Superhero Complex

Sometimes, getting to work on a school paper can feel like an insurmountable task. After reviewing and re-reading the assignment prompt over and over, your mind feels like a blank sheet of white paper. You have no ideas; you don’t even know where to start. If you were in a superhero movie this would be the exact right time for one of the Avengers to crash through your wall and save the day; and, if you were on a limited budget – heck! - it would be the perfect time for you to discover your own super human writing powers.

 
If you’ve ever felt like you’ve wanted to be saved from what seems like the world’s worst paper-writing situation, you’re not alone. Now more than ever, living in world where “comic book solutions” (e.g. potions, heroes, and magic gadgets) seem to populate every film, TV show, and iPhone screen, viewing your own writing skills as anything less than “amazing,” “spectacular,” or “Thor-like” really feels like it’s the norm.

But why…?

Well, with very little prompting, it’s very easy for one to bring to mind the success stories of early achievers, prodigies, and change makers (e.g. Mozart, Picasso, Einstein) whose highly lauded “natural ability” made them professional “super heroes” early on. In addition, there is the inevitable association one has with school mates, peers, and work colleagues whom, by cosmic coincidence, also seem to possess some of the amazing earth-bound skills (i.e. paper-writing, problem-solving, organization, and goal setting) you’ve been trying to develop for years. As if living in a universe populated by fictional superheroes on the silver screen wasn’t enough (e.g. The Avengers, Spider Man, Iron Man, etc.) the online universe of Walden further exposes all of us to the possibility that everyone else seems to be writing superhuman, radioactive-perfect papers while we can’t even develop a sensible paper title.

In fact, what makes being a non-Avenger, “normal student” in the Walden Cinematic Universe so difficult, even harder than lifting Thor’s hammer off of Tony Stark’s coffee table on a bet, is that there are no easily accessible stories in TV or film that perpetuate the blockbuster adventures of everyday students who overcome big challenges by just moving ahead one step at a time. Somewhere between being a Tony Stark genius from birth to being an Asgardian God whose been fighting bad guys for centuries, it’s much easier for your brain to conjure up old stories about your own academic short-comings, rough starts, and failures than it is imagine a world where learning one new thing a day can start you down a new path to success in whatever field you select. Epic battles of exploding losses and giant radioactive Fs on assignments may have been part of your worst super hero stories in some of your early prequel stories, but times have changed. Your story at Walden is a new beginning and a chance to finally set the story in your super hero universe straight.

The heroes studying and writing papers at Walden University may not wear capes, but they don’t have to. Study upon study shows that the best way to overcome fear and anxiety about past failures is to simply create a new powerful story about success that lasts. If you want to know what the secret formula really is this is it: What really works is starting small and going slow. Don’t assemble the Avengers all at once. If you know you have a new paper assignment coming due in two weeks, don’t wait until the last-minute to writer it; don’t give Loki the advantage he’s been waiting for.

The best way to save the Universe – and your next writing assignment! - is to make a plan and to start early. Make an appointment with the Writing Center, visit our page on how to create a proper citation; practice your new skills daily, and give your new super-brain a workout.

The truth is there aren’t enough stories about Walden students “saving the day” by just completing one small task at a time, but there really should be. Walden students are absolutely their own kind of superheroes. They do things no other students can do and being at Walden now is proof-positive that things have changed. You’re already starting a new adventure in a whole new cinematic universe. You don’t need to wait for Thor or Iron Man to crash through the wall to save you. You have all the tools you already need. Get started today!

James A. Horwitz is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. James received his MA and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, having first earned undergraduate degrees in both English and Psychology. James has taught at the college-level for over 13 years and is passionate about student-learning, mentoring, and student writers developing their work.

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