Herts Study Series: Got Writer’s Block? Welcome to the Club.
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Yeah, been there. Way more times than I’d like to admit.
One of my most memorable experiences was during undergrad when I had to write a reflective article on an Immigration court case I’d attended. Now, I was used to good old-fashioned problem questions “Advise X using Y legislation, citing Z case law.” You know, the usual legal essay formula. So, when I saw reflective article, I was like… excuse me? Reflective? As in, “feelings”?
Naturally, I panicked.
I could’ve played it safe and done a normal problem question, but no I wanted to be different. I wanted to “challenge myself”. The only problem was… I had no clue what my “stand-out” idea would be.
When I watched the case, I had opinions, oh, I had thoughts. The case was about a woman seeking leave to remain in the UK after being refused by the Home Office. Her story had… let’s just say, a few inconsistencies. But I didn’t want to just write a piece titled “Woman Lies in Court: My Thoughts.” I wanted to find a deeper angle. Something meaningful. Something that didn’t sound like a Daily Mail headline.
Step 1: Research Like You’re Stalking Your Ex (But Academically)
So I did what any panicking student would do. I researched. A lot.
I read personal accounts from immigrants, watched documentaries about life in her home country, and basically turned my laptop into a one-person immigration research centre.
And here’s the thing, the more I learned, the more my brain started to click. Suddenly, I wasn’t staring at a blank Word document anymore. I had opinions. Perspectives. Context.
That’s the trick: when you’re stuck, feed your curiosity. Read, watch, listen, scroll (productively). The more angles you see, the more ideas you’ll have to play with.
Step 2: Talk (or Yap) About It
The next thing I did? I talked.
And talked.
And talked.
Now, disclaimer don’t go spilling your coursework details, okay? Academic integrity is still a thing. But you can talk around the topic.
I yapped to my family. My dad, for instance, is one of those people who has BBC News on 24/7. (I used to clown him for it, sorry Dad.) But when I started asking him about immigration, he had opinions. He immigrated himself, so his perspective hit different. We ended up having a full-on debate about immigration policy at the dinner table, me quoting statutes, him quoting “back in my day” stories.
And honestly? That conversation helped me more than any journal article did. Talking about your topic out loud helps your ideas breathe. It forces you to think about different sides and sometimes, you stumble upon your argument mid-conversation.
Step 3: Don’t Turn Into a Zombie Scholar
This part’s crucial.
Somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with the assignment. Like, I-forgot-to-eat obsessed. My mum literally yelled at me to “turn off that laptop before I throw it out the window.” (She meant it.)
Here’s the lesson: rest is part of the process. If you overdo it, your brain becomes an overcooked noodle, limp and useless. Go for a walk. Watch trash TV, brain rot. Nap aggressively. Sometimes stepping away is the only way your best idea sneaks up on you.
The Takeaway
After all that researching, yapping, and being yelled at, I finally found my angle, I chose to challenge my own perspective. Instead of focusing on the woman’s inconsistencies, I explored why people feel they have to bend the truth to stay.
And that, my friend, is how I turned a brain-freezing “what do I write?” moment into one of my proudest uni assignments.
So next time you hit a wall, remember: Research like a detective. Talk like you’re on a podcast. Rest like you’ve earned it. Your next great idea might be one nap away.
Written by Rebecca Matanda