introduction.

By following these steps, you can create a strong introduction that will grab your reader’s attention and set the stage for the rest of your essay. We hope you can implement the tips provided here and set the tone for your next essay.

For more information on such related topics to level up your interview preparations, visit our  interview preparation  page. Check out our  career counselling  blogs and follow  Leverage edu.

Simran Popli

An avid writer and a creative person. With an experience of 1.5 years content writing, Simran has worked with different areas. From medical to working in a marketing agency with different clients to Ed-tech company, the journey has been diverse. Creative, vivacious and patient are the words that describe her personality.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, tell us about yourself essay examples.

I'm applying to some scholarships, and some of them have a 'tell us about yourself' essay prompt. I'm a little unsure of where to start and how to structure this essay. Can anyone share some examples or tips on how I can write an engaging, effective essay without sounding cliché or braggy?

Sure, I can provide some guidance on structuring a "tell us about yourself" essay and provide tips on making it engaging and effective without sounding cliché or braggy.

1. Start with an attention-grabbing hook: Open your essay with a brief anecdote, piece of dialogue, or thought-provoking statement that reveals something interesting about you.

Example: "As I stood on the roof of my family's house in [hometown], peering through my homemade telescope, I was struck by the vastness of the night sky."

2. Focus on a specific aspect of yourself: Rather than trying to cover every aspect of your life, pick a theme or personal characteristic that plays a major role in your interests, experiences, and goals.

Example: "My curiosity about the universe and the natural world led me to volunteer at a local science center, where I conducted hands-on experiments with visitors of all ages."

3. Provide a brief background: Give some context to the topic you're discussing, such as your upbringing, community, or family background, if it's relevant to the theme.

Example: "Growing up in a small, rural town, I didn't have the same access to resources and educational opportunities as kids in larger cities, but my determination to learn about the world around me never waned."

4. Showcase your growth and accomplishments: Talk about specific experiences, achievements, or events that shaped your development, values, or interests. Be humble but honest about your achievements, and focus on how they've impacted your growth rather than dwelling on the awards themselves.

Example: "Despite the challenges, I pursued my passion for astronomy and managed to secure a coveted summer internship at a renowned observatory, where I worked alongside professionals and contributed to a research project."

5. Connect your past experiences to your future goals: Explain how the things you've learned and accomplished thus far have motivated and prepared you for your future academic and career aspirations.

Example: "My experiences have confirmed my passion for science and astronomy, leading me to pursue a degree in astrophysics and dedicate myself to researching the mysteries of our universe."

6. Close with a memorable statement: Finish your essay by leaving a lasting impression on the reader, perhaps by tying back to your opening hook or sharing an inspiring thought.

Example: "As I continue to explore the cosmos, both academically and personally, I'll never forget those nights spent stargazing in my hometown and the curiosity that propelled me forward."

Remember, a well-rounded and engaging "tell us about yourself" essay will focus on a specific aspect or theme, be genuine and personal, and effectively showcase your growth and future aspirations. Good luck with your scholarship applications!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

•    How to Write an About Myself Essay With Example

Apply as a tutor to teach students online from anywhere in the world.

How to write an about myself essay with example.

• Chloe Daniel
• Published On: July 09 ,2021

Getting Started

When you may have to write about yourself.

• Career advancement opportunities
• Internship inquiry letters
• Biographies
• Graduate school applications
• Cover letters
• Grant proposals

How to Write an Essay About Myself?

• Introduce yourself.
• Make sure to include your most important professional experience.
• Talk about significant awards or personal achievements.
• Introduce details about your personal life.
• Use a friendly and casual tone unless stated otherwise. 

What Else Do You Need to Include in Your Self Introduction Essay? 

• The things you want to learn.
• Your aspirations and dreams.
• The things you are good at.
• Your hobbies.

A Sample About Myself Essay

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How to Write the Perfect Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide for Students

• June 2, 2022

• What is an essay? 

What makes a good essay?

Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.

Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. 💯

Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide – you’ll be typing away in no time. 👩‍💻

What is an essay?

Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.

So – although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive – an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. 🤔

The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. 👌

So, a ‘good’ essay relies on a confident writing style – it’s clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile – answering the question where one has been posed. 

But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay – hooray. 🙌

Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech – it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. ⚖️

Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Let’s take a look at the typical essay structure:  

#1 Introduction

Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what you’re going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions you’re going to draw – it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s not – more on that below. 1️⃣

Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay – generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay – is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph – much like an introduction to an essay – should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2️⃣

#3 Conclusion

This is where you affirm your argument – remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but – having written the essay – you’ll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3️⃣

No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. 👍

#1 Make sure you understand the question

#2 complete background reading.

#3 Make a detailed plan 

#4 Write your opening sentences 

#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.

Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, let’s take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence . 

