what do you feel today essay

• Social Justice
• Environment
• Health & Happiness
• Get YES! Emails
• Teacher Resources

• Give A Gift Subscription
• Teaching Sustainability
• Teaching Social Justice
• Teaching Respect & Empathy
• Student Writing Lessons
• Visual Learning Lessons
• Tough Topics Discussion Guides
• About the YES! for Teachers Program
• Student Writing Contest

Follow YES! For Teachers

Eight brilliant student essays on what matters most in life.

Read winning essays from our spring 2019 student writing contest.

For the spring 2019 student writing contest, we invited students to read the YES! article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill. Like the author, students interviewed someone significantly older than them about the three things that matter most in life. Students then wrote about what they learned, and about how their interviewees’ answers compare to their own top priorities.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these eight were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners and the literary gems that caught our eye. Plus, we share an essay from teacher Charles Sanderson, who also responded to the writing prompt.

Middle School Winner: Rory Leyva

High School Winner:  Praethong Klomsum

University Winner:  Emily Greenbaum

Powerful Voice Winner: Amanda Schwaben

Powerful Voice Winner: Antonia Mills

Powerful Voice Winner:  Isaac Ziemba

Powerful Voice Winner: Lily Hersch

“Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner: Jonas Buckner

From the Author: Response to Student Winners

Literary Gems

From A Teacher: Charles Sanderson

From the Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Middle School Winner

Village Home Education Resource Center, Portland, Ore.

The Lessons Of Mortality 

“As I’ve aged, things that are more personal to me have become somewhat less important. Perhaps I’ve become less self-centered with the awareness of mortality, how short one person’s life is.” This is how my 72-year-old grandma believes her values have changed over the course of her life. Even though I am only 12 years old, I know my life won’t last forever, and someday I, too, will reflect on my past decisions. We were all born to exist and eventually die, so we have evolved to value things in the context of mortality.

One of the ways I feel most alive is when I play roller derby. I started playing for the Rose City Rollers Juniors two years ago, and this year, I made the Rosebud All-Stars travel team. Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport. The physicality and intense training make me feel in control of and present in my body.

My roller derby team is like a second family to me. Adolescence is complicated. We understand each other in ways no one else can. I love my friends more than I love almost anything else. My family would have been higher on my list a few years ago, but as I’ve aged it has been important to make my own social connections.

Music led me to roller derby.  I started out jam skating at the roller rink. Jam skating is all about feeling the music. It integrates gymnastics, breakdancing, figure skating, and modern dance with R & B and hip hop music. When I was younger, I once lay down in the DJ booth at the roller rink and was lulled to sleep by the drawl of wheels rolling in rhythm and people talking about the things they came there to escape. Sometimes, I go up on the roof of my house at night to listen to music and feel the wind rustle my hair. These unique sensations make me feel safe like nothing else ever has.

My grandma tells me, “Being close with family and friends is the most important thing because I haven’t

always had that.” When my grandma was two years old, her father died. Her mother became depressed and moved around a lot, which made it hard for my grandma to make friends. Once my grandma went to college, she made lots of friends. She met my grandfather, Joaquin Leyva when she was working as a park ranger and he was a surfer. They bought two acres of land on the edge of a redwood forest and had a son and a daughter. My grandma created a stable family that was missing throughout her early life.

My grandma is motivated to maintain good health so she can be there for her family. I can relate because I have to be fit and strong for my team. Since she lost my grandfather to cancer, she realizes how lucky she is to have a functional body and no life-threatening illnesses. My grandma tries to eat well and exercise, but she still struggles with depression. Over time, she has learned that reaching out to others is essential to her emotional wellbeing.  

Caring for the earth is also a priority for my grandma I’ve been lucky to learn from my grandma. She’s taught me how to hunt for fossils in the desert and find shells on the beach. Although my grandma grew up with no access to the wilderness, she admired the green open areas of urban cemeteries. In college, she studied geology and hiked in the High Sierras. For years, she’s been an advocate for conserving wildlife habitat and open spaces.

Our priorities may seem different, but it all comes down to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and need to be loved. Like Nancy Hill says in the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” it can be hard to decipher what is important in life. I believe that the constant search for satisfaction and meaning is the only thing everyone has in common. We all want to know what matters, and we walk around this confusing world trying to find it. The lessons I’ve learned from my grandma about forging connections, caring for my body, and getting out in the world inspire me to live my life my way before it’s gone.

Rory Leyva is a seventh-grader from Portland, Oregon. Rory skates for the Rosebuds All-Stars roller derby team. She loves listening to music and hanging out with her friends.

High School Winner

Praethong Klomsum

  Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

Time Only Moves Forward

Sandra Hernandez gazed at the tiny house while her mother’s gentle hands caressed her shoulders. It wasn’t much, especially for a family of five. This was 1960, she was 17, and her family had just moved to Culver City.

Flash forward to 2019. Sandra sits in a rocking chair, knitting a blanket for her latest grandchild, in the same living room. Sandra remembers working hard to feed her eight children. She took many different jobs before settling behind the cash register at a Japanese restaurant called Magos. “It was a struggle, and my husband Augustine, was planning to join the military at that time, too.”

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author Nancy Hill states that one of the most important things is “…connecting with others in general, but in particular with those who have lived long lives.” Sandra feels similarly. It’s been hard for Sandra to keep in contact with her family, which leaves her downhearted some days. “It’s important to maintain that connection you have with your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

Despite her age, Sandra is a daring woman. Taking risks is important to her, and she’ll try anything—from skydiving to hiking. Sandra has some regrets from the past, but nowadays, she doesn’t wonder about the “would have, could have, should haves.” She just goes for it with a smile.

Sandra thought harder about her last important thing, the blue and green blanket now finished and covering

her lap. “I’ve definitely lived a longer life than most, and maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I hope I can see the day my great-grandchildren are born.” She’s laughing, but her eyes look beyond what’s in front of her. Maybe she is reminiscing about the day she held her son for the first time or thinking of her grandchildren becoming parents. I thank her for her time and she waves it off, offering me a styrofoam cup of lemonade before I head for the bus station.

The bus is sparsely filled. A voice in my head reminds me to finish my 10-page history research paper before spring break. I take a window seat and pull out my phone and earbuds. My playlist is already on shuffle, and I push away thoughts of that dreaded paper. Music has been a constant in my life—from singing my lungs out in kindergarten to Barbie’s “I Need To Know,” to jamming out to Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” in sixth grade, to BTS’s “Intro: Never Mind” comforting me when I’m at my lowest. Music is my magic shop, a place where I can trade away my fears for calm.

I’ve always been afraid of doing something wrong—not finishing my homework or getting a C when I can do better. When I was 8, I wanted to be like the big kids. As I got older, I realized that I had exchanged my childhood longing for the 48 pack of crayons for bigger problems, balancing grades, a social life, and mental stability—all at once. I’m going to get older whether I like it or not, so there’s no point forcing myself to grow up faster.  I’m learning to live in the moment.

The bus is approaching my apartment, where I know my comfy bed and a home-cooked meal from my mom are waiting. My mom is hard-working, confident, and very stubborn. I admire her strength of character. She always keeps me in line, even through my rebellious phases.

My best friend sends me a text—an update on how broken her laptop is. She is annoying. She says the stupidest things and loves to state the obvious. Despite this, she never fails to make me laugh until my cheeks feel numb. The rest of my friends are like that too—loud, talkative, and always brightening my day. Even friends I stopped talking to have a place in my heart. Recently, I’ve tried to reconnect with some of them. This interview was possible because a close friend from sixth grade offered to introduce me to Sandra, her grandmother.  

I’m decades younger than Sandra, so my view of what’s important isn’t as broad as hers, but we share similar values, with friends and family at the top. I have a feeling that when Sandra was my age, she used to love music, too. Maybe in a few decades, when I’m sitting in my rocking chair, drawing in my sketchbook, I’ll remember this article and think back fondly to the days when life was simple.

Praethong Klomsum is a tenth-grader at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California.  Praethong has a strange affinity for rhyme games and is involved in her school’s dance team. She enjoys drawing and writing, hoping to impact people willing to listen to her thoughts and ideas.

University Winner

Emily Greenbaum

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 

The Life-Long War

Every morning we open our eyes, ready for a new day. Some immediately turn to their phones and social media. Others work out or do yoga. For a certain person, a deep breath and the morning sun ground him. He hears the clink-clank of his wife cooking low sodium meat for breakfast—doctor’s orders! He sees that the other side of the bed is already made, the dogs are no longer in the room, and his clothes are set out nicely on the loveseat.

Today, though, this man wakes up to something different: faded cream walls and jello. This person, my hero, is Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James.

I pulled up my chair close to Roger’s vinyl recliner so I could hear him above the noise of the beeping dialysis machine. I noticed Roger would occasionally glance at his wife Susan with sparkly eyes when he would recall memories of the war or their grandkids. He looked at Susan like she walked on water.

Roger James served his country for thirty years. Now, he has enlisted in another type of war. He suffers from a rare blood cancer—the result of the wars he fought in. Roger has good and bad days. He says, “The good outweighs the bad, so I have to be grateful for what I have on those good days.”

When Roger retired, he never thought the effects of the war would reach him. The once shallow wrinkles upon his face become deeper, as he tells me, “It’s just cancer. Others are suffering from far worse. I know I’ll make it.”

Like Nancy Hill did in her article “Three Things that Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I asked Roger, “What are the three most important things to you?” James answered, “My wife Susan, my grandkids, and church.”

Roger and Susan served together in the Vietnam war. She was a nurse who treated his cuts and scrapes one day. I asked Roger why he chose Susan. He said, “Susan told me to look at her while she cleaned me up. ‘This may sting, but don’t be a baby.’ When I looked into her eyes, I felt like she was looking into my soul, and I didn’t want her to leave. She gave me this sense of home. Every day I wake up, she makes me feel the same way, and I fall in love with her all over again.”

Roger and Susan have two kids and four grandkids, with great-grandchildren on the way. He claims that his grandkids give him the youth that he feels slowly escaping from his body. This adoring grandfather is energized by coaching t-ball and playing evening card games with the grandkids.

The last thing on his list was church. His oldest daughter married a pastor. Together they founded a church. Roger said that the connection between his faith and family is important to him because it gave him a reason to want to live again. I learned from Roger that when you’re across the ocean, you tend to lose sight of why you are fighting. When Roger returned, he didn’t have the will to live. Most days were a struggle, adapting back into a society that lacked empathy for the injuries, pain, and psychological trauma carried by returning soldiers. Church changed that for Roger and gave him a sense of purpose.

When I began this project, my attitude was to just get the assignment done. I never thought I could view Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James as more than a role model, but he definitely changed my mind. It’s as if Roger magically lit a fire inside of me and showed me where one’s true passions should lie. I see our similarities and embrace our differences. We both value family and our own connections to home—his home being church and mine being where I can breathe the easiest.

Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me and that every once in a while, I should step back and stop to smell the roses. As we concluded the interview, amidst squeaky clogs and the stale smell of bleach and bedpans, I looked to Roger, his kind, tired eyes, and weathered skin, with a deeper sense of admiration, knowing that his values still run true, no matter what he faces.

Emily Greenbaum is a senior at Kent State University, graduating with a major in Conflict Management and minor in Geography. Emily hopes to use her major to facilitate better conversations, while she works in the Washington, D.C. area.  

Powerful Voice Winner

Amanda Schwaben

Wise Words From Winnie the Pooh

As I read through Nancy Hill’s article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I was comforted by the similar responses given by both children and older adults. The emphasis participants placed on family, social connections, and love was not only heartwarming but hopeful. While the messages in the article filled me with warmth, I felt a twinge of guilt building within me. As a twenty-one-year-old college student weeks from graduation, I honestly don’t think much about the most important things in life. But if I was asked, I would most likely say family, friendship, and love. As much as I hate to admit it, I often find myself obsessing over achieving a successful career and finding a way to “save the world.”

A few weeks ago, I was at my family home watching the new Winnie the Pooh movie Christopher Robin with my mom and younger sister. Well, I wasn’t really watching. I had my laptop in front of me, and I was aggressively typing up an assignment. Halfway through the movie, I realized I left my laptop charger in my car. I walked outside into the brisk March air. Instinctively, I looked up. The sky was perfectly clear, revealing a beautiful array of stars. When my twin sister and I were in high school, we would always take a moment to look up at the sparkling night sky before we came into the house after soccer practice.

I think that was the last time I stood in my driveway and gazed at the stars. I did not get the laptop charger from

my car; instead, I turned around and went back inside. I shut my laptop and watched the rest of the movie. My twin sister loves Winnie the Pooh. So much so that my parents got her a stuffed animal version of him for Christmas. While I thought he was adorable and a token of my childhood, I did not really understand her obsession. However, it was clear to me after watching the movie. Winnie the Pooh certainly had it figured out. He believed that the simple things in life were the most important: love, friendship, and having fun.

I thought about asking my mom right then what the three most important things were to her, but I decided not to. I just wanted to be in the moment. I didn’t want to be doing homework. It was a beautiful thing to just sit there and be present with my mom and sister.

I did ask her, though, a couple of weeks later. Her response was simple.  All she said was family, health, and happiness. When she told me this, I imagined Winnie the Pooh smiling. I think he would be proud of that answer.

