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Wisdom from a Departing UCWbLer

My nearly three years at the Writing Center have reached their conclusion at the end of winter quarter, and I have since received my diploma and advanced on to my first post-graduation job. I learned quite a bit across the course of my time here, and now is the time to look through the rose-colored glasses and impart my accumulated wisdom for future generations of UCWbLers.

Crucial UCWbL Tips

1. On a Written Feedback, you are not required to leave a comment on every page.

2. Best reason to monitor Slack closely: alerts about free food in the breakroom.

3. Never forget to bring your own laptop; it’s easier than trying to remember your passwords to log in on an office computer.

4. The Lincoln Park office is loud and boisterous. The Loop office is not.

5. Make friends with your coworkers.

6. Joining teams will give you something to build toward.

7. Writing Fellows is the rare chance to see a lot of different takes on the same prompt, so figure out how to schedule your work hours so you do it at least one quarter.


Image Courtesy of Austin Distel, Unsplash.


8. Think of your answers in advance for when the new tutors interview you as part of their training.

9. Writers who come in for appointments will teach you as much as (or more than) you teach them.

10. There will be instances of incredible synthesis where you learn something then must apply it to an appointment the next day. It can’t be explained, but it happens!

11. Give reception a try. Why not?

12. Know when to use headphones to focus up, but know when you take them off and join the conversations around you.

13. Don’t forget to make time for your own writing outside the Writing Center.

14. Attend work events outside of hours as much as you can.

15. You have the time to leave more thoughtful comments during Written Feedbacks.


Photo courtesy of Headway, Unsplash.


16. At least look at the resources others share.

17. Do NOT procrastinate getting your Digication page in order. You will not have free time late in the quarter.

18. Join as many non-essential Slack pages as you can, for each serves a unique purpose.

19. Figure out where the Lincoln Park office you have to sit to avoid awful sunlight glare at different points in the afternoon.

20. You have the opportunity to make a difference for a lot of students at DePaul, and not everyone gets to do that. Show up every day, be proud to be there, and make it count.

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