This is the most crucial stage in essay writing – r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords – like ‘compare,’ ‘contrast’ ‘discuss,’ ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’ – and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . 🧐

Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. 📚

#3 Make a detailed plan

Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the ‘skeleton structure’ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You don’t need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. 📝

Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember – each paragraph is like a mini-essay – the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. 🖊️

Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method. The opening sentences – already written – should introduce your ‘points’, so now you need to ‘evidence’ them with corroborating research and ‘explain’ how the evidence you’ve presented proves the point you’re trying to make. ✍️

With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. 📗

This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing ‘submit’. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible – you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. 🤓

If you are looking for advice and support with your own essay-writing adventures, why not t ry a free trial lesson with GoStudent? Our tutors are experts at boosting academic success and having fun along the way. Get in touch and see how it can work for you today. 🎒

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Giving birth to nine foals, Black Caviar's retirement was not the restful experience many of us assumed it would be

Topic: Horse Racing

Champion mare Black Caviar stands with her first foal in 2014. ( Supplied: Georgina Lomax Photography )

When the news broke on Saturday evening of the passing of champion racehorse Black Caviar , I knew tributes and accolades would immediately begin to flow, and for good reason.

From social media platforms to news headlines, the discussion was dominated by memories of the iconic mare's astounding 25 wins from 25 starts, marking one of the most impressive careers in racing's modern era.

Many outside of the racing industry, or those without a strong interest in the sport, may have presumed she had spent her final years in pampered peace, having earned the right for a restful retirement in some far off green and pleasant land.

Lucie Morris-Marr meets Black Caviar at a stud farm in the Hunter Valley.

In truth, the deafening cheers of hysterical crowds may have abated when jockey Luke Nolen dismounted in 2013 for the final time, but Black Caviar's hardest job hadn't yet begun — the more successful a racehorse on the track, the higher value they are for breeding.

When I was invited for a rare visit to see Black Caviar in 2016 at her stud farm, in a secret location in the Hunter Valley, I gained important insight into the less known side of her new reality.

At the time, working as a general news reporter and feature writer for an Australian tabloid, I knew little about horse breeding but sometimes naive eyes are useful. They bring new perspective and spark impertinent questions.

Ostensibly, Black Caviar seemed content enough when I arrived, as I patted her in a pretty paddock alongside her second foal.

They nibbled on the grass in the dappled shade of the February sun within eye shot of other notable mares and stallions in surrounding fields.

The stud was staff-heavy with young assistants in jaunty Akubra hats and friendly managers busily organising an abundant BBQ lunch for several of Black Caviar's wealthy owners who were also on the visit.

It was when I sat down after the lunch and interviewed one of the stud managers that one of his chatty, relaxed answers stopped me in my tracks. 

Black Caviar with her second foal.

He was talking me through how the impregnation process worked for Black Caviar and casually revealed that they had to use a "twitch" restraint device on her face, which they could tighten if she protested when a prized stallion mounted her. Or "covered" her as they say in the horse breeding industry.

The risk of injury for both valuable animals is high in this acute and challenging moment of copulation so this device, which can consist of a small twisting rope, was considered vital. It stilled her. It made her compliant.

I could tell this was normal and acceptable in the horse breeding world, but as an outsider I felt uncomfortable. Was this fair to Black Caviar after all she had achieved? How painful was this restraint? Was this method kind to any broodmare, a champion or not? 

Most importantly, I felt that the millions of Australians who still adored this horse, embedded in our collective history and memories, should know the facts.

My editors at the time had other ideas. They were happy with a more positive piece about Black Caviar's new life as a mum and sweet pictures of her beautiful latest foal. 

The racing industry holds a lot of power in media advertising and many readers buy tabloids for the racing pages. Alienating or angering these stakeholders was perhaps too much of a risk.

I did my best to push back and hint at some concern in my articles and then had to move on, presuming the beloved horse would only have, perhaps, a couple more foals before finally living out her final years in peace.

When she died at the weekend she had been suffering from a severe hoof disease and was euthanised shortly after giving birth to her ninth foal, a colt, in 11 years.

Nine. The sheer number seemed surprising. 

Had the foot disease been caused by being worn down by the close succession and sheer weight of her lengthy pregnancies? Each time she gave birth she had clearly soon been impregnated at the stud again, with the gestation time being, on average, around 340 days.

Laminitis, which is what caused Black Caviar to be euthanised, can occur due to many reasons, including excessive weight bearing, fillies and mares coming into season, cold weather, infections and toxaemia, retained placenta, and drug inducement.

Black Caviar at Royal Ascot, where Queen Elizabeth II marvelled at the superstar from Australia. ( Getty Images: Alan Crowhurst )

None of her foals, many trained by Peter Moody, have yet proved to be able to match her winning streak. 

Last November her fifth foal, named Invincible Caviar, tragically died during training in a swimming pool while several others, including Prince of Caviar and Out of Caviar, have already been retired to stud.

Their heritage alone ensures they are valuable breeding commodities bringing further gains to their owners. Even her stallion sons can command over $4,000 per "cover" according to racing media. 

And so the cycle goes on.

Breeding and its spoils are part of the on-going prize for owners and syndicates of retired champion racehorses with often multi-million-dollar gains, either at the yearling sales or to keep as future runners and breeders themselves.

Black Caviar was one day shy of her 18th birthday when she died. The expected life span of a retired racehorse is between 25-30 years old.

When I wrote what turned out to be a viral thread on Twitter at the weekend, about my 2016 Black Caviar visit, this longevity point seemed to cause most concern.

The posts gained nearly 500,000 impressions, according to the site's analytics and attracted dozens of comments.

Many felt Black Caviar had been "bred excessively" with one user saying the racing industry was "always about the money and not about the animals".

"It's essential people know the truth and understand the money-focus of all animal breeding programmes," another user wrote.

