Personal Essay Topics To Help You Get Started

Personal Essay: Brief Overview

A personal essay is a genre that includes views on a particular subject or an experience. It is considered to be a fascinating essay writing kind. The writer narrates a moment lived, an idea, or an event as a plot in the essay. The personal essay is one's point of view.

All in all, it is a popular writing assignment given to students. Also, it is used for common applications for college admissions. A personal essay involves feelings and emotions at times. It is message orientated, and you can also influence the audience through it.

You may write a personal thought, give advice, or write about a life-changing lesson.

A lot of events and activities bring us a tall list of personal essay prompts. Life experiences, advice, moments, personal interests, hobbies, choices, and decisions all lead to an ample amount of prompts. Students have to write assignments for school and personal statement for college and face difficulty doing so. Therefore, here is a sneak into a few examples of prompts for personal essay writing assignments.

Prompts Related To Life Experiences

The life experiences you went through or the circumstances you have been through reaps a lot of prompts. Personal essay prompts cover a wide range of such life events and happenings. It gives you lessons and schemes to overcome certain conditions. These experiences change your ideas and views. A personal essay allows you to express your thoughts and ideas. Have a look at some exciting prompts to ponder.

1. A dream that you find interesting to share.
2. A road trip you can never forget.
3. Your first day at boarding school.
4. A horrible road accident you witnessed.
5. Your decision you regret the most.
6. Phobias you faced.
7. The moment I realized I wanted to pursue a career in a creative field.
8. How a relationship taught me the power of forgiveness.
9. Overcoming my fear of public speaking.
10. Learning to value self-care and mental health.
11. The impact of a childhood hobby on my professional life.
12. A time I challenged societal norms and stereotypes.
13. Navigating a difficult family situation.
14. The role of travel in broadening my perspective.
15. Importance of building a strong support system to achieve personal growth.

Life experience can vary from person to person. They are subjective and can be as odd as urban fantasy. So, here are some more interesting suggestions:

1. An argument you won/lost.
2. An event that changed your life.
3. The reason why your views changed about a certain thing.
4. Your first-ever professional job interview.
5. 5 tips for a happy life.
6. The day you changed your eating habits.
7. Transformative power of volunteering and giving back to my community.
8. Lessons I learned about resilience and perseverance.
9. How studying abroad in a foreign country changed my perspective on the world.
10. The personal growth I experienced from therapy and confronting my past traumas.
11. Role of music in shaping my identity.
12. Impact of a challenging relationship on my self-esteem.
13. How pursuing a passion project outside my career brought me fulfillment and joy.
14. The lessons I learned about empathy and compassion through a meaningful friendship.
15. Impact of a spiritual practice on my mental and emotional well-being.

Relationship Topics

Humans live in societies, and this social fabric is knitted with relationships. These connections and everyday life encounters lead to relations. Family, work, businesses all are interconnected through these relationships. Let's have a look at a few prompts for personal essay writing on relationships.

1. You and your annoying neighbor.
2. Your coworker turned your best friend.
3. What is the first thing you see in making someone a friend?
4. A stranger who gave you a life lesson.
5. A teacher you owe your academic success to.
6. The most difficult person you came across in your life.
7. Why being single is underrated and why it's important to be able to thrive on your own.
8. How a toxic relationship taught me the importance of self-love and boundaries.
9. Why age doesn't matter when it comes to finding love.
10. Exploring the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship and how we made it work.
11. How trust issues from a past relationship impacted my current relationship.
12. Why it's essential to maintain your friendships while being in a romantic relationship.
13. My journey of falling in love with my best friend and how it changed our relationship.
14. Why communication is key to a healthy relationship and how I learned to express my needs and feelings effectively.
15. How cultural differences can bring unique challenges to a relationship.

