ok. so that was a waste. all i can write is crap:

Writing assignments that work is the key to success in any class. Students can survive a lot of missteps, but if the assignments that we send students off to complete do not provide them with the details that they need, their success is more likely to be the result of chance than accomplishment.

what hogwash. i feel like i don’t know how to write anything anymore. how do i start? can i just dive into the middle? should i be writing a list of ten? figuring out how i want to reformat them? geesh. i feel so lost, and i’ve only been trying to write for a few minutes now.