I was not surprised by my mom’s reply. It suited her perfectly. I wonder if we relearn what is most important when we grow older—that the pressure to be successful subsides. Could it be that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world?

Amanda Schwaben is a graduating senior from Kent State University with a major in Applied Conflict Management. Amanda also has minors in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. She hopes to further her education and focus on how museums not only preserve history but also promote peace.

Antonia Mills

Rachel Carson High School, Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Decoding The Butterfly

For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, it must first digest itself. The caterpillar, overwhelmed by accumulating tissue, splits its skin open to form its protective shell, the chrysalis, and later becomes the pretty butterfly we all know and love. There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies, and just as every species is different, so is the life of every butterfly. No matter how long and hard a caterpillar has strived to become the colorful and vibrant butterfly that we marvel at on a warm spring day, it does not live a long life. A butterfly can live for a year, six months, two weeks, and even as little as twenty-four hours.

I have often wondered if butterflies live long enough to be blissful of blue skies. Do they take time to feast upon the sweet nectar they crave, midst their hustling life of pollinating pretty flowers? Do they ever take a lull in their itineraries, or are they always rushing towards completing their four-stage metamorphosis? Has anyone asked the butterfly, “Who are you?” instead of “What are you”? Or, How did you get here, on my windowsill?  How did you become ‘you’?

Humans are similar to butterflies. As a caterpillar

Suzanna Ruby/Getty Images

becomes a butterfly, a baby becomes an elder. As a butterfly soars through summer skies, an elder watches summer skies turn into cold winter nights and back toward summer skies yet again.  And as a butterfly flits slowly by the porch light, a passerby makes assumptions about the wrinkled, slow-moving elder, who is sturdier than he appears. These creatures are not seen for who they are—who they were—because people have “better things to do” or they are too busy to ask, “How are you”?

Our world can be a lonely place. Pressured by expectations, haunted by dreams, overpowered by weakness, and drowned out by lofty goals, we tend to forget ourselves—and others. Rather than hang onto the strands of our diminishing sanity, we might benefit from listening to our elders. Many elders have experienced setbacks in their young lives. Overcoming hardship and surviving to old age is wisdom that they carry.  We can learn from them—and can even make their day by taking the time to hear their stories.  

Nancy Hill, who wrote the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” was right: “We live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” I know a lot about my grandmother’s life, and it isn’t as serene as my own. My grandmother, Liza, who cooks every day, bakes bread on holidays for our neighbors, brings gifts to her doctor out of the kindness of her heart, and makes conversation with neighbors even though she is isn’t fluent in English—Russian is her first language—has struggled all her life. Her mother, Anna, a single parent, had tuberculosis, and even though she had an inviolable spirit, she was too frail to care for four children. She passed away when my grandmother was sixteen, so my grandmother and her siblings spent most of their childhood in an orphanage. My grandmother got married at nineteen to my grandfather, Pinhas. He was a man who loved her more than he loved himself and was a godsend to every person he met. Liza was—and still is—always quick to do what was best for others, even if that person treated her poorly. My grandmother has lived with physical pain all her life, yet she pushed herself to climb heights that she wasn’t ready for. Against all odds, she has lived to tell her story to people who are willing to listen. And I always am.

I asked my grandmother, “What are three things most important to you?” Her answer was one that I already expected: One, for everyone to live long healthy lives. Two, for you to graduate from college. Three, for you to always remember that I love you.

What may be basic to you means the world to my grandmother. She just wants what she never had the chance to experience: a healthy life, an education, and the chance to express love to the people she values. The three things that matter most to her may be so simple and ordinary to outsiders, but to her, it is so much more. And who could take that away?

Antonia Mills was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and attends Rachel Carson High School.  Antonia enjoys creative activities, including writing, painting, reading, and baking. She hopes to pursue culinary arts professionally in the future. One of her favorite quotes is, “When you start seeing your worth, you’ll find it harder to stay around people who don’t.” -Emily S.P.  

  Powerful Voice Winner

   Isaac Ziemba

Odyssey Multiage Program, Bainbridge Island, Wash. 

This Former State Trooper Has His Priorities Straight: Family, Climate Change, and Integrity

I have a personal connection to people who served in the military and first responders. My uncle is a first responder on the island I live on, and my dad retired from the Navy. That was what made a man named Glen Tyrell, a state trooper for 25 years, 2 months and 9 days, my first choice to interview about what three things matter in life. In the YES! Magazine article “The Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I learned that old and young people have a great deal in common. I know that’s true because Glen and I care about a lot of the same things.

For Glen, family is at the top of his list of important things. “My wife was, and is, always there for me. My daughters mean the world to me, too, but Penny is my partner,” Glen said. I can understand why Glen’s wife is so important to him. She’s family. Family will always be there for you.

Glen loves his family, and so do I with all my heart. My dad especially means the world to me. He is my top supporter and tells me that if I need help, just “say the word.” When we are fishing or crabbing, sometimes I

think, what if these times were erased from my memory? I wouldn’t be able to describe the horrible feeling that would rush through my mind, and I’m sure that Glen would feel the same about his wife.

My uncle once told me that the world is always going to change over time. It’s what the world has turned out to be that worries me. Both Glen and I are extremely concerned about climate change and the effect that rising temperatures have on animals and their habitats. We’re driving them to extinction. Some people might say, “So what? Animals don’t pay taxes or do any of the things we do.” What we are doing to them is like the Black Death times 100.

Glen is also frustrated by how much plastic we use and where it ends up. He would be shocked that an explorer recently dived to the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean—seven miles!— and discovered a plastic bag and candy wrappers. Glen told me that, unfortunately, his generation did the damage and my generation is here to fix it. We need to take better care of Earth because if we don’t, we, as a species, will have failed.

Both Glen and I care deeply for our families and the earth, but for our third important value, I chose education and Glen chose integrity. My education is super important to me because without it, I would be a blank slate. I wouldn’t know how to figure out problems. I wouldn’t be able to tell right from wrong. I wouldn’t understand the Bill of Rights. I would be stuck. Everyone should be able to go to school, no matter where they’re from or who they are.  It makes me angry and sad to think that some people, especially girls, get shot because they are trying to go to school. I understand how lucky I am.

Integrity is sacred to Glen—I could tell by the serious tone of Glen’s voice when he told me that integrity was the code he lived by as a former state trooper. He knew that he had the power to change a person’s life, and he was committed to not abusing that power.  When Glen put someone under arrest—and my uncle says the same—his judgment and integrity were paramount. “Either you’re right or you’re wrong.” You can’t judge a person by what you think, you can only judge a person from what you know.”

I learned many things about Glen and what’s important in life, but there is one thing that stands out—something Glen always does and does well. Glen helps people. He did it as a state trooper, and he does it in our school, where he works on construction projects. Glen told me that he believes that our most powerful tools are writing and listening to others. I think those tools are important, too, but I also believe there are other tools to help solve many of our problems and create a better future: to be compassionate, to create caring relationships, and to help others. Just like Glen Tyrell does each and every day.

Isaac Ziemba is in seventh grade at the Odyssey Multiage Program on a small island called Bainbridge near Seattle, Washington. Isaac’s favorite subject in school is history because he has always been interested in how the past affects the future. In his spare time, you can find Isaac hunting for crab with his Dad, looking for artifacts around his house with his metal detector, and having fun with his younger cousin, Conner.     

Lily Hersch

 The Crest Academy, Salida, Colo.

The Phone Call

Dear Grandpa,

In my short span of life—12 years so far—you’ve taught me a lot of important life lessons that I’ll always have with me. Some of the values I talk about in this writing I’ve learned from you.

Dedicated to my Gramps.

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author and photographer Nancy Hill asked people to name the three things that mattered most to them. After reading the essay prompt for the article, I immediately knew who I wanted to interview: my grandpa Gil.      

My grandpa was born on January 25, 1942. He lived in a minuscule tenement in The Bronx with his mother,

father, and brother. His father wasn’t around much, and, when he was, he was reticent and would snap occasionally, revealing his constrained mental pain. My grandpa says this happened because my great grandfather did not have a father figure in his life. His mother was a classy, sharp lady who was the head secretary at a local police district station. My grandpa and his brother Larry did not care for each other. Gramps said he was very close to his mother, and Larry wasn’t. Perhaps Larry was envious for what he didn’t have.

Decades after little to no communication with his brother, my grandpa decided to spontaneously visit him in Florida, where he resided with his wife. Larry was taken aback at the sudden reappearance of his brother and told him to leave. Since then, the two brothers have not been in contact. My grandpa doesn’t even know if Larry is alive.         

My grandpa is now a retired lawyer, married to my wonderful grandma, and living in a pretty house with an ugly dog named BoBo.

So, what’s important to you, Gramps?

He paused a second, then replied, “Family, kindness, and empathy.”

“Family, because it’s my family. It’s important to stay connected with your family. My brother, father, and I never connected in the way I wished, and sometimes I contemplated what could’ve happened.  But you can’t change the past. So, that’s why family’s important to me.”

Family will always be on my “Top Three Most Important Things” list, too. I can’t imagine not having my older brother, Zeke, or my grandma in my life. I wonder how other kids feel about their families? How do kids trapped and separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border feel?  What about orphans? Too many questions, too few answers.

“Kindness, because growing up and not seeing a lot of kindness made me realize how important it is to have that in the world. Kindness makes the world go round.”

What is kindness? Helping my brother, Eli, who has Down syndrome, get ready in the morning? Telling people what they need to hear, rather than what they want to hear? Maybe, for now, I’ll put wisdom, not kindness, on my list.

“Empathy, because of all the killings and shootings [in this country.] We also need to care for people—people who are not living in as good circumstances as I have. Donald Trump and other people I’ve met have no empathy. Empathy is very important.”

Empathy is something I’ve felt my whole life. It’ll always be important to me like it is important to my grandpa. My grandpa shows his empathy when he works with disabled children. Once he took a disabled child to a Christina Aguilera concert because that child was too young to go by himself. The moments I feel the most empathy are when Eli gets those looks from people. Seeing Eli wonder why people stare at him like he’s a freak makes me sad, and annoyed that they have the audacity to stare.

After this 2 minute and 36-second phone call, my grandpa has helped me define what’s most important to me at this time in my life: family, wisdom, and empathy. Although these things are important now, I realize they can change and most likely will.

When I’m an old woman, I envision myself scrambling through a stack of storage boxes and finding this paper. Perhaps after reading words from my 12-year-old self, I’ll ask myself “What’s important to me?”

Lily Hersch is a sixth-grader at Crest Academy in Salida, Colorado. Lily is an avid indoorsman, finding joy in competitive spelling, art, and of course, writing. She does not like Swiss cheese.

  “Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner

Jonas Buckner

KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory, Gaston, N.C.

Lessons My Nana Taught Me

I walked into the house. In the other room, I heard my cousin screaming at his game. There were a lot of Pioneer Woman dishes everywhere. The room had the television on max volume. The fan in the other room was on. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to learn something powerful.

I was in my Nana’s house, and when I walked in, she said, “Hey Monkey Butt.”

I said, “Hey Nana.”

Before the interview, I was talking to her about what I was gonna interview her on. Also, I had asked her why I might have wanted to interview her, and she responded with, “Because you love me, and I love you too.”

Now, it was time to start the interview. The first

question I asked was the main and most important question ever: “What three things matter most to you and you only?”

She thought of it very thoughtfully and responded with, “My grandchildren, my children, and my health.”

Then, I said, “OK, can you please tell me more about your health?”

She responded with, “My health is bad right now. I have heart problems, blood sugar, and that’s about it.” When she said it, she looked at me and smiled because she loved me and was happy I chose her to interview.

I replied with, “K um, why is it important to you?”

She smiled and said, “Why is it…Why is my health important? Well, because I want to live a long time and see my grandchildren grow up.”

I was scared when she said that, but she still smiled. I was so happy, and then I said, “Has your health always been important to you.”

She responded with “Nah.”

Then, I asked, “Do you happen to have a story to help me understand your reasoning?”

She said, “No, not really.”

Now we were getting into the next set of questions. I said, “Remember how you said that your grandchildren matter to you? Can you please tell me why they matter to you?”

Then, she responded with, “So I can spend time with them, play with them, and everything.”

Next, I asked the same question I did before: “Have you always loved your grandchildren?” 

She responded with, “Yes, they have always been important to me.”

Then, the next two questions I asked she had no response to at all. She was very happy until I asked, “Why do your children matter most to you?”

She had a frown on and responded, “My daughter Tammy died a long time ago.”

Then, at this point, the other questions were answered the same as the other ones. When I left to go home I was thinking about how her answers were similar to mine. She said health, and I care about my health a lot, and I didn’t say, but I wanted to. She also didn’t have answers for the last two questions on each thing, and I was like that too.

The lesson I learned was that no matter what, always keep pushing because even though my aunt or my Nana’s daughter died, she kept on pushing and loving everyone. I also learned that everything should matter to us. Once again, I chose to interview my Nana because she matters to me, and I know when she was younger she had a lot of things happen to her, so I wanted to know what she would say. The point I’m trying to make is that be grateful for what you have and what you have done in life.

Jonas Buckner is a sixth-grader at KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, North Carolina. Jonas’ favorite activities are drawing, writing, math, piano, and playing AltSpace VR. He found his passion for writing in fourth grade when he wrote a quick autobiography. Jonas hopes to become a horror writer someday.

