Writing Contest: Share Your Story and Win Money
"Gratitude Attitude"
The Student Wellness Team (Counseling Service, Health Services, & Wellness Education Services) is sponsoring the "Gratitude Attitude" writing contest. Recent research shows that gratitude plays an important role in our happiness, our healthy adjustment to life, and even in our physical well-being. Accordingly, we are inviting students to submit essays on gratitude: As you face the stresses (big or small) of college life, to whom or for what are you grateful? What are you thankful for? How does gratitude impact your quality of life? Win big prizes!
What are the prizes?
FIRST PRIZE: $250
SECOND PRIZE: $100
THIRD PRIZE: $50
Who can enter?
The contest is open to University at Buffalo undergraduate and graduate students. Student employees and trainees of the Student Wellness Team are not eligible for this contest.
How do I enter?
- Students may submit one entry.
- Authors’ names should not appear anywhere in the body of the essay.
- The title of the work should also appear on the first page of the body of the work.
- Entries should not exceed 1,000 words.
- Entries will be anonymously reviewed by the judge's panel and for people’s choice voting. If you are concerned about protecting your privacy and that of others, change the names and personal identifiers in your entry. If you have a winning submission, you may opt not to have your name disclosed when the winners are announced. Also be aware that while your name will not be disclosed you may still be recognizable from the personal information that is contained in your entry.
- You may be contacted by someone at Counseling Services if we are concerned about your safety or someone else's.
- Before proceeding to the online submission process, draft and spell check your entry in a word/text editor program (you will later be asked to "Copy" and "Paste" your entry into a text box).
- Entries will not be returned and become property of the Student Wellness Team and may be used in its future publications.
- Deadline: October 3, 2008.
- Submit my essay online now!
Who decides on the winners?
All the submissions will be anonymously judged by a panel of UB faculty and staff based on:
- Quality of writing and portrayal of personal experience
- Relevance to UB students
- Portrayal of positive messages about gratitude and emotional health.
- Include lessons learned about the importance of thankfulness in one’s life.
The top 10 entries will then be posted on the Student Wellness Team website where the campus community can then read and vote for their favorite essay. The Student Wellness Team reserves the right not to award a prize in one or more categories.