Other racing fans had other views, arguing that twitch restraints are not painful for horses, and that mares in the wild have one foal every year anyway.

Of course, her experience could only be gained from the adored mare herself, the horse famously admired by the late Queen when she was flown across the globe to race at Royal Ascot for yet another glorious win.

Vale Black Caviar — the most important interview Australia could never have.

Lucie Morris-Marr is a Walkley-winning author and freelance investigative journalist based in Melbourne.

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Who knew watching the Paris Olympics with friends could have been so much fun?

My favorite moments included the selfies taken by the north and south koreans, the casual pistol shooter from turkey, and the gold-medal women's beach volleyball match..

A week after bidding au revoir to the 2024 Paris Olympics, let me just say merci beaucoup.

Thank you very much, XXXIII Olympiad!

You nailed it like a Simone Biles’ vault landing. You crushed it like a Katie Ledecky freestyle race in the pool. You drained it like a Steph Curry three-pointer for the U.S. men’s basketball team. You were gold — just like them.

Thanks to you and all the wonderfully dynamic athletes representing 206 different countries and the Refugee Olympic Team (which captured its first medal ever), you also opened millions and millions of eyes around the world, including mine.

I didn’t realize there were 329 events in 32 sports, but I think I watched at least parts of all of them when I wasn’t covering Arizona Cardinals training camp at State Farm Stadium.

When my football duties were done for the day, I raced over to join my friends at the neighborhood watering hole and couldn’t wait to dive into NBC’s vast coverage. We even got the diehard motorhead who’s addicted to NASCAR and anything else related to motorsports to watch. There was never a fight over the remote control, either.

We joyfully took turns flipping from channel to channel, perusing events from A (artistic swimming) to W (wrestling). In between, we marveled merrily at everything we saw. And we saw a lot. Canoeing and water polo. Judo and taekwondo. And of course, the three mainstays of equestrian — jumping, dressage and eventing, although I’m still not quite sure what that last one is.

But oh, the drama, the heartbreak, the joy, the tears.

Who knew this could be so much fun? I never did and I’ve been covering sports for parts of five decades. But I binge-watched the Paris Olympics the way I imagine folks binge-watched “Game of Thrones,” “Lost,” or “Schitt’s Creek,” and no, I’m not talking about The Seine.

Speaking of which, apparently some competitors in the triathlon and open water swimming events got sick during portions of their time in the river. One of them emerged with a big thumbs up and then promptly upchucked. Unfortunate.

So was the fact that the U.S. only medaled once in breakdancing aka breaking. Victor Montalvo took the bronze. The bronze? Yes, the bronze. Didn’t we invent this darn thing? Sadly (or maybe not), it looks like we’ve probably seen the last of breaking as an Olympic sport. It’s not on the docket for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Flag football will be, though, and I can’t wait to watch the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray leave would-be flag-pullers in his wake during a bunch of bootleg rollouts. They’ll also be introducing squash in four years, joined by the return of baseball/softball, lacrosse (for the first time since 1908), and cricket (for the first time since 1900).

Thank goodness for badminton, which has been around the Olympics since 1972. All I know about badminton is that it comes in a box, and I think it’s buried somewhere in the garage next to the croquette set and the lawn darts. Those last two sports aren’t Olympic events. Well, not yet.

But I watched badminton intently during the Paris Olympics and picked up some real pointers — assuming I ever find that dang box and can untangle the net.

Field hockey was fun. The sticks they use, though, reminded me of those long plastic candy-cane-shaped objects me and the missus used to get the twins at Christmastime. You know, those things filled to the brim with Hershey’s Kisses?

Table tennis was fascinating. I was especially enthralled with the guy who looked like Mr. Bean. No, serious. He did. Even my friends agreed with me when I pointed out the uncanny resemblance. I can’t remember where he’s from, but man, what a wicked serve. Too bad he lost.

Sport climbing was interesting, to a point. A day after I watched it for about an hour or so, I was interviewed on a Montreal radio station that wanted to learn more about the Cardinals. We spent the first half of the spot, though, talking about the Olympics and yes, portions of sport climbing.

The producer of the show told me she was a rock-climbing enthusiast and added that in her opinion, something called “bouldering” was better. I never saw any of that during the Paris Olympics, but “bouldering” sounds just as boring.

I liked fencing much better. Salute to Egyptian saber fencer Nada Hafez, who competed at seven months pregnant. She beat Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the U.S. in the first round of the women’s competition before getting knocked out by Jeon Ha-young of the Republic of Korea.

More Olympics: Best and worst things we watched during the 2024 Olympics

Which reminds me, one of my favorite moments from the Paris Olympics was watching the mixed doubles table tennis teams from North Korea and South Korea pose for selfies together during the medal ceremony. The North won silver, the South bronze and after watching that, I didn’t even care who won the gold.

My other top moments:

Watching that very average-looking dude in the speedo jumping into the pool to much applause just to retrieve a lost swimming cap by one of the Olympians, and the casual pistol shooter from Turkey who won silver with one hand tucked in his pocket and wearing no fancy eyewear scopes or any other RoboCop gear.

You also had to love the female Brazilian handball player who carried the injured captain of the Angola team to a chair on the sideline. She received a standing ovation from the crowd. And, of course, there was the women’s beach volleyball gold medal match between Brazil and Canada.