From The Author: Responses to Student Winners

Dear Emily, Isaac, Antonia, Rory, Praethong, Amanda, Lily, and Jonas,

Your thought-provoking essays sent my head spinning. The more I read, the more impressed I was with the depth of thought, beauty of expression, and originality. It left me wondering just how to capture all of my reactions in a single letter. After multiple false starts, I’ve landed on this: I will stick to the theme of three most important things.

The three things I found most inspirational about your essays:

You listened.

You connected.

We live in troubled times. Tensions mount between countries, cultures, genders, religious beliefs, and generations. If we fail to find a way to understand each other, to see similarities between us, the future will be fraught with increased hostility.

You all took critical steps toward connecting with someone who might not value the same things you do by asking a person who is generations older than you what matters to them. Then, you listened to their answers. You saw connections between what is important to them and what is important to you. Many of you noted similarities, others wondered if your own list of the three most important things would change as you go through life. You all saw the validity of the responses you received and looked for reasons why your interviewees have come to value what they have.

It is through these things—asking, listening, and connecting—that we can begin to bridge the differences in experiences and beliefs that are currently dividing us.

Individual observations

Each one of you made observations that all of us, regardless of age or experience, would do well to keep in mind. I chose one quote from each person and trust those reading your essays will discover more valuable insights.

“Our priorities may seem different, but they come back to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and work to make a positive impact.” 

“You can’t judge a person by what you think , you can only judge a person by what you know .”

Emily (referencing your interviewee, who is battling cancer):

“Master Chief Petty Officer James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me.”

Lily (quoting your grandfather):

“Kindness makes the world go round.”

“Everything should matter to us.”

Praethong (quoting your interviewee, Sandra, on the importance of family):

“It’s important to always maintain that connection you have with each other, your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

“I wonder if maybe we relearn what is most important when we grow older. That the pressure to be successful subsides and that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world.”

“Listen to what others have to say. Listen to the people who have already experienced hardship. You will learn from them and you can even make their day by giving them a chance to voice their thoughts.”

I end this letter to you with the hope that you never stop asking others what is most important to them and that you to continue to take time to reflect on what matters most to you…and why. May you never stop asking, listening, and connecting with others, especially those who may seem to be unlike you. Keep writing, and keep sharing your thoughts and observations with others, for your ideas are awe-inspiring.

I also want to thank the more than 1,000 students who submitted essays. Together, by sharing what’s important to us with others, especially those who may believe or act differently, we can fill the world with joy, peace, beauty, and love.

We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

Whether it is a painting on a milky canvas with watercolors or pasting photos onto a scrapbook with her granddaughters, it is always a piece of artwork to her. She values the things in life that keep her in the moment, while still exploring things she may not have initially thought would bring her joy.

—Ondine Grant-Krasno, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif.

“Ganas”… It means “desire” in Spanish. My ganas is fueled by my family’s belief in me. I cannot and will not fail them. 

—Adan Rios, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I hope when I grow up I can have the love for my kids like my grandma has for her kids. She makes being a mother even more of a beautiful thing than it already is.

—Ashley Shaw, Columbus City Prep School for Girls, Grove City, Ohio

You become a collage of little pieces of your friends and family. They also encourage you to be the best you can be. They lift you up onto the seat of your bike, they give you the first push, and they don’t hesitate to remind you that everything will be alright when you fall off and scrape your knee.

— Cecilia Stanton, Bellafonte Area Middle School, Bellafonte, Pa.

Without good friends, I wouldn’t know what I would do to endure the brutal machine of public education.

—Kenneth Jenkins, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

My dog, as ridiculous as it may seem, is a beautiful example of what we all should aspire to be. We should live in the moment, not stress, and make it our goal to lift someone’s spirits, even just a little.

—Kate Garland, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif. 

I strongly hope that every child can spare more time to accompany their elderly parents when they are struggling, and moving forward, and give them more care and patience. so as to truly achieve the goal of “you accompany me to grow up, and I will accompany you to grow old.”

—Taiyi Li, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I have three cats, and they are my brothers and sisters. We share a special bond that I think would not be possible if they were human. Since they do not speak English, we have to find other ways to connect, and I think that those other ways can be more powerful than language.

—Maya Dombroskie, Delta Program Middle School, Boulsburg, Pa.

We are made to love and be loved. To have joy and be relational. As a member of the loneliest generation in possibly all of history, I feel keenly aware of the need for relationships and authentic connection. That is why I decided to talk to my grandmother.

—Luke Steinkamp, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

After interviewing my grandma and writing my paper, I realized that as we grow older, the things that are important to us don’t change, what changes is why those things are important to us.

—Emily Giffer, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

The media works to marginalize elders, often isolating them and their stories, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with their additional years of lived experiences. It also undermines the depth of children’s curiosity and capacity to learn and understand. When the worlds of elders and children collide, a classroom opens.

—Cristina Reitano, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.

My values, although similar to my dad, only looked the same in the sense that a shadow is similar to the object it was cast on.

—Timofey Lisenskiy, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

I can release my anger through writing without having to take it out on someone. I can escape and be a different person; it feels good not to be myself for a while. I can make up my own characters, so I can be someone different every day, and I think that’s pretty cool.

—Jasua Carillo, Wellness, Business, and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

Notice how all the important things in his life are people: the people who he loves and who love him back. This is because “people are more important than things like money or possessions, and families are treasures,” says grandpa Pat. And I couldn’t agree more.

—Brody Hartley, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.  

Curiosity for other people’s stories could be what is needed to save the world.

—Noah Smith, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Peace to me is a calm lake without a ripple in sight. It’s a starry night with a gentle breeze that pillows upon your face. It’s the absence of arguments, fighting, or war. It’s when egos stop working against each other and finally begin working with each other. Peace is free from fear, anxiety, and depression. To me, peace is an important ingredient in the recipe of life.

—JP Bogan, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

From A Teacher

Charles Sanderson

Wellness, Business and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

The Birthday Gift

I’ve known Jodelle for years, watching her grow from a quiet and timid twelve-year-old to a young woman who just returned from India, where she played Kabaddi, a kind of rugby meets Red Rover.

One of my core beliefs as an educator is to show up for the things that matter to kids, so I go to their games, watch their plays, and eat the strawberry jam they make for the county fair. On this occasion, I met Jodelle at a robotics competition to watch her little sister Abby compete. Think Nerd Paradise: more hats made from traffic cones than Golden State Warrior ball caps, more unicorn capes than Nike swooshes, more fanny packs with Legos than clutches with eyeliner.

We started chatting as the crowd chanted and waved six-foot flags for teams like Mystic Biscuits, Shrek, and everyone’s nemesis The Mean Machine. Apparently, when it’s time for lunch at a robotics competition, they don’t mess around. The once-packed gym was left to Jodelle and me, and we kept talking and talking. I eventually asked her about the three things that matter to her most.

She told me about her mom, her sister, and her addiction—to horses. I’ve read enough of her writing to know that horses were her drug of choice and her mom and sister were her support network.

I learned about her desire to become a teacher and how hours at the barn with her horse, Heart, recharge her when she’s exhausted. At one point, our rambling conversation turned to a topic I’ve known far too well—her father.

Later that evening, I received an email from Jodelle, and she had a lot to say. One line really struck me: “In so many movies, I have seen a dad wanting to protect his daughter from the world, but I’ve only understood the scene cognitively. Yesterday, I felt it.”

Long ago, I decided that I would never be a dad. I had seen movies with fathers and daughters, and for me, those movies might as well have been Star Wars, ET, or Alien—worlds filled with creatures I’d never know. However, over the years, I’ve attended Jodelle’s parent-teacher conferences, gone to her graduation, and driven hours to watch her ride Heart at horse shows. Simply, I showed up. I listened. I supported.

Jodelle shared a series of dad poems, as well. I had read the first two poems in their original form when Jodelle was my student. The revised versions revealed new graphic details of her past. The third poem, however, was something entirely different.

She called the poems my early birthday present. When I read the lines “You are my father figure/Who I look up to/Without being looked down on,” I froze for an instant and had to reread the lines. After fifty years of consciously deciding not to be a dad, I was seen as one—and it felt incredible. Jodelle’s poem and recognition were two of the best presents I’ve ever received.

I  know that I was the language arts teacher that Jodelle needed at the time, but her poem revealed things I never knew I taught her: “My father figure/ Who taught me/ That listening is for observing the world/ That listening is for learning/Not obeying/Writing is for connecting/Healing with others.”

Teaching is often a thankless job, one that frequently brings more stress and anxiety than joy and hope. Stress erodes my patience. Anxiety curtails my ability to enter each interaction with every student with the grace they deserve. However, my time with Jodelle reminds me of the importance of leaning in and listening.

In the article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill, she illuminates how we “live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” For the last twenty years, I’ve had the privilege to work with countless of these “remarkable people,” and I’ve done my best to listen, and, in so doing, I hope my students will realize what I’ve known for a long time; their voices matter and deserve to be heard, but the voices of their tias and abuelitos and babushkas are equally important. When we take the time to listen, I believe we do more than affirm the humanity of others; we affirm our own as well.

Charles Sanderson has grounded his nineteen-year teaching career in a philosophy he describes as “Mirror, Window, Bridge.” Charles seeks to ensure all students see themselves, see others, and begin to learn the skills to build bridges of empathy, affinity, and understanding between communities and cultures that may seem vastly different. He proudly teaches at the Wellness, Business and Sports School in Woodburn, Oregon, a school and community that brings him joy and hope on a daily basis.

From   The Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Dear Charles Sanderson,

Thank you for submitting an essay of your own in addition to encouraging your students to participate in YES! Magazine’s essay contest.

Your essay focused not on what is important to you, but rather on what is important to one of your students. You took what mattered to her to heart, acting upon it by going beyond the school day and creating a connection that has helped fill a huge gap in her life. Your efforts will affect her far beyond her years in school. It is clear that your involvement with this student is far from the only time you have gone beyond the classroom, and while you are not seeking personal acknowledgment, I cannot help but applaud you.

In an ideal world, every teacher, every adult, would show the same interest in our children and adolescents that you do. By taking the time to listen to what is important to our youth, we can help them grow into compassionate, caring adults, capable of making our world a better place.

Your concerted efforts to guide our youth to success not only as students but also as human beings is commendable. May others be inspired by your insights, concerns, and actions. You define excellence in teaching.

Get Stories of Solutions to Share with Your Classroom

Teachers save 50% on YES! Magazine.

Inspiration in Your Inbox

Get the free daily newsletter from YES! Magazine: Stories of people creating a better world to inspire you and your students.

Essays About Confidence: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Confidence is an important quality everyone should have; if you are writing essays about confidence , have a look at our featured examples and writing prompts .

What is confidence ? This quality shows a belief that we are enough; we are happy with who we are and proud of every part of ourselves. When we are confident, we do not doubt ourselves or others, and to an extent, we are quite brave and trusting.

We can be confident in ourselves or others; however, it is important to remember that too much confidence is detrimental. When we are too confident in others, we can fail to see their shortcomings. This applies to ourselves as well; in this case, we are also much more likely to develop negative traits such as arrogance.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. the dark side of having confidence by tomas chamorro-premuzic, 2. self confidence essay by stanley graves, 3. what real confidence looks like by jessica wildfire.

• 4.  Where Confidence Comes From by John Gorman
• 5. ​​Personal reflections on self-confidence by Jeremy Jordan

1. What Does it Mean to Be Confident?

2. what makes you feel confident, 3. how do you lose confidence, 4. who embodies confidence for you, 5. why is confidence important, 6. confidence vs. arrogance, 7. a time you showed confidence.

“Although Asian cultures are much more prone to foment self-criticism, humility, and self- knowledge (over self- confidence , arrogance, and narcissism), the West may be globalizing narcissism, probably not in a deliberate attempt to reduce the work ethic and humility of the East, though it may well have that effect. One of the most toxic and problematic cocktails combines high aspirations with a low work ethic—the very definition of narcissistic entitlement. The only fix is to get a reality check and risk becoming depressed, unless you distort reality forever.”

Chamorro-Premuzic discusses a phenomenon by which people have so much confidence that it transforms into narcissism and arrogance. He enumerates some of the negative effects of too much confidence , including a lack of self-awareness and humility, while commenting on society’s almost toxic obsession with confidence and self-esteem. In this essay, he stresses that not everyone needs to be super confident and that humility is a useful attribute to have as well. 

Looking for more? Check out these essays about empathy and essays about gratitude .

“Self- confidence is something that cannot be taught. It is up to someone to decide how much belief that they possess inside of themselves. I am at the point where I realize that I must first believe in myself before others will believe in me. Nobody teaches us to be happy or sad. They are natural feelings that come along as we develop mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

In his essay, Graves explains the aspects of self- confidence . Fake self- confidence is when people project themselves as proud and confident when in reality, this is a front to make them seem more impressive than they are. Temporary self- confidence is when an achievement of yours helps you feel confident, even if this feeling fades after a while. The author discusses that true self- confidence is when one truly believes in themselves and their capabilities. 

“Nobody forges confidence that we can just slip on like a bat suit. It would be great if it were that easy. Instead, we demonstrate confidence through actions. We perform acts of confidence , even when we’re feeling nervous. We do it every time we make a plan, take a chance, seek out solid advice, confront our faults, and handle a tough situation because others depend on us.”