Prompts Related To Dreams

It's our mother nature to dream about possibilities. Our imagination can take us places. This list will allow you to express your interests and the things you aspire to do. These are the "what if" topics list:

1. Imagine getting all the money you dream of at once.
2. Goals to achieve this year.
3. Health targets to achieve in the next six months.
4. The dream job you imagine would change your life.
5. The dream home you envisage.
6. Your dream car.
7. The superhero power you wanted as a kid.
8. How do your dreams reflect your deepest desires?
9. Have your dreams ever influenced a major decision in your life? If so, how?
10. What recurring dream have you experienced, and what do you think it means?
11. Has a dream ever revealed a truth about yourself that you were previously unaware of?
12. What is the most vivid dream you have ever had, and how did it impact you upon waking up?
13. Have you ever had a dream that made you question the reality of your waking life?
14. What is the most bizarre or surreal dream you have ever had, and how did you interpret it?
15. Have you ever had a dream that you wished would come true? If so, why?

Topics Related To Family

Family and family members are an integral part of an individual's life. You share happiness and sorrows, go through good and bad together. The soulful relationship between family members and everyday events gives many impressive prompts to write personal essays.

Let have a look at some of the insightful topics on the family subject matter.

1. Mom or dad - who is your favorite?
2. The one sibling you cannot stand.
3. The most understanding sibling you have.
4. A vacation that brought family members together.
5. A family party you ruined.
6. A family dinner you missed and regretted.
7. The impact of my parents' divorce on my relationship with my siblings.
8. My experience as a foster child and finding a sense of family in unexpected places.
9. My family's cultural traditions and how they have shaped my identity.
10. How my grandmother's struggle with dementia has affected our family dynamic.
11. The lessons I learned about communication and forgiveness through conflicts with my parents.
12. The challenges of being a blended family and navigating step-sibling relationships.
13. My decision to break away from my family's expectations and pursue my own path.
14. Learning to appreciate my family's strengths and weaknesses through a difficult family crisis.
15. The role of family support in helping me overcome a personal struggle or adversity.

Technology Essay Prompts

We all have opinions to keep. With technological advancement and innovations, these views, even at times, change drastically. There is a never-ending list of such topics where you can also influence the reader with scholarly factual information.

This list includes fascinating prompts on the genre of technology.

1. My first ever mobile phone.
2. My take on the latest iPhone series.
3. How the robotic arm changed my life.
4. Technology depends a lot upon the objectives of its use.
5. Technology and human relationships.
6. How my smartphone transformed my life.
7. A personal story of cybercrime and the importance of online security.
8. My experience unplugging from technology and the lessons I learned.
9. How I met my partner through a dating app and the challenges of virtual relationships.
10. How switching from gaming to coding changed my perspective on technology.
11. Personal exploration of the ethical implications of AI technology in society.
12. How a medical device changed my life and empowered me to advocate for others.
13. My journey to disconnecting from social media and the impact it had on my mental health.
14. My struggle with compulsive gaming behaviors and how I learned to manage and overcome them.
15. Personal account of cyberbullying and its impact on mental health.

Prompts Related To Movies

Movies are fun to watch. Some are addicted to the storyline, and many are action movie fans. With the enormous genre of movies comes in different opinions, likes, and dislikes. Let's check out a few common prompts on films.

1. The horror movie that gave you nightmares the remaining week.
2. Your favorite thriller and why.
3. The movie you watched 10 times and still enjoyed.
4. My favorite movie, actors/ actresses.
5. 10 all-time best movies ever.
6. How has watching movies influenced your personal growth and development?
7. What is the most impactful movie you've ever seen and how did it change your perspective on life?
8. Can movies be considered a form of self-care? How so?
9. In what ways do movies shape our cultural and societal values?
10. How has the rise of streaming services affected the movie industry and movie-watching experience?
11. Is it possible for a movie to accurately depict mental illness? Why or why not?
12. How do cultural differences affect the way we perceive and enjoy movies?
13. What have movies taught you about empathy and understanding others' perspectives?
14. Can movies serve as a tool for activism and social change? Give examples.
15. In what ways have movies influenced your romantic or platonic relationships?