Toward the end, the gals got into a fairly heated argument at the net. Before it got too wild, someone brilliantly decided to blare John Lennon’s “Imagine” over the loudspeakers. Everyone smiled, the crowd enthusiastically sang along, and all was right in the world.

I was so stoked, I even stopped questioning why Snoop Dogg kept showing up on camera at seemingly every other event as America’s No.1 Olympic cheerleader. Then someone told me how much money he supposedly was getting paid, and it made me nauseous.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

Still, the Paris Olympics were so awesome to watch, I’m going to celebrate by indulging in some exquisite French cuisine. Maybe snails smothered in garlicky drawn butter. They just better not be from the Seine or I’m going to get sick in the garage somewhere near that badminton box.

Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic . Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch on Fox Sports 910-AM.

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Arsenal prepared to be patient in pursuit of Mikel Merino after Real Sociedad reject initial bid - Paper Talk

Plus: Napoli open talks with Manchester United over potential signing of Scott McTominay; Liverpool step up talks to sign Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili; Man Utd to let Jadon Sancho fight for Old Trafford career with PSG now unlikely to bid; Napoli step up move for Billy Gilmour

Thursday 15 August 2024 08:26, UK

The top stories and transfer rumours from Thursday's newspapers...

THE GUARDIAN

Arsenal are prepared to be patient in their pursuit of Mikel Merino after their initial offer for the Spain midfielder was rejected by Real Sociedad.

Mounir Nasraoui, the father of the Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal, was reportedly stabbed late on Wednesday in a car park in the north-eastern Spanish town of Mataró, La Vanguardia newspaper stated, citing official sources familiar with the matter.

An official from the World Anti-Doping Agency assisted in a controversial investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency which involved recruiting athletes to provide information on potential dopers, the Guardian understands.

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• Why Premier League big hitters aren't moving for Toney
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• Chelsea transfers: Blues turn down Napoli's Lukaku bid
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A new detail has emerged in the battle over Jordan Chiles's Olympic bronze medal, a saga which has overshadowed a thrilling gymnastics competition at the Paris Games.

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Arsenal have made contact with Real Sociedad over midfielder Mikel Merino as they step up their attempts to sign the Spain international.

Diego Simeone personally assured Conor Gallagher that he remains desperate for the midfielder to sign for Atletico Madrid before Gallagher boarded his flight back to London.

Manchester United are ready to give Jadon Sancho the chance to fight for his career at Old Trafford as Paris Saint-Germain are unlikely to bid for the winger.

Eddie Hearn is open to offering Olympic gender-row boxer Imane Khelif a professional contract after the Algerian's gold medal in Paris, based on "talent" and "commercial appeal".

A trial date has been set for next year after a South African man was accused of racially abusing the former England international Ugo Monye following an Exeter Chiefs match.

Premier League managers told Howard Webb in a private meeting last month that they did not want the new-season innovation of referees announcing VAR decisions live on-mic to crowds in stadiums and the proposal has been dropped.

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Jofra Archer hit back at social media critics of his frustrating injury record, saying "I'll do whatever I can to stay on the park and if it's not enough I'll simply retire" in a series of since-deleted tweets.

Napoli have opened talks with Manchester United over the potential signing of Scott McTominay.

Liverpool have stepped up their interest in the Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, although he would not replace Alisson as the club's No1 this season.

Napoli have stepped up their efforts to sign Romelu Lukaku by offering the Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen to Chelsea as part of a proposed deal.

An American sprinter who finished fourth in the Olympic 200m final last week is facing a four-year ban - despite being initially cleared to compete at the Games.

DAILY MIRROR

Arsenal chief Edu has been in Spain this week as he looks to finalise the signing of 28-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

Peter Schmeichel claims Erik ten Hag must improve Manchester United because the Premier League is their bread and butter.

Paris Saint-Germain have won the race to sign Desire Doue.

Barcelona are in a precarious financial position but have not yet entered into any talks with Manchester United over Frenkie de Jong.

Liverpool have stepped up their talks to sign Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Napoli have reportedly stepped up moves for Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay.

Rio Ferdinand has told Manchester United not to bring Ivan Toney to the club, citing the Brentford star's profile as being 'wrong' after the striker was linked with a move to Old Trafford.

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Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 118 comments

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Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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Knowing how to write an essay can help you out significantly in both, your academic and professional life. An essay is a highly versatile nonfiction piece of writing that not only tests your knowledge of a topic but also your literary and argumentative skills.     

Each essay requires the same basic process of planning, writing, and editing. Naturally, we’ve used these stages to group our steps on how to write an essay. So w ithout further ado, let’s get into it! Here are the eight steps to write an essay:

Stage 1: Planning

1. Pick an appropriate research topic

In certain cases, your teacher or professor may assign you a topic. However, in many cases, students have the freedom to select a topic of their choice. Make sure you choose a topic that you’re well versed in and have significant knowledge of. 

Having prior knowledge of the topic will help you determine the subsequent steps to write an essay. It will also make your research process considerably easier.

2. Form an appropriate thesis statement

A thesis statement is the central idea or premise your essay is based on. It is usually a sentence or two long and is included in the introduction of the essay. The scope of your thesis statement depends on the type of your essay and its length.