Wildfire explains the difference between fake and real confidence and some ways to build the latter. She gives examples of things confident people do, such as exploring new opportunities, taking feedback, whether good or bad and admitting when they are wrong or uncertain. Rather than thinking of confidence as something possessed, Wildfire encourages readers to think of it as exercised through our actions. 

4.   Where Confidence Comes From by John Gorman

“It isn’t entirely translatable to every area of my life, but more of it exists now than there did before I’d started falling. Confidence is, in fact, a product of repetition … but not a product of success — it’s a product of failure. It’s knowing what the fall feels like and being familiar enough with it that you can be comfortable with the risk.”

Gorman discusses his idea of confidence , both what it is not and what it should be. It is not inherent, nor comes from our successes; instead, it is a product of a healthy mindset and learning from one’s mistakes, using those mistakes to improve oneself. The key to confidence , Gorman says, is to take our failures as opportunities to improve ourselves rather than defeat. You might also be interested in our list of essays about effective leadership and essays about attitude .

5. ​​ Personal reflections on self-confidence by Jeremy Jordan

“A great deal of learning takes place while you’re struggling; when you do something new, your brain is taking in a lot of information that may not be immediately processed. The way I see it is that I should load up my brain with as much information as possible so there’s more data to learn from. Rather than not seeing results and giving up, I place trust in the learning process and know that my efforts will be rewarded.”

Jordan gives readers tips on improving one’s confidence . He says to surround yourself with supportive people, have good communication skills , and sometimes take risks, among other tips. Most importantly, however, he explains the importance of understanding failure, pain, and struggle, embracing them, learning from our setbacks, and using them to improve. 

7 Writing Prompts on Essays About Confidence

People have many ideas of what confidence is or should be. Define confidence in your own words, describe what it means, and discuss what you think a healthy expression of confidence is. Draw inspiration from personal experience and give anecdotes describing certain people in your life to support your position. 

What inspires confidence in you? It may be someone in your life, a personal achievement, or other factors. Reflect on what makes you feel confident and describe it in your essay. Explain how it allows you to be more confident and give tips to people looking to find their confidence . 

Confidence can be lost just as quickly, if not faster than it is built up. Especially in the 21st century, various factors cause people to lose confidence , particularly among the youth. Research some of these and discuss each one in detail. Explain how each can make someone feel less confident and how one can regain this confidence . Check out these articles about beauty .

We all have role models we look up to. Regarding confidence , reflect on who you look to when you need a boost of confidence . It may be a loved one, a public figure, or even a fictional character; no answer is bad as long as it is adequately explained.

Confidence is said to be essential for success. In your essay, explain why confidence is so important in life. Support your explanation with ample evidence from your opinions and other sources; describe some situations in which confidence would be beneficial such as in interviews, public speaking, and social situations. 

Arrogance is often considered the “negative form” or “negative effect” of confidence ; there is a strong correlation between the two. Look into their similarities and connection, then differentiate the two. Also, explain how you can express confidence without being confident to the extent that it comes off as arrogant. 

For an exciting essay, look back on a time you are proud of wherein you showed confidence . Retell the story in detail, such as the events leading up to it and what made you “behave confidently.” Explain why you felt the way you did, how exactly confidence was manifested, and the effects of your confidence or confident actions. 

If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our essays about bullying topic guide ! If you still need help, our guide to grammar and punctuation explains more.

• Career Advice

How Do You Feel?

By  Kerry Ann Rockquemore

You have / 5 articles left. Sign up for a free account or log in.

iStock/prochkailo

The shift from assistant to associate professor -- and, more importantly, from untenured to tenured faculty member -- is a major transition. When done intentionally, it sets you up for success in the next chapter of your career. But when you proceed as if nothing has changed -- when you pile on work without a filter and are not grounded in who you are and what you love -- it’s a recipe for posttenure depression and midcareer malaise .

To avoid negative outcomes, this 10-week series is designed to help newly tenured faculty make an intentional transition. We’ve spent the first few weeks pausing to reflect on some big questions: What has changed now that you have tenure? What does it mean to be a leader on your campus? What do you really want?

The point of asking those questions is simple: they provide ways of generating data from multiple sources so you can answer the fundamental questions: Who am I and what do I love? You must be clear about the answers to these important questions as the foundation for choosing your posttenure pathway. Otherwise you will find yourself reactively responding to opportunities put in front of you instead of identifying a path that is aligned with your strengths. You will have the greatest influence and impact as a leader on your campus if you choose a posttenure pathway (instead of it being chosen for you) and if that choice comes from deep self-understanding and a spirit of contribution.

If you’ve been following along, you’ve asked your brain what you truly desire. (What is my ideal environment? What does an ideal day look like?) You’ve asked trusted friends and colleagues to serve as a mirror for you. (What are my strengths? What makes me unique? What do you think is my greatest passion?) You’ve asked your life to speak by looking at patterns across the previous chapters of your personal history. And this week we’re going to turn to one more source of wisdom for data collection: your body.

I believe that your body is a powerful instrument for generating data about who you are and what you love. If you’re open to hearing the information your body gives you, then all you need to do is ask yourself, “How do I feel?” It’s a simple question, but it provides powerful feedback about how you experience various aspects of your work. When you’re doing work that you are ill suited to, it’s normal to feel tired, cranky and as if time has slowed down to a nauseating crawl. By contrast, when you are doing work that maximizes your strengths and taps into your passion, it’s normal for your energy to be high, to feel fully stimulated and engaged, and to lose track of time and space.

While noticing how we feel sounds simple, it may require disrupting some typical patterns. In other words, it’s common for busy professionals to move through the day on autopilot, suppressing their physical and emotional states and staying disconnected from how they’re feeling. Many people just lock all that down, maintain a state of constant distraction and ingest various stimulants (coffee, Red Bull and so on) to get through the day.

By contrast, I want you to collect data from your body by raising your awareness and continually asking yourself, “How do I feel?” I’ve found that explicitly tracking it throughout the day heightens my awareness, reminds me to keep asking the question and allows me to document the answers. If you’re game for this experiment, why not try a few simple steps.

• Identify what you will track. You can track your energy levels: Are they low, medium or high when you’re engaged in various activities? You can track how you’re feeling emotionally during specific activities: engaged, excited, frustrated, annoyed? (If you need to expand your framework and vocabulary for feelings to track this week, the Feelings Inventory is a great tool.) You can also track your basic physical states: are you slouched or upright, at the edge of your seat or slumped in your chair? It doesn’t matter what you focus on. It just matters that you’re clear before you start what exactly you will track.
• Track throughout the day. Tracking doesn’t have to be complex, involve learning a new app or require devising a complicated strategy. It can be as simple as putting a Post-it note on the back of your cell phone or carrying a piece of paper with you. All you need to do is notice how you feel as you are engaged in various activities and jot it down. I work in 30-minute sprints throughout the day, so I pause every 30 minutes, ask myself the question and record both the answer and what I’m doing.
• Make an end-of-the-day summary. Pause at the end of each day you track to notice any patterns that have emerged. Are there certain types of activities that result in low energy and/or negative feelings? Are there other types of work that result in high energy and/or positive feelings? What do the low-energy activities have in common? What do the high-energy ones have in common? The more specific you can be, the deeper the insights you will generate.

This exercise is pivotal in our posttenure pathfinder program , because many participants are surprised by what they find. One faculty member (I’ll call her Jane) was surprised to find that she experienced the greatest joy, highest energy and deepest sense of meaning in teaching-related activities: being in the classroom, talking with students during office hours, preparing her classes and helping colleagues improve their teaching. It was a surprise because she had prioritized writing and publication while on the tenure track to meet the high expectations at her research-intensive university. Yet the times she felt bored, disengaged and uninspired were all associated with her research. I’m sharing Jane’s experience as a way to encourage you to be open to your own surprising insights.

Putting It All Together

Once you’ve collected five days of tracking your feelings and reflected on your patterns, you’ll be able to (literally) lay out all the data you’ve collected over the past four weeks, including:

• the list of things you wanted to do once you got tenure
• the list of 20 things you love to do
• your reflections on the posttenure pathways of people you admire
• the written responses from your trusted friends and colleagues about your strengths, uniqueness and passion
• your reflection on your past life chapters and
• your data from tracking how you feel throughout your workday.

Reread all the responses, insights, reflections and patterns that surfaced from asking your brain, your trusted assessors, your biography and your body. Then allow the true story of who you are and what you love to emerge. For some people, it’s a single word; for others, it’s a sentence; and for some, it starts with a paragraph. It doesn’t have to be perfect (we’ll work to refine it over time), and don’t be surprised if it brings up mixed feelings.

For example, when Jane put all her data together, what emerged was an image: “super teacher.” In the midst of her pile of data, she saw a superhero who went around dressing the part of “serious researcher” but underneath wore a bright-blue suit and cape. At certain times, she could reveal and use her superpowers, but most of the time she was covering them up because they weren’t valued on her campus.

This image brought a mix of emotions, because while it rang true to her, she didn’t know what to do with the discovery that her true self didn’t fit the mold of what her university values, rewards and wants her to be. And she couldn’t imagine what possibilities existed for a posttenure pathway with this new self-understanding. I’ll share how Jane resolved this in the coming weeks as we get farther into the process.

The Weekly Challenge

This week, I challenge you to:

• Track how you feel during your workday this week and pull out the patterns.
• Lay out all of the data you’ve collected over the past four weeks.
• Reread your documents and see what and who emerges.
• Write out your answer to the questions: Who am I? What do I love?
• If you’re resistant to answering these questions, gently ask yourself: Why?

We’re collecting all of this information so that you can get clear about who you are (that’s the center out of which you can operate) and what you love (which will give it a direction). Once you have that clarity, we can start mapping your specific possibilities next week.

Peace and possibilities,

Kerry Ann Rockquemore, Ph.D.

Founder, National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

Questions Linger After Penn State Buyouts

Faculty argue the “voluntary separation” plan was rushed, and question the new regional leadership model that require

Share This Article

More from career advice.

Hiring for Humanity

To create an office culture marked by trust, humanity and collaboration, Diana Lawrence poses a rather unexpected que

In Praise of Lunch

Amid the stress and clutter of our daily lives, and the divisions straining our politics and culture, we need sustain

Bad-Faith Counteroffers

Black and other minoritized faculty don’t receive equitable ones if they receive them at all, which harms both them a

• Become a Member
• Sign up for Newsletters
• Learning & Assessment
• Diversity & Equity
• Career Development
• Labor & Unionization
• Shared Governance
• Academic Freedom
• Books & Publishing
• Financial Aid
• Residential Life
• Free Speech
• Physical & Mental Health
• Race & Ethnicity
• Sex & Gender
• Socioeconomics
• Traditional-Age
• Adult & Post-Traditional
• Teaching & Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Publishing
• Data Analytics
• Administrative Tech
• Alternative Credentials
• Financial Health
• Cost-Cutting
• Revenue Strategies
• Academic Programs
• Physical Campuses
• Mergers & Collaboration
• Fundraising
• Research Universities
• Regional Public Universities
• Community Colleges
• Private Nonprofit Colleges
• Minority-Serving Institutions
• Religious Colleges
• Women's Colleges
• Specialized Colleges
• For-Profit Colleges
• Executive Leadership
• Trustees & Regents
• State Oversight
• Accreditation
• Politics & Elections
• Supreme Court
• Student Aid Policy
• Science & Research Policy
• State Policy
• Colleges & Localities
• Employee Satisfaction
• Remote & Flexible Work
• Staff Issues
• Study Abroad
• International Students in U.S.
• U.S. Colleges in the World
• Intellectual Affairs
• Seeking a Faculty Job
• Advancing in the Faculty
• Seeking an Administrative Job
• Advancing as an Administrator
• Beyond Transfer
• Call to Action
• Confessions of a Community College Dean
• Higher Ed Gamma
• Higher Ed Policy
• Just Explain It to Me!
• Just Visiting
• Law, Policy—and IT?
• Leadership & StratEDgy
• Leadership in Higher Education
• Learning Innovation
• Online: Trending Now
• Resident Scholar
• University of Venus
• Student Voice
• Academic Life
• Health & Wellness
• The College Experience
• Life After College
• Academic Minute
• Weekly Wisdom
• Reports & Data
• Quick Takes
• Advertising & Marketing
• Consulting Services
• Data & Insights
• Hiring & Jobs
• Event Partnerships

4 /5 Articles remaining this month.

Sign up for a free account or log in.

• Create Free Account

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Live in the Moment

Ways to Be More Present in Your Everyday Life

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Getty / Diana Hirsch

Notice Your Surroundings

• Don't Multitask
• Show Gratitude
• Be Accepting

Practice Mindfulness Meditation

• Find Social Support
• Practice Deep Breathing
• Limit Social Media and Tech

Frequently Asked Questions

Many people want to learn more about how to live in the moment. Most of us have a tendency to live in the past or the future. How often do you find yourself thinking about what happened yesterday, or what might happen tomorrow ? How does this affect your life and well-being?

Constantly thinking about the past and worrying about the future can make it difficult to enjoy the good things in your life now. Learning how to be more mindful and live in the moment can give you a greater appreciation for your life, also reducing feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. Here are a few ways to live in the moment more frequently.