Apart from these basic topics, you can also write something interesting. To do so, here are some intriguing and exciting topic suggestions:

1. The superhero powers I found funny.
2. I find animated animal movies creepy to watch.
3. The movie character is me.
4. The movie changed my life for the better.
5. The impact of my favorite movie on my life and the lessons it taught me.
6. How watching movies has helped me cope with stress and anxiety.
7. Comparison of the book and movie version of a story and which one I prefer.
8. My experience of watching a movie in a foreign language and how it changed my perspective.
9. How watching certain movies with my family has brought us closer together.
10. Impact of animation on my childhood and my love for it as an adult.
11. How movies have shaped my perception of reality and influenced my life decisions.
12. The evolution of my taste in movies and how it reflects my personal growth.
13. The impact of the film industry on society's perception of beauty and body image, and how it has affected me personally
14. Why I keep going back to watch blockbusters despite my reservations about their quality and influence on popular culture.
15. How watching classic films shaped my understanding of history.

Thought-Provoking Music Prompts

Your narratives hold the key in such topics. What do you feel about a certain song? What memories you recall with lyrics or what era a peculiar number takes you down the memory lane. Here's a list of the most intriguing ideas.

1. The song reminds me of someone.
2. My music taste is old-fashioned as a teen-ager.
3. How good music changes your mood - a personal account.
4. Please do not listen to depressing music.
5. How music helped me overcome depression.
6. A journey through my musical tastes: From pop to classical to indie.
7. My experience as a musician in a Christian worship band.
8. Impact of music on my cultural identity as a first-generation immigrant.
9. How I bonded with my father through our shared love of jazz music.
10. The critical role of music education in shaping young minds and creating future artists.
11. How attending a music festival changed my perspective on live performance and community.
12. Can you describe the impact of a particular song or musician on a significant moment in your life?
13. Ways in which music has influenced your creativity and artistic expression.
14. The role of music in your family history and traditions.
15. How has music helped you cope with difficult or traumatic experiences?

Common Topics On Music

If you are looking for prompts on music that are easier to write, here are some suggestions:

1. The most memorable concert I attended.
2. My all-time favorite singer.
3. The music band I dreamt of leading as a singer.
4. The best online app to download the latest songs.
5. Top 10 songs on my iPod.
6. How has music influenced your personal identity and sense of belonging?
7. In what ways has technology changed the way we listen to and create music?
8. Can music have the power to heal? Share a personal experience.
9. How has music shaped your relationships with family and friends?
10. Describe a musical performance that left a lasting impression on you and why.
11. How has your taste in music evolved over time and why?
12. How does music play a role in your self-care routine?
13. What messages or themes in music have had an impact on your worldview?
14. What is the role of music in your spiritual or religious practices?
15. How has learning to play a musical instrument impacted other areas of your life?

Career Choice Prompts

To write a good personal essay, the selection of topics plays a key role. Your understanding of the subject matter depends a lot upon the result. Also, online writing services assist a large number of students looking for help online with their college essay assignments. These essay topic examples will help you in narrowing down your interests in your paper writing. Here is a list of some interesting topics for personal essay writing.

1. How to balance work and personal life.
2. My advice to all the management beginners.
3. The academic decision which leads to my career success.
4. My take on career counseling services.
5. Be honest with yourself and choose your career path.
6. How my childhood experiences shaped my future career path.
7. The importance of internships in shaping career choices.
8. The role of mentors in guiding career decisions.
9. Overcoming hurdles and roadblocks in pursuing a career.
10. The impact of societal trends on career choice.
11. Choosing a career for passion or practicality: a personal reflection.
12. The role of education in career development.
13. Balancing personal values and career aspirations.
14. Breaking away from parental or societal expectations in choosing a career.
15. The transformative power of career change.

Since careers are different for each one of us, the topics also vary from person to person. Here are some more suggestions that can be used by anyone:

1. How to approach professional goals and aims.
2. Degree or skills?
3. Dream job or a striving entrepreneurial aspiration?
4. What is your idea of a dream job?
5. What inspired you to pursue your current career?
6. What are the key skills and qualities required to be successful in your field?
7. How do you balance your personal life with the demands of your job?
8. What led you to change careers, and how did you navigate the transition process?
9. How has your work experience prepared you for your current role?
10. What role do mentors and advisors play in your career development?
11. How has technology impacted your field, and what strategies have you employed to stay current in your knowledge and skills?
12. What are some of the ethical considerations that arise in your profession?
13. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in your field?
14. How have you balanced your own personal values and beliefs with the expectations and demands of your profession?
15. What challenges or difficulties have you faced in your career?