For instance, the scope of the thesis statement for a 500–1000 word school essay will be narrower than a 1000–5000 word college essay. A rule of thumb is that your essay topic should be broad enough to gather enough information, but narrow enough to address specific points and not be vague. Here’s an example: 

The invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers in 1903 revolutionized transportation and paved the way for modern aviation. It represents a monumental achievement in human history that forever changed the course of human civilization.

3. Create an essay outline

Creating a well-organized essay outline not only gives structure and flow to your essay but also makes it more impactful and easy to understand. The idea is to collect the main points of information that support or elaborate on your thesis statement. You can also include references or examples under these main points. 

For example, if your thesis statement revolves around the invention of the airplane, your main points will include travel before the invention of the airplane, how it was invented, and its effects on modern-day travel. Take a look:

The Wright Brothers’ invention had a massive impact on modern-day travel. The subsequent growth of the aviation industry led to increased accessibility of air travel to the general public.

Stage 2: Writing

4. Write a comprehensive introduction

After creating the basic outline, it is important to know how to write an essay. Begin your essay by introducing your voice and point of view to the reader. An introduction is usually a paragraph or two long and consists of three main parts:

• Background information
• Thesis statement

Let’s better understand this with the help of an example:

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane in 1903 revolutionized the way humans travel and explore the world. Prior to this invention, transportation relied on trains, boats, and cars, which limited the distance and speed of travel. However, the airplane made air travel a reality, allowing people to reach far-off destinations in mere hours. This breakthrough paved the way for modern-day air travel, transforming the world into a smaller, more connected place. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Wright Brothers’ invention on modern-day travel, including the growth of the aviation industry, increased accessibility of air travel to the general public, and the economic and cultural benefits of air travel.

Let’s understand how to construct each of these sections in more detail.

A. Construct an attractive hook

The opening sentence of an essay, also known as the hook, should include a powerful or startling statement that captures the reader’s attention. Depending on the type of your essay, it can be an interesting fact, a surprising statistic, or an engaging anecdote. 

B. Provide relevant background information

While writing the introduction, it’s important to provide context or background information before including the thesis statement. The background information may include the time before a groundbreaking invention, the pros and cons of a significant discovery, or the short- and long-term effects of an event.

C. Edit the thesis statement

If you’ve constructed your thesis statement during the outlining stage, it’s time to edit it based on the background information you’ve provided. Observe the slight changes we’ve made to the scope of the thesis statement in the example above. This accommodates the bits of information we’ve provided in the background history.

5. Form relevant body paragraphs

Body paragraphs play a crucial role in supporting and expanding the central argument presented in the thesis statement. The number of body paragraphs depends on the type of essay as well as the scope of the thesis statement.

Most school-level essays contain three body paragraphs while college-level essays can vary in length depending on the assignment.

A well-crafted body paragraph consists of the following parts:

• A topic sentence
• Supporting information
• An analysis of the information
• A smooth transition to the next paragraph

Let’s understand this with the help of an example. 

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane revolutionized air travel. They achieved the first-ever successful powered flight with the Wright Flyer in 1903, after years of conducting experiments and studying flight principles. Despite their first flight lasting only 12 seconds, it was a significant milestone that paved the way for modern aviation. The Wright Brothers’ success can be attributed to their systematic approach to problem-solving, which included numerous experiments with gliders, the development of a wind tunnel to test their designs, and meticulous analysis and recording of their results. Their dedication and ingenuity forever changed the way we travel, making modern aviation possible.

Here’s a detailed overview of how to construct each of these sections.

A. Construct appropriate topic sentences

A topic sentence is the title of the body paragraph that elaborates on the thesis statement. It is the main idea on which the body paragraph is developed. Ensure that each topic sentence is relevant to the thesis statement and makes the essay flow seamlessly. 

The order of topic sentences is key in creating an impactful essay. This order varies depending on the type of essay you choose to write. These sentences may be arranged chronologically, in the order of importance, or in a cause-and-effect format.

B. Provide supporting information

It is necessary to provide relevant supporting information and evidence to validate your topic statement. This may include examples, relevant statistics, history, or even personal anecdotes.

You should also remember to cite your sources wherever you use them to substantiate your arguments. Always give researchers and authors credit for their work!

C. Analyze the supporting information

After presenting the appropriate evidence, the next step is to conduct an in-depth analysis. Establish connections and provide additional details to strengthen the link between your topic sentence and the supporting information. 

Depending on the type of essay, this step may also involve sharing your subjective opinions and key takeaways.

D. Create a smooth transition

In case you plan to create multiple body paragraphs, it is crucial to create a seamless transition between them. Transitional statements not only make the essay less jarring to read but also guide the reader in the right direction.

However, these statements need not be too lengthy and complicated. Use words such as “however”, “in addition to”, and “therefore” to convey transitions.

6. Construct an impactful conclusion

An impactful conclusion creates a lasting impression on the mind of the reader. Although it varies in length depending on the specific essay, the conclusion is typically a paragraph long.

It consists of

• A restated thesis statement
• Summary of the main points
• The broader implications of the thesis statement

Here’s an example of a well-structured conclusion:

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane forever changed history by paving the way for modern aviation and countless aerospace advancements. Their persistence, innovation, and dedication to problem-solving led to the first successful powered flight in 1903, sparking a revolution in transportation that transformed the world. Today, air travel remains an integral part of our globalized society, highlighting the undeniable impact of the Wright Brothers’ contribution to human civilization.  