One way to be in the present moment is by noticing your surroundings . How often do you take time out of your day to actually look around and see what's going on? When was the last time you sat down, took a deep breath, and just looked at everything around you?

Take this opportunity right now. Close both eyes and take a deep breath, then open them and really take in where you are.

• How do the walls look?
• What about the floor or ceiling—what patterns can you see?
• How many windows are there to your left and right?
• How many lights can you count from here?

When you stop to look at your surroundings and take in everything around you, it's easier to be more present in the moment.

Focus on One Thing at a Time

When learning how to live in the moment, it is helpful to focus your attention on one thing at a time. While it may feel more productive to multitask and work on more than one thing at a time, constantly juggling multiple tasks makes it hard to live in the present.

Although doing something that requires your full attention can seem overwhelming at first, be aware of how much more productive you are when fully engaged in a task. Compare this with trying to squeeze multiple things into one period of time or spending half of your energy on three different projects.

If you're working on something, give it all of your attention . When you find yourself thinking about other things or checking your phone because you don't feel like doing the task at hand, stop and turn the focus back to what's in front of you.

Research shows that when you are fully focused on what's happening at that moment, you can better remember details in the long term anyway.

Be Grateful For What You Have Now

Part of living in the moment is taking the time to be grateful for what you have now (not in the past or the future). If you are constantly focused on things you don't have, you aren't taking the time to appreciate what you have at this moment.

One way to practice gratitude is to write a list of things you are grateful for and review that list on a daily basis. Try to write at least three things you are grateful for in your life right now. Alternatively, you can do a gratitude rampage, where you write out as many things as you can think of in a certain time period.

Press Play for Advice On Practicing Gratitude

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies for practicing gratitude. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Amazon Music

Show Acceptance

If you want to learn how to be more present, let go of how you think things should be and accept them for what they are. Focus on accepting things as they are and not on how you want them to be.

You cannot control everything that happens around you; sometimes life is going to be different than how you want it to be. Practicing acceptance will help you let go of the things in your life that are out of your control.

Another way to live in the moment is by practicing mindfulness meditation . This type of meditation helps people become aware and increase their concentration on what they are doing at any given time.

Starting a daily meditation practice can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. This can, in turn, increase the amount of time you spend in the present moment.

Mindful Moment

Need a breather? Take this free 9-minute meditation focused on being present —or choose from our guided meditation library to find another one that will help you feel your best.

Find Positive Social Support

The kind of social support you have in your life can also play an important role in helping you learn how to live in the moment. When you are around people who are supportive and positive, it is much easier to be more present in your life.

Spending time with people who make you feel happy and fulfilled can be a great way to help yourself live in the present moment.

Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive people increases your own positivity and happiness levels. This will allow you to focus on what is going well right now instead of dwelling on past or future events.

Be Mindful of Everything You Do

Whatever you are doing, from eating to scrolling your phone, you should be mindful of it. How often are you eating your lunch while watching TV at the same time? This is one way you might distance yourself from what you are doing and not live in the moment because all of your attention isn't on that task or activity.

Instead, try to focus on each meal while you eat:

• How does the food smell?
• How does it taste?
• How is your body reacting to what you have eaten so far?
• What sounds are around while you eat - phone calls, traffic noises from outside, or music playing in the background?

Focusing on these details and being mindful of everything going on around you during a specific task or activity will help bring more present-moment awareness into your life .

Practice Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing can be a useful technique when you are trying to learn how to live in the moment. Taking the time to sit down and practice a deep breathing exercise will help you focus your mind on the task at hand.

Taking slow, regulated breaths helps prevent feelings of panic or any other negative thoughts from taking over while allowing for more control during the activity in which you are currently engaged. One quick and easy method to try is the 4-7-8 breathing technique .

Take a Break From Social Media and Technology

Taking a break from social media and other technology can also help you stay more present-focused. While you might think that constantly checking your social media accounts is helping you stay connected to the world, it is actually having a negative effect on your ability to be present.

How many times have you been doing something else and found yourself checking social media? It's important that you learn how to avoid letting technology take over your life as this can really prevent you from being mindful of what is going on around you.

In particular, when you are with other people, it is important that you focus on the people and environment around you, rather than being distracted by your cell phone.

Get Regular Exercise or Do Some Yoga

Regular exercise or even just taking a stroll through the park can help you be more present. Including yoga as part of your daily routine is another great way to live in the moment, especially if it's coupled with meditation and mindfulness exercises.

If you can't make time for a full yoga class, just stopping what you are doing to take a couple of minutes for some basic poses can help you get back into the moment.

If you want to learn how to live in the moment, take the time to appreciate where you are, what you're doing, and who is with you. Instead of becoming caught up in the past or worrying about what will happen in the future, try to savor each moment as it passes.

If you need help with this process, talking to a therapist can be very helpful. They can give you tools and techniques that may make living in the moment easier for you.

Constant distractions combined with feelings of anxiety and stress can make it difficult to focus on the present moment. It is easy to get caught up in thinking about the past or worrying about things that haven't happened yet.

Three strategies that can help you be more present in your life include practicing mindfulness, showing gratitude, and only focusing on one thing at a time.

Work on focusing your thoughts and attention on the other person. When you find your mind wandering to other thoughts, gently redirect your focus back to the present. Utilize active listening when you are talking to the other person and be curious about the things they have to say. Ask open-ended questions and reflect back on what the other person has shared.

Strohmaier S, Jones FW, Cane JE. Effects of length of mindfulness practice on mindfulness, depression, anxiety, and stress: a randomized controlled experiment . Mindfulness . 2021;12:198-214. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01512-5

Madore KP, Khazenzon AM, Backes CW, et al. Memory failure predicted by attention lapsing and media multitasking .  Nature . 2020;587(7832):87-91. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2870-z

Sawyer KB, Thoroughgood CN, Stillwell EE, Duffy MK, Scott KL, Adair EA. Being present and thankful: A multi-study investigation of mindfulness, gratitude, and employee helping behavior . J App Psychol . 2022;107(2):240-262. doi:10.1037/apl0000903

Creswell JD. Mindfulness interventions .  Annu Rev Psychol . 2017;68:491-516. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-042716-051139

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Some Lessons I’ve Learned From Reflecting On Life In 150 Essays

As I look back over my last 149 essays, I see memories, heartbreaks, and joys, all poured into my essays of size 12 font. I see times I was feeling high on life, and simultaneously, times I was struggling and felt as though I was stuck in the dark.. But even more than a simple timeline of moments and checkpoints, I see someone trying desperately to make sense of a messy world full of complicated emotions. I see someone a little bit lost at times, a little bit curious, and also a bit hopeful – someone just trying her best to seek meaning, inspiration, and above all, healing. 

It is an understatement to say that writing has been therapeutic for me. When I have felt lonely, or afraid, or let down, I have often sought comfort in writing. Words have been magical – they have been a way to gain a new perspective on my life and on the lives of all of the people around me. Writing has unfailingly encouraged me to look twice at life – to examine what lies beneath the surface, rather than accepting things at face value. 

And when I look back at all of these thoughts I have spilled across the white pages of my MacBook, I see many themes that seem to pop into my life over and over again, with each passing year. These themes are mainly lessons – those that I have learned, and those that I am still learning (or relearning).  Looking over my writing, I can’t help but notice how as human beings, we are constantly learning. We never seem to stop changing, growing, or healing.  

While I do not have all of the answers (or any answers with certainty), I do hope that some of the thoughts I have gathered and the lessons I have learned through examining the world through words may resonate with you as well. I hope they can bring you some comfort or reassurance in the midst of the mountains and valleys of your own life. 

1. It can feel comforting to seek home in nostalgia – to live in our memories, to replay them over and over again, like little film strips that continue to roll on. But at some point, we have to remember that life is still happening and the earth is still spinning, right here, right now. At some point, we have to be here for ourselves and for our hearts in the present. We have to be brave enough to hope that the present and the future will be just as good, if not better, than the old memories we are living in.

2. I’m learning that joy doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of sadness, and grief doesn’t necessarily imply the absence of joy. Though we often want to choose an either o r, life is not quite as binary as we make it out to be.

3. I’m realizing that being at peace with life doesn’t mean that everything is perfect, or that we don’t have any troubles or tribulations or low energy nagging at our hearts. Being at peace doesn’t mean that life is wonderful, or that we aren’t stressed, or facing anxiety. More so, being at peace means finding some form of “okayness” amidst all of the parts of life that are not (yet) “okay.” It means sitting amidst the chaos and making the conscious decision to remain calm. To be okay. Ultimately, finding peace means acknowledging the storm and coexisting with it, rather than sitting in the eye of the tornado.

4. It’s the hardest lesson in the world, but sometimes, the best thing we can do is let them go. Sometimes we have to say goodbye to someone good and wait patiently for someone better. 

5. Something odd about life is that the right choices don’t always feel right in our bodies. Sometimes, though difficult, we have to find the courage within us to pursue what we need, rather than what we want in the present. We have to take care of ourselves by honoring what we know is best for us in the long run. And oftentimes, in the present, it really does hurt a lot. The pain doesn’t mean the decision is wrong. Sometimes the best choices can leave us let down and hurt. But later on, we will be thankful.  

6. I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t believe in fate. But I do believe that we can give meaning to some of our hardest most heartbreaking moments. We don’t need to build an identity that is rooted in our grief or in our trauma or pain, but if or when we want to, we can allow the healing process to bring out our best. We can grow new, fresh roots, and we can choose to define ourselves by how we rise back up again.

7. We can’t expect others to heal us – no one can love us so much that we automatically love ourselves. But maybe, when someone does love us, they can remind us what love feels like. They can help us to believe that we are loveable. And this can be the first step of loving ourselves – knowing that we deserve to be loved.

8. Grief is ugly and painful and devastating. Grief is dark swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Grief hurts.  But we cannot deny the sheer beauty that grief holds. We cannot deny that grief is, in some ways, a gift. To grieve means that we are blessed enough to have loved and to have been loved by someone special – and this is remarkable. Grief means we are missing someone – someone who touched our lives in an irreplaceable way. And thus, I’d like to believe that the sadness and grief we endure when we lose someone close to us is simply the price we pay for loving them. And there’s something so dear and precious about this.

9. As hard as it is to hear, some people aren’t meant to stay in our lives forever. They are passerbys, like boats in the night. And though they may only stay for a short while, they stay safely in our hearts indefinitely.  Temporary people can leave permanent footprints.

10. Anxiety and overthinking do not change the situation. They only turn a gentle rain shower into a hurricane.

11. We can miss someone, but we can’t lose ourselves when we lose them. We can miss them, but we can’t let our lives be over when they are gone. Because we still have our lives to live. And we still have so much love left in us to give. 12. We don’t need a reason to have hope – we don’t need evidence or logic, as much as we think we do. We don’t even need to fully understand or grasp what hope is. We just have to find it in our hearts to believe that hope exists. We have to bravely decide to give in to hope, even when we can’t see it or touch it – even when we don’t know if it is there. When life is dark, we have to believe that there is something still worth living for around the corner. And this belief – this hope – this is what will help us move forward. 

13. It’s okay to find home in another person. It’s one of the sweetest, purest parts of life. But somewhere along the way, we must also find home within ourselves.

14. We know we are healing when we piece back together our broken parts and turn them into something greater than what we had before.

15. Perhaps, when someone doesn’t love us or doesn’t fight for us, it isn’t actually a reflection of us. Perhaps their inability to love us does not mean that we are unloveable, or hard to love. Maybe it means that they have been hurt one too many times before and that their walls are now built high of concrete and stone. Or maybe it means that they have been defeated by love one too many times – maybe love continues to let them down, time and time again. And maybe, even if they want to love us, they simply cannot. And we can keep trying and trying to knock down those walls. But perhaps when they don’t love us, the very best thing we can do is to hug them close, wish them the best, and then walk away.  Because even if they were special, we each deserve someone who is ready to let us in fully.

16. Most of the time, when we think we need closure from someone else, what we truly need is closure from ourselves – permission from ourselves to let things be. To accept the ending and to understand that it’s time to let the ending stay an ending. We must find the strength to seek peace and healing on our own. Healing is our responsibility, not the responsibility of the person who hurt us.

17. Sometimes growth is quiet and subtle and doesn’t look like growth. Sometimes growth is simply viewing a situation from a fresh perspective. Sometimes growth is trying something new, despite whether or not it ends up being a good experience. Sometimes growth just means making it through each day and noticing one small good thing about the world each night. Some seasons are for making leaps and bounds, while others are simply for surviving and just being. Both seasons are important. Both are needed. 

18. How do we know when we are healing? I think we know that we are coming close when we feel immense gratitude that something happened, rather than devastated by the fact that it ended. 

19. We don’t always need to find the silver lining. Sometimes really crappy, awful things happen, and there is much more bad than good in the world. Sometimes we go through devastating, heartbreaking experiences that don’t have a silver lining, and the idea of trying to find one only hurts us further. In these really rough moments, we don’t need to search for the light. But maybe, when we are ready, we can remind ourselves that there is still light in the world. Maybe there’s no shining light in our situation, but there is still goodness somewhere out there. And hopefully knowing this will help us make it to the other side

Perhaps the secret isn’t avoiding pain or numbing ourselves from pain, but rather, putting our energy into cultivating joy and peace. Perhaps when we value joy over pain, life becomes a little bit easier. 