Travel Essay Topics

In today's fast-paced world, commutation is becoming increasingly rapid. Traveling for work and vacations is an everyday affair. Your teacher might ask you to write about your favorite road trip or a memorable vaccination. This type of personal essay will require a detailed experience sharing. You would have to picture your travel for the reader. Let's have a quick look at a few travel-related topics for your paper writing.

1. Dream vacation destination in the world.
2. Traveling through train - first ever experience.
3. You are an astronaut - choose the planet to explore.
4. A college field trip that taught more than the classroom.
5. A country you plan to visit as your next holiday destination.
6. A travel adventure you consider worth sharing.
7. Can traveling alone truly be a life-changing experience?
8. In what ways did traveling to a foreign country challenge your preconceived notions and beliefs?
9. How has traveling made you more appreciative of your own culture and home country?
10. How has traveling helped you develop a greater sense of empathy and understanding for people from different backgrounds?
11. What was your most transformative travel experience?
12. How has traveling helped you develop a more resilient and adaptable mindset?
13. How has traveling to different parts of the world enhanced your ability to communicate and connect with people from diverse backgrounds?
14. In what ways has traveling helped you become more self-aware and better understand your own strengths and weaknesses?
15. Can traveling be an effective way to heal from personal trauma or overcome mental health challenges?

Education Personal Essay Prompts

It takes a lot to develop opinions and ideas regarding certain topics. The process of writing a personalized essay is not an easy task. You have to brainstorm a great deal before selecting your interest-oriented topic. Education is a vast study area with, again, a tall list of personal essay writing topics. Check these out for your college and university assignments.

1. Homeschooling is underrated.
2. The education system in the US is outdated.
3. Schools should make these changes in the curriculum - my opinion.
4. How complex subjects should be taught.
5. What is that one thing you would change in the schooling system, and why?
6. 10 tips for developing an ideal teacher-student relationship.
7. How has your educational experience shaped your views on the importance of education?
8. Do you believe that the traditional education system is effective in preparing students for the real world?
9. What do you think the future of education will look like?
10. Do you think standardized testing accurately measures a student's knowledge and abilities?
11. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected education, and what lessons can we learn from this experience?
12. What role do you believe parents should play in their children's education, and how can schools better support parents in this role?
13. What do you think is the most important skill that schools should teach, and why?
14. How has your educational experience been influenced by your socioeconomic status?
15. How can schools better prepare students for the diverse and globalized world in which we live?

Topics For Different Educational Levels

Writing a personal essay is subjective. The feelings, experiences, observations, and opinions of everyone are different. Moreover, since you are the speaker/narrator, it is natural to use I, my, our, or we. Various topics are used for different levels of students. Also, there are different marking criteria for each educational level.

Don't know how to write an essay? Don't be stressed! If you are given the freedom to choose a topic yourself, do not be overwhelmed. Yes, it could be overwhelming to find the right topic. As a student, you may be asked to:

• Document what you observed.
• State your opinion on the topic.
• Share a personal experience.
• Describe an event, person, or place, etc.

Whatever you are writing, it is essential to commence your piece with a strong hook that grabs the reader's attention. For that, think about an intrinsic notion.

Whereas, in the body, give details about the topic. It is a good idea to outline your paper before you start writing. It will allow you to organize your ideas and write precisely. Also, each paragraph should have a new idea. And don't forget to include sensory details. These details will help the reader imagine what you are describing.

Lastly, end your paper with an intriguing conclusion. Don't just summarize the entire piece of writing. Include a lesson that you have learned how it has helped or had an impact on your life.

Now that you are aware of the basics, let's put the spotlight on some topics.

Interesting Prompts For Middle School

Looking for middle school topics? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Your favorite time with family.
2. A wrong choice.
3. Your talent that no one knows.
4. The most beautiful thing you have seen.
5. An accident that changed everything.
6. The most important lesson I learned in middle school.
7. My favorite hobby and how it has shaped me.
8. Person who has had the most positive impact on my life.
9. The biggest challenge I’ve faced and how I overcame it.
10. Role of social media in my life.
11. The importance of teamwork and collaboration.
12. My dream career and how I plan to achieve it.
13. The value of community service and volunteering.
14. Impact of my cultural background on my identity.
15. The value of taking risks and stepping outside my comfort zone.

