Writing an Essay in 30 Minutes

If you think that you cannot write an essay, you should think again because actually you can. Everybody can write an essay because writing is actually easy. Believe it or not, you can write if you want to spend some of your time to start writing. You may be wondering how long will it take to write an essay of one page? Will it take an hour or perhaps forever? The answer may vary from one person to another. If you are an expert in writing, it will take less than 30 minutes but if you are a beginner, may be you need only thirty minutes.  

Can I really write a one page essay in 30 minutes?  That was the same question that I asked my brother several weeks ago. My brother is not a book author but several month ago he is developing the passion for writing. He writes everywhere whenever he has time. He can write during long journeys to kill the time and he can also can write in the middle of a discussion when the topic is not of his interest. Apart from that, he will make sure that he has a dedicated time for writing on a daily basis to reflect on lessons learned that can comprehend on that particular day.  

His essays resemble what people called as a diary but it’s actually more than an ordinary diary because he formulated the story of his life in such a way that there are many lessons that can be learned. I enjoyed reading his essays particularly because there are so many wisdom in his writing. He did not only capture the moments of his life, but correlated them with philosophy, history and religion which blend very well.

When I asked him, how long does it take to write an essay of one page? He said, 30 minutes. I had those moments of doubt when he said such but I believed him not only because he is my brother but because I know that he will not lie to me. In order to prove that a beginner like me can write a one page essay in 30 minutes, we decided to prove it ourselves. We were planning to climb a mountain and isolate ourselves for 30 minutes so that we can focus on writing our essay.

Last weekend we climbed Mount Manglayang which is located at Jatinangor to take a break from our busy schedule. We wanted to be inspired by nature so that we can worked on our essay easily. Climbing Mount Manglayang was a great experience and the journey to the top was unforgettable. The view was amazing and so many lessons that we were able to learn from nature. After approximately 2.5 hours of climbing, we arrived at the peak that was located at 1818 m above the sea level. We decided that theme for our essay was inspired by nature.

We were given 30 minutes to work on the essay and after that what will read the essay out loud so that we can learn from each other. The time was set and we started our 30 minutes challenge. For me it was not easy because it had been a very long time since I last wrote a non-academic writing. The clock was ticking and I was really struggling to decide what to write. After approximately 10 minutes, I decided to write on a simple topic particularly Ikhlas, Usaha, Tawakkal. As usual, I prepared the framework and body of paragraphs like what I have learned in the school long time ago. One paragraph each for the introduction and conclusion and at least three paragraph for the main contents. I kept looking at my watch as I kept writing, trying to keep myself on track so that I can finish on time. It was not easy but it was never impossible.

Exactly at 30 minutes, I finished my conclusion. I felt so relieved that I was able to complete the challenge. Yes, I was able to write a one page essay in 30 minutes and so as my brother. After that we read our essays out loud so that we can learn from the essays. My essay was not that interesting but the essay of my brother was really amazing. He began his essay with the simplest things and the story was flowing beautifully which describes his entire journey to the top with many lessons learned that he was able to incorporate in his essay. His story was so alive, capturing all his precious moments and framed it in a beautiful context. I was really impressed with him because he was able to attain the freedom in writing.

In contrast, I was trapped in the conventional way of writing and my essay was so superficial. Although my essay had an introduction that provides the context of my three main points in separate paragraphs and followed by a concluding paragraph, I was not writing from my heart. I was just like a little student who were forced to follow an exam and had to finish writing an essay in 30 minutes. Yes, I finished the essay using my knowledge but it was empty because my soul was not present in the essay. Nevertheless, I was not really disappointed with myself because as a beginner, I have proved that I can also write an essay in 30 minutes so as my brother.

There are many lessons that I learned from the 30 minutes challenge. Lesson number one, we can indeed write an essay in 30 minutes if we want to. Lesson number two, start writing because actually we can write. Lesson number three, writing is about the freedom of expressing one view or feeling about a particular topic. So feel free to be your true self. Lesson number four, we can write with our brain or with our emotion or better to write from the bottom of our heart with knowledge. Lesson number five, believe in yourself because everyone has great talents with tremendous potential. Lesson number six, do not afraid to make mistakes. Lesson number seven, do not bother with other’s judgement because what matter is you are being honest to yourself. Lesson number eight, be sincere in everything that you do. Lesson number nine, hope no reward from mankind but only to the Almighty that one should care for His blessings. Lesson number ten, it’s never too late start doing something good and the number of lessons may still go on.

Thirty minutes at the peak of Mount Manglayang was one of the journey that I will always remember. We did not only climb to the top to learn from nature but we were able to bring back a piece of paper that taught us the lessons of life. I have now learn to write from the bottom of my heart and so this essay was written in 30 minutes. So if you think that you cannot write, think again because actually you can. Start writing and be yourself.