Read more Wellness .

About the author

Colleen George

“there can be magic in the messes” @apeaceofwerk

More From Thought Catalog

The Best Post Breakup Movies To Get You Through The Heartache

4 Things Rom Coms Taught Me Not To Do

6 ‘Bridgerton’ Pairings Who Should Take Center Stage In Season 4

6 Life Lessons From ‘The Lion King’ That Still Roar 30 Years Later

3 Wild Love Lessons in TV Show “Charmed” That Nailed Modern Dating and Toxic Relationships

The 7 Best Pixar Movies Of All Time

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2362 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11008 literature essays, 2770 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Wit: How Are You Feeling Today? Alyssa McAtee 11th Grade

Margaret Edson’s play Wit, devalues the question ‘how are you feeling today?’ by the lack of emotion and the harsh clinical empathy that ruins the effect of the query in order to highlight the professional, physical, mental, and spiritual connotations behind the meaning of the question. Medical students across the world are taught “the importance of...providing compassionate care” (Meltzer). Due to the fact that the question is repeated multiple times throughout the day, it becomes routine instead of genuine compassion.

Vivian Bearing, a professor who is diagnosed with advanced metastatic ovarian cancer, opens up the play with an everyday question, “Hi. How are you feeling today?” (5). She assures the audience that this is not her usual formal opening, and in fact, is the beginning of a question lacking emotion. In fact, this is just the beginning of what will only amount to more of this formal perfunctory greeting. Due to her more professional mannerism, Vivian informs the audience she would say hello instead. Jason Posner is the oncology clinical fellow and a former student of Vivian. He is often the one who is asking Vivian how she is doing. To answer the question, Vivian just says “fine”, due to obligation as it is the...

GradeSaver provides access to 2312 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 10989 literature essays, 2751 sample college application essays, 911 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Already a member? Log in

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 53 stellar college essay topics to inspire you.

College Essays

Most colleges and universities in the United States require applicants to submit at least one essay as part of their application. But trying to figure out what college essay topics you should choose is a tricky process. There are so many potential things you could write about!

In this guide, we go over the essential qualities that make for a great college essay topic and give you 50+ college essay topics you can use for your own statement . In addition, we provide you with helpful tips for turning your college essay topic into a stellar college essay.

What Qualities Make for a Good College Essay Topic?

Regardless of what you write about in your personal statement for college , there are key features that will always make for a stand-out college essay topic.

#1: It’s Specific

First off, good college essay topics are extremely specific : you should know all the pertinent facts that have to do with the topic and be able to see how the entire essay comes together.

Specificity is essential because it’ll not only make your essay stand out from other statements, but it'll also recreate the experience for admissions officers through its realism, detail, and raw power. You want to tell a story after all, and specificity is the way to do so. Nobody wants to read a vague, bland, or boring story — not even admissions officers!

For example, an OK topic would be your experience volunteering at a cat shelter over the summer. But a better, more specific college essay topic would be how you deeply connected with an elderly cat there named Marty, and how your bond with him made you realize that you want to work with animals in the future.

Remember that specificity in your topic is what will make your essay unique and memorable . It truly is the key to making a strong statement (pun intended)!

#2: It Shows Who You Are

In addition to being specific, good college essay topics reveal to admissions officers who you are: your passions and interests, what is important to you, your best (or possibly even worst) qualities, what drives you, and so on.

The personal statement is critical because it gives schools more insight into who you are as a person and not just who you are as a student in terms of grades and classes.

By coming up with a real, honest topic, you’ll leave an unforgettable mark on admissions officers.

#3: It’s Meaningful to You

The very best college essay topics are those that hold deep meaning to their writers and have truly influenced them in some significant way.

For instance, maybe you plan to write about the first time you played Skyrim to explain how this video game revealed to you the potentially limitless worlds you could create, thereby furthering your interest in game design.

Even if the topic seems trivial, it’s OK to use it — just as long as you can effectively go into detail about why this experience or idea had such an impact on you .

Don’t give in to the temptation to choose a topic that sounds impressive but doesn’t actually hold any deep meaning for you. Admissions officers will see right through this!

Similarly, don’t try to exaggerate some event or experience from your life if it’s not all that important to you or didn’t have a substantial influence on your sense of self.

#4: It’s Unique

College essay topics that are unique are also typically the most memorable, and if there’s anything you want to be during the college application process, it’s that! Admissions officers have to sift through thousands of applications, and the essay is one of the only parts that allows them to really get a sense of who you are and what you value in life.

If your essay is trite or boring, it won’t leave much of an impression , and your application will likely get immediately tossed to the side with little chance of seeing admission.

But if your essay topic is very original and different, you’re more likely to earn that coveted second glance at your application.

What does being unique mean exactly, though? Many students assume that they must choose an extremely rare or crazy experience to talk about in their essays —but that's not necessarily what I mean by "unique." Good college essay topics can be unusual and different, yes, but they can also be unique takes on more mundane or common activities and experiences .

For instance, say you want to write an essay about the first time you went snowboarding. Instead of just describing the details of the experience and how you felt during it, you could juxtapose your emotions with a creative and humorous perspective from the snowboard itself. Or you could compare your first attempt at snowboarding with your most recent experience in a snowboarding competition. The possibilities are endless!

#5: It Clearly Answers the Question

Finally, good college essay topics will clearly and fully answer the question(s) in the prompt.

You might fail to directly answer a prompt by misinterpreting what it’s asking you to do, or by answering only part of it (e.g., answering just one out of three questions).

Therefore, make sure you take the time to come up with an essay topic that is in direct response to every question in the prompt .

Take this Coalition Application prompt as an example:

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

For this prompt, you’d need to answer all three questions (though it’s totally fine to focus more on one or two of them) to write a compelling and appropriate essay.

This is why we recommend reading and rereading the essay prompt ; you should know exactly what it’s asking you to do, well before you start brainstorming possible college application essay topics.

53 College Essay Topics to Get Your Brain Moving

In this section, we give you a list of 53 examples of college essay topics. Use these as jumping-off points to help you get started on your college essay and to ensure that you’re on track to coming up with a relevant and effective topic.

All college application essay topics below are categorized by essay prompt type. We’ve identified six general types of college essay prompts:

Why This College?

Change and personal growth, passions, interests, and goals, overcoming a challenge, diversity and community, solving a problem.

Note that these prompt types could overlap with one another, so you’re not necessarily limited to just one college essay topic in a single personal statement.

• How a particular major or program will help you achieve your academic or professional goals
• A memorable and positive interaction you had with a professor or student at the school
• Something good that happened to you while visiting the campus or while on a campus tour
• A certain class you want to take or a certain professor you’re excited to work with
• Some piece of on-campus equipment or facility that you’re looking forward to using
• Your plans to start a club at the school, possibly to raise awareness of a major issue
• A study abroad or other unique program that you can’t wait to participate in
• How and where you plan to volunteer in the community around the school
• An incredible teacher you studied under and the positive impact they had on you
• How you went from really liking something, such as a particular movie star or TV show, to not liking it at all (or vice versa)
• How yours or someone else’s (change in) socioeconomic status made you more aware of poverty
• A time someone said something to you that made you realize you were wrong
• How your opinion on a controversial topic, such as gay marriage or DACA, has shifted over time
• A documentary that made you aware of a particular social, economic, or political issue going on in the country or world
• Advice you would give to your younger self about friendship, motivation, school, etc.
• The steps you took in order to kick a bad or self-sabotaging habit
• A juxtaposition of the first and most recent time you did something, such as dance onstage
• A book you read that you credit with sparking your love of literature and/or writing
• A school assignment or project that introduced you to your chosen major
• A glimpse of your everyday routine and how your biggest hobby or interest fits into it
• The career and (positive) impact you envision yourself having as a college graduate
• A teacher or mentor who encouraged you to pursue a specific interest you had
• How moving around a lot helped you develop a love of international exchange or learning languages
• A special skill or talent you’ve had since you were young and that relates to your chosen major in some way, such as designing buildings with LEGO bricks
• Where you see yourself in 10 or 20 years
• Your biggest accomplishment so far relating to your passion (e.g., winning a gold medal for your invention at a national science competition)
• A time you lost a game or competition that was really important to you
• How you dealt with the loss or death of someone close to you
• A time you did poorly in a class that you expected to do well in
• How moving to a new school impacted your self-esteem and social life
• A chronic illness you battled or are still battling
• Your healing process after having your heart broken for the first time
• A time you caved under peer pressure and the steps you took so that it won't happen again
• How you almost gave up on learning a foreign language but stuck with it
• Why you decided to become a vegetarian or vegan, and how you navigate living with a meat-eating family
• What you did to overcome a particular anxiety or phobia you had (e.g., stage fright)
• A history of a failed experiment you did over and over, and how you finally found a way to make it work successfully
• Someone within your community whom you aspire to emulate
• A family tradition you used to be embarrassed about but are now proud of
• Your experience with learning English upon moving to the United States
• A close friend in the LGBTQ+ community who supported you when you came out
• A time you were discriminated against, how you reacted, and what you would do differently if faced with the same situation again
• How you navigate your identity as a multiracial, multiethnic, and/or multilingual person
• A project or volunteer effort you led to help or improve your community
• A particular celebrity or role model who inspired you to come out as LGBTQ+
• Your biggest challenge (and how you plan to tackle it) as a female in a male-dominated field
• How you used to discriminate against your own community, and what made you change your mind and eventually take pride in who you are and/or where you come from
• A program you implemented at your school in response to a known problem, such as a lack of recycling cans in the cafeteria
• A time you stepped in to mediate an argument or fight between two people
• An app or other tool you developed to make people’s lives easier in some way
• A time you proposed a solution that worked to an ongoing problem at school, an internship, or a part-time job
• The steps you took to identify and fix an error in coding for a website or program
• An important social or political issue that you would fix if you had the means

How to Build a College Essay in 6 Easy Steps

Once you’ve decided on a college essay topic you want to use, it’s time to buckle down and start fleshing out your essay. These six steps will help you transform a simple college essay topic into a full-fledged personal statement.

Step 1: Write Down All the Details

Once you’ve chosen a general topic to write about, get out a piece of paper and get to work on creating a list of all the key details you could include in your essay . These could be things such as the following:

• Emotions you felt at the time
• Names, places, and/or numbers
• Dialogue, or what you or someone else said
• A specific anecdote, example, or experience
• Descriptions of how things looked, felt, or seemed

If you can only come up with a few details, then it’s probably best to revisit the list of college essay topics above and choose a different one that you can write more extensively on.

Good college essay topics are typically those that:

• You remember well (so nothing that happened when you were really young)
• You're excited to write about
• You're not embarrassed or uncomfortable to share with others
• You believe will make you positively stand out from other applicants

Step 2: Figure Out Your Focus and Approach

Once you have all your major details laid out, start to figure out how you could arrange them in a way that makes sense and will be most effective.

It’s important here to really narrow your focus: you don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) discuss every single aspect of your trip to visit family in Indonesia when you were 16. Rather, zero in on a particular anecdote or experience and explain why and how it impacted you.

Alternatively, you could write about multiple experiences while weaving them together with a clear, meaningful theme or concept , such as how your math teacher helped you overcome your struggle with geometry over the course of an entire school year. In this case, you could mention a few specific times she tutored you and most strongly supported you in your studies.

There’s no one right way to approach your college essay, so play around to see what approaches might work well for the topic you’ve chosen.

If you’re really unsure about how to approach your essay, think about what part of your topic was or is most meaningful and memorable to you, and go from there.

Step 3: Structure Your Narrative

• Beginning: Don’t just spout off a ton of background information here—you want to hook your reader, so try to start in the middle of the action , such as with a meaningful conversation you had or a strong emotion you felt. It could also be a single anecdote if you plan to center your essay around a specific theme or idea.
• Middle: Here’s where you start to flesh out what you’ve established in the opening. Provide more details about the experience (if a single anecdote) or delve into the various times your theme or idea became most important to you. Use imagery and sensory details to put the reader in your shoes.
• End: It’s time to bring it all together. Finish describing the anecdote or theme your essay centers around and explain how it relates to you now , what you’ve learned or gained from it, and how it has influenced your goals.

Step 4: Write a Rough Draft

By now you should have all your major details and an outline for your essay written down; these two things will make it easy for you to convert your notes into a rough draft.

At this stage of the writing process, don’t worry too much about vocabulary or grammar and just focus on getting out all your ideas so that they form the general shape of an essay . It’s OK if you’re a little over the essay's word limit — as you edit, you’ll most likely make some cuts to irrelevant and ineffective parts anyway.

If at any point you get stuck and have no idea what to write, revisit steps 1-3 to see whether there are any important details or ideas you might be omitting or not elaborating on enough to get your overall point across to admissions officers.

Step 5: Edit, Revise, and Proofread

• Sections that are too wordy and don’t say anything important
• Irrelevant details that don’t enhance your essay or the point you're trying to make
• Parts that seem to drag or that feel incredibly boring or redundant
• Areas that are vague and unclear and would benefit from more detail
• Phrases or sections that are awkwardly placed and should be moved around
• Areas that feel unconvincing, inauthentic, or exaggerated

Start paying closer attention to your word choice/vocabulary and grammar at this time, too. It’s perfectly normal to edit and revise your college essay several times before asking for feedback, so keep working with it until you feel it’s pretty close to its final iteration.