If you find it hard to write on any of these topics, look for some personal essay examples online.

Challenging Topics For High School Students

Looking for a challenging topic to test your thinking capabilities and writing skills? Below are some suggestions for high school students:

1. What does being mindfully aware mean to you?
2. What can bring peace to the world, in your opinion?
3. An event, object, or person that has changed you as a person or changed your life.
4. What impact does religion have on you? If any.
5. Is family the most important institution in our society?
6. The importance of family and encouragement in achieving personal goals.
7. My journey to self-acceptance: Overcoming insecurity and embracing individuality.
8. Learning to embrace diversity: My experience with multiculturalism.
9. The role of friendship in my life: Building meaningful connections.
10. The lessons I learned from my first job.
11. How volunteering shaped my values and perspective on life.
12. The power of music in my life.
13. My experience with mental health: Overcoming stigma and seeking help.
14. Discovering my passion for environmentalism and sustainable living.
15. The journey to healing after loss: Coping with grief and building resilience.

Easy Prompts For High School Students

If you're looking for some more straightforward prompts, here are some suggestions:

1. Describe your best friend.
2. Describe your favorite birthday present.
3. Which was your best birthday party ever?
4. Describe your last holiday.
5. What motivates you?
6. Describe your favorite restaurant?
7. What is the most influential experience that has shaped who you are today?
8. How do your personal values align with your future goals?
9. What are some challenges you have faced, and how have they impacted your life?
10. What is the best advice you have ever received, and how have you applied it?
11. How has social media affected your life and relationships?
12. How do you balance academic pursuits with outside interests and responsibilities?
13. What role does family play in your life, and how have they impacted your personal growth?
14. How does your cultural background influence your perspective on the world?
15. What is your greatest achievement, and how has it impacted your life?

Challenging Topics For College-Level Students

Looking for topics that challenge your thinking and writing abilities? Here are a few essay topic suggestions:

1. Who do you associate love with? And why?
2. What is success, in your opinion?
3. What is the purpose of your life? What are you doing to fulfill it?
4. What is freedom, in your opinion?
5. What is inner peace to you? How do you achieve it?
6. What have you learned from failures in life?
7. The defining moment in my life that made me change my perspective on the world.
8. Role that my family and upbringing have played in shaping my identity.
9. Challenges I faced while pursuing my passion and how I overcame them.
10. Lessons I learned from my mistakes and how they have made me a better person.
11. Impact of traveling on my worldview and personal growth.
12. Importance of mental health and self-care for achieving success in academics and beyond.
13. Experiences that have shaped my understanding of diversity and inclusivity.
14. Role of community service in my personal and professional development.
15. The role of spirituality and faith in my life and how they have helped me navigate difficult times.

Common Essay Prompts For College Students

If you are looking for a topic that is easy to write about, here are some common essay prompts:

1. What are your goals in life?
2. Things you are grateful for.
3. How did you meet your best friend?
4. Your favorite outdoor activity.
5. Your favorite book.
6. Whom do you like to spend more time with family or friends?
7. What's your idea of a dream vacation?
8. What is your most significant accomplishment, and how has it impacted your life?
9. Describe a time when you faced adversity and how it shaped your character.
10. Discuss a book or piece of literature that has had a profound impact on your life and why it resonated with you.
11. In what ways have your academic experiences thus far prepared you for your future career or goals?
12. How have your experiences with community service or volunteering shaped your understanding of social responsibility?
13. Reflect on a moment when you had to make a difficult ethical decision and how it impacted your personal and professional growth.
14. Discuss a person who has had a significant impact on your life and how they inspired you to be the person you are today.
15. In what ways do you plan to use your education to make a positive impact on the world?

The suggestions mentioned earlier are sure to get you started. Nevertheless, before you begin to write, ensure you are aware of the format and key rules. It will help you impress the reviewer and score fantastic grades. So, pen down your thoughts and create an outline first. And, try to make your piece a catchy one.