Let’s take a closer look at how to construct each of these sections.

A. Restate the thesis statement

Your conclusion should call back to your original argument or thesis statement.

However, this does not mean repeating the thesis statement as is. The essence of your argument should remain the same, but it should also be modified and evolved as per the information presented in your essay.

B. Summarize important points

A powerful conclusion not only lingers in the reader’s mind but also provokes thought. You can create a strong impression on the reader by highlighting the most impactful points of your essay.

C. State the greater implications

End your essay with the most powerful and impactful part: the larger perspective. This can‌ include a question you’d like to leave the reader with, the broader implications and impact of your thesis statement, or the long-term, lingering effects of your experience. 

Make sure to include no new evidence or arguments, or to undermine your findings in any way. 

Stage 3: Editing

7. Review your essay

Knowing how to write an essay is just one part of essay writing. Properly reviewing and editing your essay is just as important. Make sure to spend enough time going over your essay and adding any bits of information that you’ve missed. 

This is also a good time to make minor structural changes in your essay.

8. Thoroughly proofread your essay

After making the necessary structural changes, recheck your essay word by word. It is important to not only correct major grammatical and spelling errors but also minor errors regarding the phrasing or tone of voice.

You can either choose to do this by yourself, ask a friend for assistance, or hire an essay proofreading service to go over your writing. To construct a fool-proof, error-free essay, it is helpful to have a trained pair of eyes go over it. Professional proofreaders can spot errors that are not visible to most people and set the right tone for your essay. 

Now that you know the basics of how to write an essay, it’s time to learn about the specifics. Feel free to dig into the articles below and keep reading!

• How to Write an Essay Header in 4 Steps
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Frequently Asked Questions

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• / Let Me Be Myself

Let Me Be Myself

Essay by people   •  October 23, 2011  •  Essay  •  927 Words (4 Pages)  •  6,604 Views

Essay Preview: Let Me Be Myself

There are some points in life that can be very confusing. You could be going to a new school, breaking up with your girlfriend, or getting a new job. In the song "Let Me Be Myself" 3 Doors Down talks about being confused. Not only being confused about things in your life, but being confused about yourself. There are a few messages in this song, such as talking about relationships and society's follies. However, there is one message that I think is obvious, just be yourself.

In the song "Let Me Be Myself" there is a very apparent message. This message is be yourself. I think that this has a few different meanings to it though. The song is saying "Would you let me be myself?" This line makes me think that the song writer is talking to a specific person maybe a spouse or girlfriend. In that way the song makes a lot of sense to me. There are so many relationships in the world that fail because one of the participants is too controlling. I think that when people are in a relationship they should respect the person they are with for the person they are, such as how it says in the song. Also in the song it says "I'll never find my heart behind someone else." This also supports the fact that the person is with a spouse, not wanting to give your heart to someone else because they may be hurt again. They want to "Take back all of these times that I gave in to you" I can understand this too because a relationship that I was in my girlfriend was very controlling and made me just sad to be me. Like I was wrong for the things that I wanted to do and it seems that in the song he is being forced to conform to please the one that he loves. When someone you used to care about a lot hurts you a lot you want to forget all the times you had together. It is a tough thing to be with someone that doesn't like you for who you are.

Looking at this song a little deeper you can see a few more things that they could be talking about. I think that this song is not talking about one person not liking them but many. I think it could have the meaning of society not accepting people for who they are. There are always out casts in the world. People that you think are weird and people you think are not cool. But in this song I think that 3 Doors Down were the outcast and they conformed to who everyone wanted them to be. 3 Doors Down conform to society and they hate it, "I guess I just got lost Bein' someone else" this tells how they conformed to who they didn't want to be, because everyone just wants to be able to be who they are. "I tried to kill the pain nothin ever helped I left myself behind somewhere along the way hopin to come back around to find myself someday" this is showing how in the song they just hate who they have become and that they never wanted to be that way. I would theorize that when they said

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• Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks

Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks

Published on February 9, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023 by Shona McCombes.

This example guides you through the structure of an essay. It shows how to build an effective introduction , focused paragraphs , clear transitions between ideas, and a strong conclusion .

Each paragraph addresses a single central point, introduced by a topic sentence , and each point is directly related to the thesis statement .

As you read, hover over the highlighted parts to learn what they do and why they work.

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Other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay, an appeal to the senses: the development of the braille system in nineteenth-century france.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

In France, debates about how to deal with disability led to the adoption of different strategies over time. While people with temporary difficulties were able to access public welfare, the most common response to people with long-term disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, was to group them together in institutions (Tombs, 1996). At first, a joint institute for the blind and deaf was created, and although the partnership was motivated more by financial considerations than by the well-being of the residents, the institute aimed to help people develop skills valuable to society (Weygand, 2009). Eventually blind institutions were separated from deaf institutions, and the focus shifted towards education of the blind, as was the case for the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, which Louis Braille attended (Jimenez et al, 2009). The growing acknowledgement of the uniqueness of different disabilities led to more targeted education strategies, fostering an environment in which the benefits of a specifically blind education could be more widely recognized.

