INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You may still feel helpless and overwhelmed, but take a minute to feel pride that you are doing something about improving your life. The biggest step is over, and you freed yourself from the grips of an abusive relationship. You will be busy trying to figure out how to start your life on a different path and begin the process of emotional healing, but it's important to take a moment to appreciate your own strength. You did it. You're free. Do some things that you enjoy, both little and big, to get the healing process started. Give yourself a break. Whether it's a hot bath, a TV binge, or a long vacation, it's important to allow yourself little extras and big rewards during this healing process. Especially indulge everything your abuser forbade for no good reason. You really can put your favorite music on and dance to it while you clean up, laugh at your favorite comedian, and enjoy eating the foods your abuser hated. Reclaim those small joys in life, one by one, for yourself. Gaining emotional strength may be a long road, and your abuser will likely try to win you back. It's important to eliminate contact with this individual regardless of how charming or apologetic the actions and words seem to be. Allow yourself the opportunity to heal and pull yourself away from your abuser's manipulative spell completely. Well-meaning friends and family, possibly unaware of how bad your situation was, may try to convince you that you should stay with the abuser. Ignore this advice. You don't need to return to a physically or emotionally abusive relationship "for the kids" or because your partner "is going through something." Whatever you do to help the healing process move along, don't go back. It only gets worse. You only get one life, do not chance losing it because you think that person will change. The early signs of serious anxiety and stress-related depression are all made worse with poor diet, lack of exercise, and sleeplessness. These factors can start to cycle and spiral downward, making it very hard to start the healing process. You're likely exhausted and you need to get plenty of rest. Sleep as late as it seems like you need to. Try to move your work schedule around some, if you can, to make sure you're getting enough sleep. See if anyone could switch shifts with you to go on to a later shift, so you don't need to get up. Better yet, consider taking some time off work and resting up, healing your body and your mind. Talking to and learning from other abuse sufferers can be an important step in your recovery. It's recommended that all survivors or domestic violence reach out and talk in a safe and accepting environment to help learn the skills to cope and to move on. To find a support group in your area, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. It is natural for us to want companionship and love, especially during times of transition. Surround yourself with friends, animals, or new experiences, as opposed to responding to any offers that may be made by the abuser. Don't go back when you want companionship, find it elsewhere.

SUMMARY: Congratulate yourself. Treat yourself. Avoid all contact with your abuser. Get plenty of sleep. Find a support group.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Write the due date for the scholarship essay in your calendar. Think about whether your best works comes from lots of preparation, or if you do better under pressure. Create a schedule that is personalized to fit your needs, and give yourself at least 1 week for the delivery of the essay so you are sure to meet the deadline. For instance, you could give yourself 3 weeks to write the essay. The first week could be focused on researching and brainstorming your essay. In the second week, you could outline and write your essay. The final week could be devoted to editing and proofreading the essay. Give your essay a structure so that it is easy to read. It should include an introduction, body, and a conclusion. Make only 1 point per paragraph. In the introduction, you should include a thesis statement and tell the reader what you will show in the body of the essay. The body should include vivid examples and stories that highlight why you are the right fit for the scholarship. The conclusion should emphasize all of the connections between your experience and the organization's vision. In the body of your essay, use personal experiences and examples to illustrate your main points. Show the committee that you have experiences that are pertinent to the award. In each paragraph, include only 1 example or illustration. If the award is for a student from a rural background who shows promise as a community leader, show the committee that you match this description. Describe aspects of your rural upbringing and leadership work that help support your argument. Focus on your strengths. Remember to follow the formatting guidelines outlined in the scholarship application guide. If no formatting guidelines are outlined, use the following rules: 12 point Times New Roman font Double-spaced Margins of 1 inch (2.5cm) on the top, bottom, and sides of the page Because the committee will be reviewing potentially hundreds of essays, it is best to avoid well-worn phrases and quotations. Instead, stand out from the crowd by using your own words to express yourself and your fit for the award. Read your essay out loud. As you read, take a mental note of any passages that sound confusing or overly complex. Then, rewrite those passages and read the essay again. Notice any parts that could be more concise by cutting unnecessary words or phrases. Take time between drafts. For instance, give yourself at least an hour or even a day between drafts of the essay. No matter how confident you are in the quality of the essay, ask a friend or mentor to review it. They will almost certainly catch a few typos, unclear sections, and other issues that you'll have missed. Perhaps, for instance, a former teacher can give you helpful feedback. Print off your scholarship essay. With a colored pen or pencil, read each sentence and look for any typos or grammatical errors. Use spellcheck on your word processor. However, don't rely on spellcheck alone, since it may miss some mistakes. Mail or email your essay to the address included in the scholarship application guidelines. Cross your fingers and wait for their response! If you submit it early, it gives you more time to address any of their possible questions or concerns ahead of the deadline. Avoid submitting the essay too close to the deadline, since you could end up missing it.

SUMMARY:
Schedule your writing to meet the deadline. Outline your scholarship essay. Use personal examples to illustrate your main points. Follow the formatting guidelines. Avoid common sayings and cliches. Edit your scholarship essay for clarity and concision. Ask someone to read over your scholarship essay. Proofread your scholarship essay. Submit your essay to the committee.