Farewell Fall 2020

With close to 1,500 sessions this semester, we can confidently say that this has been a successful semester helping our GC students! Although the conditions have not been optimal, we have tried our best to replicate our best practices into a completely virtual landscape, and we have largely succeeded in doing so thanks to our wonderfully talented, patient, and hardworking coaches and students. As we wrap up the semester, we look forward to helping everyone virtually again for the spring semester. Before that though, we wish everyone a SAFE and happy holiday season!

Chris Thurley, Writing Center Coordinator

Spring 2020 Semester and What To Know!

The Gaston College Writing Center will be back on January 11, 2021, ready to help students virtually! For safety reasons, the GCWC will be operating entirely online for this spring semester. This means that anyone looking to have an appointment will need to fill out the online request form, as as we will not be having in-person sessions, and we will not be in the center to schedule appointments. Additionally, our hours for the upcoming semester have changed. They will now be Monday and Friday 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. As a bonus, we'll also have several days over the semester where we are open until midnight, to best help our GC students! Stay tuned for more specific information at the start of the Spring 2020 semester!

Ending Fall 2020 Semester with Our Coaches

Q. What has been your favorite moment of the semester? 
Coach Aolani: My favorite moments have been building connections and commiserating with my students. 
Coach Faith: For me, it was the process of students learning to trust our new method of tutoring and realizing we could help them just the same as we did in person.

Q. What is something you're most looking forward to over the break?
Coach Allyson: I'm most looking forward to sleeping in every day and celebrating my favorite holiday, Festivus! 
Coach Taylor: I'm most looking forward to giving gifts to my family and friends for the holidays! 
Coach Nicole: I'm looking forward to establishing a fitness routine that I can stick to. Of course, I'm also looking forward to extra sleep! 

Q. Do you have any end-of-semester advice?
Coach Allyson: Stay hydrated, take breaks from studying/essay writing as needed, and reward yourself with a tasty snack or much-needed nap when you can.

Coach Nicole: Great work this semester! Although it has been difficult, our students have been just as dedicated and hardworking.
Coach Allyson: Balancing being a student with everything else going on in your lives - especially during this pandemic - is no easy feat. You should all be very proud of yourselves for all you've accomplished this semester, and please know that we are all proud of you too!

Coach Faith: Even if you don't see your progress, we do, and you are becoming better writers and better students! Keep practicing and know that you have done some great work this semester!

Q: What is your best moment of 2020?
Coach Faith: I made an eight-strand plaited loaf bread and completed National Novel Writing Month, even though I started late!
Coach Aolani: I tried spoken word again for the first time in years, and in general I’ve been writing more poetry that makes me feel accomplished. 

Finishing Up!

By this point, you've completed your paper! Congratulations! You brainstormed, outlined, drafted, and edited. You probably spent countless hours making sure that your ideas were sound and your research supported your claims. At this point, all there is left to do is turn it in. For some people, this is the hardest part. Feeling confident and secure in what you've written can be difficult. For others, though, this is the easiest and best step. No matter which side you fall on, make sure you take a breath and read over your paper one more time before hitting that submit button. After that, it's time to celebrate! Congratulations on finishing whatever project you were working on!