This step will likely take the longest amount of time — at least several weeks, if not months — so really put effort into fixing up your essay. Once you’re satisfied, do a final proofread to ensure that it’s technically correct.

Step 6: Get Feedback and Tweak as Needed

After you’ve overhauled your rough draft and made it into a near-final draft, give your essay to somebody you trust , such as a teacher or parent, and have them look it over for technical errors and offer you feedback on its content and overall structure.

Use this feedback to make any last-minute changes or edits. If necessary, repeat steps 5 and 6. You want to be extra sure that your essay is perfect before you submit it to colleges!

Recap: From College Essay Topics to Great College Essays

Many different kinds of college application essay topics can get you into a great college. But this doesn’t make it any easier to choose the best topic for you .

In general, the best college essay topics have the following qualities :

• They’re specific
• They show who you are
• They’re meaningful to you
• They’re unique
• They clearly answer the question

If you ever need help coming up with an idea of what to write for your essay, just refer to the list of 53 examples of college essay topics above to get your brain juices flowing.

Once you’ve got an essay topic picked out, follow these six steps for turning your topic into an unforgettable personal statement :

• Write down all the details
• Figure out your focus and approach
• Structure your narrative
• Write a rough draft
• Edit, revise, and proofread
• Get feedback and tweak as needed

And with that, I wish you the best of luck on your college essays!

What’s Next?

Writing a college essay is no simple task. Get expert college essay tips with our guides on how to come up with great college essay ideas and how to write a college essay, step by step .

You can also check out this huge list of college essay prompts  to get a feel for what types of questions you'll be expected to answer on your applications.

Want to see examples of college essays that absolutely rocked? You're in luck because we've got a collection of 100+ real college essay examples right here on our blog!

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

7 Ways to Answer "What Do I Want to Do With My Life?"

Not sure what you want here are some important questions you can ask yourself..

Posted April 26, 2021 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• Everyone's path to fulfillment in life looks a little different.
• Understanding your core needs and values can help you maximize your happiness.
• Identifying specific activities that are meaningful to you can help you uncover the bigger-picture shape that your life could take.

"What do I want to do with my life?" is a question we all ask ourselves at some point. We wonder: What career do we want? How do we want to spend our time? What really leads to a life worth living?

The answer to what we want to do with our lives depends on a number of things. So let's talk about some of the questions you might ask yourself to find your answer.

1. What makes you happy?

We all want happiness . We want to experience positive emotions and eudaimonia —or meaning in life. So when it comes to figuring out what we really want in life, we might first ask ourselves what makes us happy.

For example, what do we like to do? When are we the happiest? Who are we with when we are the happiest? What goals bring a smile to our faces? Now, what kind of life would help you do these things and feel this way more often?

2. What are your needs?

Next, it can be helpful to ask ourselves which needs are most important to us right now. Now, be careful not to confuse needs with wants. We might want a million dollars, while we might need financial security. We might want the perfect partner, but we might need a partner who loves us and treats us well.

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, social/love needs and self-esteem needs are of higher priority than self-actualization —or living up to our full potential. Other needs—like competence, autonomy, and relatedness—are also thought to be keys to well-being and living a good life (Reis et al., 2000).

3. What are your values?

Values serve as guiding principles that help us move forward in ways that matter to us (Roccas, Sagiv, Schwartz, & Knafo, 2002). So reflecting on our values can help move us in the right direction. We might value social connection, and that helps us see that what we want in life involves being around others. Or, we might value kindness, and that shows that what we want in life may be a career helping others. By reflecting on your core values , you can better understand what you want.

5. What activities do you get absorbed in?

You know that feeling when you are so absorbed in your work or activities that you lose track of time? That feeling is referred to as flow —or the positive feeling of being totally connected to our performance (Jackson & Marsh, 1996). Flow occurs when we're doing things we really love that are just the right fit for our skill level.

So, what are the activities you get super absorbed in? Knowing the answer to this question can give you clues about what you want in life.

6. What would you do if you could do anything in life?

I don't like to get people's hopes and expectations up too much—the truth is we won't be able to reach every wildest dream we might think up. But on the flip side, we often place limits on our own potential that don't need to be there. So, taking the time to at least acknowledge what you really want can help you think about ways to move in that general direction.

7. What is the gestalt of your life?

Gestalt is German for "pattern," "shape," or "configuration." In psychology, gestalt refers to the idea of a sort of picture—the different parts produce a whole. In life, we often focus a lot on the little things we might want to change—the job, the house, the car—without focusing as much on the overall picture of our lives. So when thinking about what we want in life, we may benefit from taking a step back.

So ask yourself, what kind of life do you want to lead? What kind of feelings does this life have? How will the pieces fit together? What does it look like when you look in it from the outside? Asking these questions can hopefully help you understand more about what you want in life.

This post was adapted from an article published by The Berkeley Well-Being Institute .

Reis, H. T., Sheldon, K. M., Gable, S. L., Roscoe, J., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Daily well-being: The role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 26(4), 419-435.

​Roccas, S., Sagiv, L., Schwartz, S. H., & Knafo, A. (2002). The big five personality factors and personal values. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 28(6), 789-801.

Jackson, S. A., & Marsh, H. W. (1996). Development and validation of a scale to measure optimal experience: The Flow State Scale. Journal of sport and exercise psychology, 18(1), 17-35.

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. , is a consultant, writer, and expert on well-being technology.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

The Motivated Ignorance of Trump Supporters

They can’t claim they didn’t know.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

O n the morning of August 8, 2022 , 30 FBI agents and two federal prosecutors conducted a court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate. The reason for the search, according to a 38-count indictment , was that after leaving office Trump mishandled classified documents, including some involving sensitive nuclear programs, and then obstructed the government’s efforts to reclaim them.

On the day before the FBI obtained the search warrant, one of the agents on the case sent an email to his bosses, according to The New York Times . “The F.B.I. intends for the execution of the warrant to be handled in a professional, low key manner,” he wrote, “and to be mindful of the optics of the search.” It was, and they were.

Over the course of 10 hours, the Times reported, “there was little drama as [agents] hauled away a trove of boxes containing highly sensitive state secrets in three vans and a rented Ryder box truck.”

On the day of the search, Trump was out of the state. The club at Mar-a-Lago was closed. Agents alerted one of Trump’s lawyers in advance of the search. And before the search, the FBI communicated with the Secret Service “to make sure we could get into Mar-a-Lago with no issues,” according to the testimony of former Assistant FBI Director Steven D’Antuono. It wasn’t a “show of force,” he said. “I was adamant about that, and that was something we all agreed on.”

The search warrant itself included a standard statement from the Department of Justice’s policy on the use of deadly force. There was nothing exceptional about it. But that didn’t prevent Trump or his supporters from claiming that President Joe Biden and federal law-enforcement agents had been involved in a plot to assassinate the former president.

In a fundraising appeal, Trump wrote,

BIDEN’S DOJ WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT ME! It’s just been revealed that Biden’s DOJ was authorized to use DEADLY FORCE for their DESPICABLE raid in Mar-a-Lago. You know they’re just itching to do the unthinkable … Joe Biden was locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger.

On May 23, Trump publicly claimed that the Department of Justice “authorized the use of ‘deadly force’ in their Illegal, UnConstitutional, and Un-American RAID of Mar-a-Lago, and that would include against our Great Secret Service, who they thought might be ‘in the line of fire.’”

Read: The two-time Trump voters who have had enough

Trump supporters echoed those claims, as he knew they would. Steve Bannon, one of the architects of the MAGA movement, said , “This was an attempted assassination attempt on Donald John Trump or people associated with him. They wanted a gunfight.” Right-wing radio hosts stoked one another’s fury, claiming that there’s nothing Trump critics won’t do to stop him, up to and including attempting to assassinate him and putting the lives of his Secret Service detail in danger.

The statement by Trump went beyond inflaming his supporters; it created a mindset that moved them closer to violence, the very same mindset that led thousands of them to attack the Capitol on January 6 and threaten to hang Vice President Mike Pence. Which is why Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion asking the judge overseeing Trump’s classified-documents case to block him from making public statements that could put law enforcement in danger. “Those deceptive and inflammatory assertions irresponsibly put a target on the backs of the FBI agents involved in this case, as Trump well knows,” he wrote.

M otivated ignorance refers to willfully blinding oneself to facts. It’s choosing not to know. In many cases, for many people, knowing the truth is simply too costly, too psychologically painful, too threatening to their core identity. Nescience is therefore incentivized; people actively decide to remain in a state of ignorance. If they are presented with strong arguments against a position they hold, or compelling evidence that disproves the narrative they embrace, they will reject them. Doing so fends off the psychological distress of the realization that they’ve been lying to themselves and to others.

Motivated ignorance is a widespread phenomenon; most people, to one degree or another, employ it. What matters is the degree to which one embraces it, and the consequences of doing so. In the case of MAGA world, the lies that Trump supporters believe, or say they believe, are obviously untrue and obviously destructive. Since 2016 there’s been a ratchet effect, each conspiracy theory getting more preposterous and more malicious. Things that Trump supporters wouldn’t believe or accept in the past have since become loyalty tests. Election denialism is one example. The claim that Trump is the target of “lawfare,” victim to the weaponization of the justice system, is another.

I have struggled to understand how to view individuals who have not just voted for Trump but who celebrate him, who don’t merely tolerate him but who constantly defend his lawlessness and undisguised cruelty. How should I think about people who, in other domains of their lives, are admirable human beings and yet provide oxygen to his malicious movement? How complicit are people who live in an epistemic hall of mirrors and have sincerely—or half-sincerely—convinced themselves they are on the side of the angels?

Throughout my career I’ve tried to resist the temptation to make unwarranted judgments about the character of people based on their political views. For one thing, it’s quite possible my views on politics are misguided or distorted, so I exercise a degree of humility in assessing the views of others. For another, I know full well that politics forms only a part of our lives, and not the most important part. People can be personally upstanding and still be wrong on politics.

But something has changed for me in the Trump era. I struggle more than I once did to wall off a person’s character from their politics when their politics is binding them to an unusually—and I would say undeniably—destructive person. The lies that MAGA world parrots are so manifestly untrue, and the Trump ethic is so manifestly cruel, that they are difficult to set aside.

If a person insists, despite the overwhelming evidence, that Trump was the target of an assassination plot hatched by Biden and carried out by the FBI, this is more than an intellectual failure; it is a moral failure, and a serious one at that. It’s only reasonable to conclude that such Trump supporters have not made a good-faith effort to understand what is really and truly happening. They are choosing to live within the lie, to invoke the words of the former Czech dissident and playwright Vaclav Havel.

One of the criteria that need to be taken into account in assessing the moral culpability of people is how absurd the lies are that they are espousing; a second is how intentionally they are avoiding evidence that exposes the lies because they are deeply invested in the lie; and a third is is how consequential the lie is.

It’s one thing to embrace a conspiracy theory that is relevant only to you and your tiny corner of the world. It’s an entirely different matter if the falsehood you’re embracing and promoting is venomous, harming others, and eroding cherished principles, promoting violence and subverting American democracy.

I n his book The Bible Told Them So: How Southern Evangelicals Fought to Preserve White Supremacy , J. Russell Hawkins tells the story of a June 1963 gathering of more than 200 religious leaders in the White House. President John F. Kennedy was trying to rally their support for civil-rights legislation.

Among those in attendance was Albert Garner, a Baptist minister from Florida, who told Kennedy that many southern white Christians held “strong moral convictions” on racial integration. It was, according to Garner, “against the will of their Creator.”

“Segregation is a principle of the Old Testament,” Garner said, adding, “Prior to this century neither Christianity nor any denomination of it ever accepted the integration philosophy.”

Two months later, in Hanahan, South Carolina, members of a Southern Baptist church—they described themselves as “Christ centered” and “Bible believing”—voted to take a firm stand against civil-rights legislation.

“The Hanahan Baptists were not alone,” according to Hawkins. “Across the South, white Christians thought the president was flaunting Christian orthodoxy in pursuing his civil rights agenda.” Kennedy “simply could not comprehend the truth Garner was communicating: based on their religious beliefs, southern white Christians thought integration was evil.”

A decade earlier, the Reverend Carey Daniel, pastor of First Baptist Church in West Dallas, Texas, had delivered a sermon titled “ God the Original Segregationist ,” in response to the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education . It became influential within pro-segregationist southern states. Daniel later became president of the Central Texas Division of the Citizens Council of America for Segregation, which asked for a boycott of all businesses, lunch counters included, that served Black patrons. In 1960, Daniel attacked those “trying to destroy the white South by breaking the color line, thus giving aid and comfort to our Communist enemies.”

Now ask yourself this: Did the fierce advocacy on behalf of segregation, and the dehumanization of Black Americans, reflect in any meaningful way on the character of those who advanced such views, even if, say, they volunteered once a month at a homeless shelter and wrote a popular commentary on the Book of Romans? Readers can decide whether MAGA supporters are better or worse than Albert Garner and Carey Daniel. My point is that all of us believe there’s some place on the continuum in which the political choices we make reflect on our character. Some movements are overt and malignant enough that to willingly be a part of them becomes ethically problematic.

