The availability of walk-ins at a Learning Center cannot be understated. Having a writing tutor on hand, without appointment confirmation, is not only a convenience to students, but also to the tutors themselves.

Walk-ins allow students who might not need a full hour appointment the chance to quickly access a tutor; meaning the stresses and expectations needed for a writing tutor appointment are no longer accounted for.

I’ve noticed, comparing my walk-in hours to appointments, the tutee’s demeanor is much more calm. Appointments come with the attitude of what I’m reminded of when I go to the doctor’s office: stressed, insecure, and feeling like there’s something that’s inevitably going to go wrong.

Of course, as a tutor, part of my job is to ensure that the tutee feels comfortable in coming to me, or any of my fellow writing tutors, for help. There’s just something about a set schedule that seems to put tutee’s on edge.

Comparing it to my walk-ins, there’s a significant lack of stress. Students attending walk-ins approach me and my table with an air of confidence; they have questions ready to go and things they want to achieve quickly. These students are hyper focused, and show a lot of pride in their writing.

Of course, this is not to say that ALL walk-in tutees will be confident, or that all appointments will be shrouded in a sense of fear. I think that with the expectation of an hour, going in and booking someone’s time for an assignment, is a vulnerable act. It takes more thought than to simply approach my walk-in on a whim.

-C.M.