Several different systems of tactile reading can be seen as forerunners to the method Louis Braille developed, but these systems were all developed based on the sighted system. The Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris taught the students to read embossed roman letters, a method created by the school’s founder, Valentin Hauy (Jimenez et al., 2009). Reading this way proved to be a rather arduous task, as the letters were difficult to distinguish by touch. The embossed letter method was based on the reading system of sighted people, with minimal adaptation for those with vision loss. As a result, this method did not gain significant success among blind students.

Louis Braille was bound to be influenced by his school’s founder, but the most influential pre-Braille tactile reading system was Charles Barbier’s night writing. A soldier in Napoleon’s army, Barbier developed a system in 1819 that used 12 dots with a five line musical staff (Kersten, 1997). His intention was to develop a system that would allow the military to communicate at night without the need for light (Herron, 2009). The code developed by Barbier was phonetic (Jimenez et al., 2009); in other words, the code was designed for sighted people and was based on the sounds of words, not on an actual alphabet. Barbier discovered that variants of raised dots within a square were the easiest method of reading by touch (Jimenez et al., 2009). This system proved effective for the transmission of short messages between military personnel, but the symbols were too large for the fingertip, greatly reducing the speed at which a message could be read (Herron, 2009). For this reason, it was unsuitable for daily use and was not widely adopted in the blind community.

Nevertheless, Barbier’s military dot system was more efficient than Hauy’s embossed letters, and it provided the framework within which Louis Braille developed his method. Barbier’s system, with its dashes and dots, could form over 4000 combinations (Jimenez et al., 2009). Compared to the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, this was an absurdly high number. Braille kept the raised dot form, but developed a more manageable system that would reflect the sighted alphabet. He replaced Barbier’s dashes and dots with just six dots in a rectangular configuration (Jimenez et al., 2009). The result was that the blind population in France had a tactile reading system using dots (like Barbier’s) that was based on the structure of the sighted alphabet (like Hauy’s); crucially, this system was the first developed specifically for the purposes of the blind.

While the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009), realizing that access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Although Blind people remained marginalized throughout the nineteenth century, the Braille system granted them growing opportunities for social participation. Most obviously, Braille allowed people with vision loss to read the same alphabet used by sighted people (Bullock & Galst, 2009), allowing them to participate in certain cultural experiences previously unavailable to them. Written works, such as books and poetry, had previously been inaccessible to the blind population without the aid of a reader, limiting their autonomy. As books began to be distributed in Braille, this barrier was reduced, enabling people with vision loss to access information autonomously. The closing of the gap between the abilities of blind and the sighted contributed to a gradual shift in blind people’s status, lessening the cultural perception of the blind as essentially different and facilitating greater social integration.

The Braille system also had important cultural effects beyond the sphere of written culture. Its invention later led to the development of a music notation system for the blind, although Louis Braille did not develop this system himself (Jimenez, et al., 2009). This development helped remove a cultural obstacle that had been introduced by the popularization of written musical notation in the early 1500s. While music had previously been an arena in which the blind could participate on equal footing, the transition from memory-based performance to notation-based performance meant that blind musicians were no longer able to compete with sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997). As a result, a tactile musical notation system became necessary for professional equality between blind and sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997).

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Bullock, J. D., & Galst, J. M. (2009). The Story of Louis Braille. Archives of Ophthalmology , 127(11), 1532. https://​doi.org/10.1001/​archophthalmol.2009.286.

Herron, M. (2009, May 6). Blind visionary. Retrieved from https://​eandt.theiet.org/​content/​articles/2009/05/​blind-visionary/.

Jiménez, J., Olea, J., Torres, J., Alonso, I., Harder, D., & Fischer, K. (2009). Biography of Louis Braille and Invention of the Braille Alphabet. Survey of Ophthalmology , 54(1), 142–149. https://​doi.org/10.1016/​j.survophthal.2008.10.006.

Kersten, F.G. (1997). The history and development of Braille music methodology. The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education , 18(2). Retrieved from https://​www.jstor.org/​stable/40214926.

Mellor, C.M. (2006). Louis Braille: A touch of genius . Boston: National Braille Press.

Tombs, R. (1996). France: 1814-1914 . London: Pearson Education Ltd.

Weygand, Z. (2009). The blind in French society from the Middle Ages to the century of Louis Braille . Stanford: Stanford University Press.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Bryson, S. (2023, July 23). Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks. Scribbr. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/example-essay-structure/

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OpenAI’s new voice mode let me talk with my phone, not to it

I’ve been playing around with OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode for the last week, and it’s the most convincing taste I’ve had of an AI-powered future yet. This week, my phone laughed at jokes, made them back to me, asked me how my day was, and told me it’s having “a great time.” I was talking with my iPhone, not using it with my hands.

OpenAI’s newest feature, currently in a limited alpha test, doesn’t make ChatGPT any smarter than it was before. Instead, Advanced Voice Mode (AVM) makes it friendlier and more natural to talk with. It creates a new interface for using AI and your devices that feels fresh and exciting, and that’s exactly what scares me about it. The product was kinda glitchy, and the whole idea totally creeps me out, but I was surprised by how much I genuinely enjoyed using it.

Taking a step back, I think AVM fits into OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s broader vision, alongside agents, of changing the way humans interact with computers, with AI models front and center.

“Eventually, you’ll just ask the computer for what you need and it’ll do all of these tasks for you,” Altman said during OpenAI’s Dev Day in November 2023. “These capabilities are often talked about in the AI field as ‘agents.’ The upside of this is going to be tremendous.”

My friend, ChatGPT

On Wednesday, I tested the most tremendous upside for this advanced technology I could think of: I asked ChatGPT to order Taco Bell the way Obama would.

“Uh, let me be clear — I’d like a Crunchwrap Supreme, maybe a few tacos for good measure,” said ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode. “How do you think he’d handle the drive-thru?” said ChatGPT, then laughing at its own joke.

The impression genuinely made me laugh as well, matching Obama’s iconic cadence and pauses. That said, it stayed within the tone of the ChatGPT voice I selected, Juniper, so that it wouldn’t be genuinely confused with Obama’s voice. It sounded like a friend doing a bad impression, understanding exactly what I was trying to evoke from it, and even that it was saying something funny. I found it surprisingly joyful to talk with this advanced assistant in my phone.

I also asked ChatGPT for advice on navigating a problem involving complex human relationships: asking a significant other to move in with me. After explaining the complexities of the relationship and the direction of our careers, I received some very detailed advice on how to progress. These are questions you could never ask Siri or Google Search, but now you can with ChatGPT. The chatbot’s voice even expressed a slightly serious, gentle tone when responding to these prompts; a stark contrast from the joking tone of Obama’s Taco Bell order.

ChatGPT’s AVM is also great for helping you understand complex subjects. I asked it to break down items on an earnings report — such as free cash flow — in a way that a 10-year-old would understand. It used a lemonade stand as an example, and explained several financial terms in way my younger cousin would totally get. You can even ask ChatGPT’s AVM to talk more slowly to meet you at your current level of understanding.

Siri walked so AVM could run

Compared to Siri or Alexa, ChatGPT’s AVM is the clear winner thanks to faster response times, unique answers, and its ability to answer complex questions the prior generation of virtual assistants never could. However, AVM falls short in other ways. ChatGPT’s voice feature can’t set timers or reminders, surf the web in real time, check the weather, or interact with any APIs on your phone. Right now, at least, it’s not an effective replacement for virtual assistants.

Compared to Gemini Live , Google’s competing feature, AVM feels slightly ahead. Gemini Live can’t do impressions, doesn’t express any emotion, can’t speed up or slow down, and takes longer to respond. Gemini Live does have more voices (ten compared to OpenAI’s four) and seems to be more up to date (Gemini Live knew about Google’s antitrust ruling). Notably, neither AVM nor Gemini Live will sing, likely an effort to avoid run-ins with copyright lawsuit from the record industry.

That said, ChatGPT’s AVM glitches a lot (as does Gemini Live, to be fair). Sometimes it will cut itself short mid-sentence, then start over. It also gets this weird, grainy-sounding voice here and there that’s a little unpleasant. I’m not sure if this is a problem with the model, internet connection, or something else, but these technical shortcomings are somewhat expected for an alpha test. The problems did little to take me out of the experience of literally talking with my phone, though.

These examples, in my mind, are the beauty of AVM. The feature doesn’t make ChatGPT all-knowing, but it does allow people to interact with GPT-4o, the underlying AI model, in a uniquely human way. (I’d understand if you forgot there’s no person on the other end of your phone.) It almost feels like ChatGPT is socially aware when talking with AVM, but of course, it is not. It’s simply a bundle of neatly packaged predictive algorithms.

Talking tech

Frankly, the feature worries me. This isn’t the first time a technology company has offered companionship on your phone. My generation, Gen Z, was the first to grow up alongside social media, where companies offered connection but instead played with our collective insecurities. Talking with an AI device — like what AVM appears to offer — seems to be the evolution of social media’s “friend in your phone” phenomena, offering cheap connections that scratch at our human instincts. But this time, it removes humans from the loop completely.

Artificial human connection has become a surprisingly popular use case for generative AI. People today are using AI chatbots as friends, mentors, therapists, and teachers. When OpenAI launched its GPT store, it was quickly flooded with “AI girlfriends ,” chatbots specialized to act as your significant other. Two researchers from MIT Media Lab issued a warning this month to prepare for “addictive intelligence,” or AI companions with dark patterns to get humans hooked. We could be opening a Pandora’s box for new, tantalizing ways for devices to keep our attention.

Earlier this month, a Harvard dropout shook the technology world by teasing an AI necklace called Friend . The wearable device — if it works as promised — is always listening, and the chatbot will text with you about your life. While the idea seems crazy, innovations like ChatGPT’s AVM gives me reason to take those use cases seriously.

And while OpenAI is leading the charge here, Google isn’t far behind. I’m confident Amazon and Apple are racing to put this capability in their products as well, and soon enough, it could become table stakes for the industry.

Imagine asking your smart TV for a hyper-specific recommendation for a movie, and getting just that. Or telling Alexa exactly what cold symptoms you’re feeling, and in turn have it order you tissues and cough medicine on Amazon, while advising you on home remedies. Maybe you could ask your computer to draft a weekend trip for your family, instead of manually Googling everything.

Now, obviously, these actions require bounds and leaps forward in the AI agent world. OpenAI’s effort on that front, the GPT store, feels like an overhyped product that’s no longer much of a focus for the company. But AVM at least takes care of the “talking to computers” part of the puzzle. These concepts are a long way out, but after using AVM, they seem a lot closer than they did last week.

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