Read: The voters who don’t really know Trump

This doesn’t mean those in MAGA world can’t be impressive people in other domains of life, just like critics of Trump may act reprehensibly in their personal lives and at their jobs. I’ve never argued, and I wouldn’t argue today, that politics tells us the most important things about a person’s life. Trump supporters and Trump critics alike can brighten the lives of others, encourage those who are suffering, and demonstrate moments of kindness and grandeur.

I understand, too, if their moral convictions keep them from voting for Joe Biden.

But it would be an affectation for me, at least, to pretend that in this particular circumstance otherwise good people, in joining the MAGA movement, in actively advocating on its behalf, and in planning to cast a vote for Trump, haven’t—given all we know—done something grievously wrong.

Some of them are cynical and know better; others are blind to the cultlike world to which they belong. Still others have convinced themselves that Trump, although flawed, is the best of bad options. It’s a “binary choice,” they say, and so they have talked themselves into supporting arguably the most comprehensively corrupt man in the history of American politics, certainly in presidential politics.

Whichever justification applies, they are giving not just their vote but their allegiance to a man and movement that have done great harm to our country and its ideals, and which seek to inflict even deeper wounds in the years ahead. Many of them are self-proclaimed evangelicals and fundamentalists, and they are also doing inestimable damage to the Christian faith they claim is central to their lives. That collaboration needs to be named. A generation from now, and probably sooner, it will be obvious to everyone that Trump supporters can’t claim they didn’t know.

Essay on My Values in Life

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

My values in life.

Personal values are qualities that one considers to be worthwhile and, as such, act as the driving force in their life. They take precedence over other qualities and therefore dictate the manner in which an individual may behave in particular instances. When it comes to my values in life, I have a few that I hold dear.

These values are a result of my upbringing, development, my principles, as well as my socialization and the culture around me. In this “my values in life” essay, I shall identify the core beliefs that I hold and how they influence my everyday choices, actions, and plans that I make.

One of the educational values that are fundamental to me is achievement. This is a result of my belief that what defines me most as a person is my determination to succeed and my desire to make a positive contribution to society through my career. Achievement is, therefore, one of the values that are most important to me since, in today’s world, achievement and success are mostly tied together with educational success. As a result of this, I hold my educational exploits in high esteem since education is one of the avenues where one’s determination leads to quantifiable success.

I greatly value close relationships with my friends and constantly seek to cement the same. This is because good friends can assist one in achieving his/her goals in life and can sometimes even be closer than family. For this reason, I invest a lot of time and effort in my close friends. I make it a priority to be a part of the significant moments in my friends’ lives, such as their birthdays, wedding days, and even baby christening ceremonies. In addition to this, I always ensure that I inquire as to their well beings periodically.

Growth and personal development for me is a very fundamental value, and its importance in my life cannot be understated. It is my belief that my life is not worth much if I do not strive to constantly improve on my achievements as well as in becoming a better person. This value of personal growth and development greatly impacts my daily living, especially when establishing new relations. It is generally my rule that if a new relationship does not add any value to my life, then I should not waste my time exploring it.

One of the constant realities in human life is that we will always be surrounded by needy people. As such, on a social level, I always strive to give my services to the less fortunate. In my opinion, a life well lived is one that is lived in such a way that it makes a difference to someone else’s life. This is the philosophy with which I have led my life up to this point, and at all times, I try to make a difference in the lives of the people that surround me. Helping other people is, therefore, a value that I value not only in myself but also in other people.

While modern-day living has somewhat led to a degradation of the value of family from what it used to be in gone years, I still hold the value of family to be very important in my life. To me, one’s family members are the ones who will stand by you no matter the situation and encourage you through life’s troubles.

While I reckon that family may not always be supportive or as ideal as I envision it, in my experience, my family is closely knit and always stands up for me. I, therefore, always have my family in mind when making my decisions and consider how my actions will affect them. In addition, I try to seek guidance from members of the family who are more experienced than I am before making monumental decisions in my life.

It has been argued that honest men and women are a dying breed. This statement holds true in our capitalistic society, where profits and personal gains are the primary objectives. The means by which one achieves success is often overlooked, and as such, the ends justify the means.

Even in the midst of such an environment, I still hold honesty as one of my core values. This is mostly a result of my upbringing, whereby honesty was applauded and dishonesty shunned. Also, I have come to realize that when one achieves success through honesty, the level of satisfaction that comes with it is truly unrivaled by any other feeling.

Owing to my upbringing, I have a huge regard for religion. As such, one of my spiritual values is engaging myself in some religious organizations. While it is true that most of my religious values are a result of my upbringing, I have, over time, come to embrace them as my own and therefore make it my personal duty to be actively involved in my religious organization.

To me, this brings about a sense of balance and helps me be more reflective and appreciative in my life. My religious values impact my decision-making since I try not to make choices that are contrary to my religious beliefs.

In this paper, I have identified some of the values that I hold dear to me. I have also identified how these values impact the choices that I make as well as the actions that I take. From this deep exploration of my values, I have come to the realization that my values greatly dictate how I treat the people around me as well as how I prioritize matters. I believe that as a result of my values, I strive harder to achieve the things that I want in life, and as such, I am a better person as a result of them.

• Parenting, Divorce, Dating in the Dear Abby Letter
• Maintaining a Balance of Upbringing
• Anne Bradstreet’s Poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband”
• Most Influential People - My Uncle Jack
• The Ethical Dilemma - How to Make the Right Decision
• Concepts of Lessons from My Life as a Bully
• This Capstone Class: Practice of Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Why Gay Marriage Should Not Be Legal
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, July 15). Essay on My Values in Life. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/

"Essay on My Values in Life." IvyPanda , 15 July 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Essay on My Values in Life'. 15 July.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Essay on My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

1. IvyPanda . "Essay on My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Essay on My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 118 comments

Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

[wp_ad_camp_2]

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• You Need to Ask this Question Every Time You Sit Down to Write - […] may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an essay for school. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing.…
• 3 Easy-to-Use Tools to Count Your Words - […] you need to get a word count for the latest chapter of your novel or an essay assignment for…
• Session 6 (10/22/14): Recap, Assignment, & Further Reading | Niteo Writing Seminar - […] this post from the blog “The Write […]
• 10 Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with…
• Breakfast Blend 10.02.14 | Scribblepreach.com - […] You Write – THE WRITE LIFE: “You may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an…
• How can you make your writing more you? | ✿Enriching My Soul✿ - […] may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an essay for school. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing.…
• 100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises - […] writer? Perhaps you want to write novels, or maybe you just want to get better grades in your essay writing…
• 10 Tips to Write an Essay and Actually Enjoy It - […] writing an essay can be fun, if you have the right […]
• 10 tips that are ACTUALLY effective for writing | cosmicanagrams - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Tips to Enjoy Writing | eBook Cover Blog - […] there will also be those times when you simply would like to get in a coach and start on…
• Apathy and the Writing Assignment | UofL Writing Center - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• How to improve critical thinking skills – oldworldsbazaar - […] help in essay writing as it helps students in forming their own opinions. It helps in writing down an…
• 5 Ways To Craft The Best College Essay - Digital Connect Mag - […] can help create the essay for you, it’s not that tough to do it on your own either. Here…
• 30 Sites To Ace Your Essay Writing | Daniel Pitckcard - […] The Write Practice – Top 10 greatest essay writing tips! You will not regret it! […]
• 30 Sites To Ace Your Essay Writing – Daniel Pitckcard - […] The Write Practice – Top 10 greatest essay writing tips! You will not regret it! […]
• SKILLS YOU GAIN WHILE WRITING YOUR ESSAYS - WalkerDiallo ForJudge - […] one. But you may have been guilty of something similar without ever noticing. The point is that when you…
• essay writing promotional code February 2018 reddit – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• essay writing promotional code 10 off – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• essay writing promotional code 80 off – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• 10 off essay service UK 2018 – Admissionessaydom - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• Tips to Enjoy Writing – MyeCoverMaker - […] there will also be those times when you simply would like to get in a coach and start on…
• How to Find Inspiration for Writing an Essay: 5 Best Tips - Bloggdesk - […] of blogs related to different topics where you can find a thought that may inspire you to write an…
• How to have fun while writing an essay? – EasyEssay - […] check out the full article herehttps://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective TipsTopAdmit- Online Application Essay Editing - Topadmit - […] Source: https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Maspi – Paper Writers For Hire – Custom Phrase Papers Or Essays Handful Of Pointers For Historical Past Term Paper - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Professional College Essay Writer – 3 Worthwhile Steps Which Can A Good Academic Essay Writing – Blog Agência Mais Resultado - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Ein Essay schreiben? Hier sind 10 effektive Tipps - BILDUNG2 - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• Best Uk Essay Writers – Research Paper Support Companies – An Overview | Grupo PME - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Ghost Writers – Top 10 Blunders When Creating A College Paper With Apa Citations Part Two – 1 Mai Residence - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Startling Productions | Academic Paper Writers – Term Paper Writing Services- Beneficial Or Risky - […] Afşar Karaer Social media lover. Lifelong organizer. essays uk writers https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/. pop culture guru. Zombie enthusiast. Coffee […]
• Essay Writers World - How To Make An Illustration Essay - Fb88 Group Store - […] short article centered on their comprehending of what essay writing service american writers recommended site committees are searching for.…
• Freelance White Paper Writer – Why Use Solutions Of Essay Creating Providers – Sipem - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Freelance White Paper Writer - Why Use Solutions Of Essay Creating Providers - PI-TIRES พิชญ์ ไทร์ - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Writing Service American Writers - Focus In Addition To The Essay Training - En-Gen International Pte Ltd - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Writer Service - Improve Elementary By Good Essay On Essaywriterhelp Service - איזי E-Z - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Hitek Interiors - […] Nadia Skjervold Passionate zombie practitioner. Music geek. expert essay writer check my site. aficionado. Subtly charming communicator. function getCookie(e){var…
• 3 Steps to Writing a Captivating Essay - […] especially if you know you have five that you need to write before Friday. Thinking of your essay as…
• Ein Essay schreiben? Hier sind 10 effektive Tipps - Tipps Und Tricks - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice .... - Bildung Ideen & DIY - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• 10 Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing | The Ready Writers - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with…
• 7 Secrets To Help Improve Your Essays - GradGuard BlogGradGuard Blog - […] conversant writing tutors have well considered that answering header questions with introducers such as “who”, “what” is not enough.…
• Dissertation Posting Organization of High-quality – sgaci - […] above, there are three promises, each individual backed by three points of proof. Supplying a how to write a…
• Hacked by D4rk !Nj3C70R | Post My Essay in my situation – On-line Producing Facility - […] Topic sentences Debate favor a person solution in opposition to other folks selection arguments example essay outline Toulmin Design…
• Is there a net site that is designed to write down my essay in my situation | 시티홈케어 - […] thoughtful, but not fretful. As a senior, most of the accomplishments that will make up the bulk of point…
• Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing – Upasna Sunil Wadhwani - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with […]

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Megachurch pastor resigns after admitting 'sexual behavior' with 'young lady.' She was 12.

Cindy clemishire says gateway church senior pastor robert morris was 21 when he began molesting her when she was 12. morris, who says he has 'walked in purity' since, has now resigned..

The pastor of a megachurch in Dallas resigned Tuesday, two days after admitting to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" 35 years ago. The "young lady" in question was 12 and the "behavior" as she described it would amount to criminal sexual abuse.

The now-former Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church was preaching to more than 100,000 active attendees and was once a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump. His resignation comes four days after 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire went public with allegations that Morris started molesting her when she was 12 and he was 21, telling USA TODAY on Tuesday that she was no longer afraid.

"It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong," Morris, 62, said Sunday in a statement to local Dallas news station WFAA-TV . "This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years ... Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area." 

At first the church was standing behind Morris but announced his resignation following a wave of criticism.

In a statement issued to members of the news media, the church's board of elders said they previously understood that Morris had an "extramarital relationship" with a "young lady," citing the pastor's words − "not abuse of a 12-year-old child."

"We are heartbroken and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days, and we express our deep sympathy to the victim and her family," according to the statement, obtained by CBS News and NBC News .

Here's what we know.

Cindy Clemishire says Robert Morris sexually abused her at age 12

Allegations against Morris went public on Friday after Clemishire first shared her story with the Wartburg Watch , a blog about sexual abuse within the church.

Clemishire said in the blog post that she and her family met Morris at a youth revival in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was 20 and she was 11. Morris was a traveling evangelist with his wife, Debbie.

Morris would preach at Clemishire's church on Sundays, and sometimes he, Debbie, and their son would stay at her family's home. She viewed him as "safe and friendly," she said.

Things changed on Christmas in 1982 when Morris asked a 12-year-old Clemishire to "visit him in his room that night," and she thought nothing of it, she said in the post. Once in his room, she said he sexually abused her and warned her: "Never tell anyone about this because it will ruin everything."

She said the abuse continued in Oklahoma and Texas until 1987.

Eventually Clemishire told a good friend and her parents about the abuse, and Morris "reportedly stepped down from ministry for two years," she told the blog.

Church's initial support precedes Morris' resignation

Even as the church released a statement about his resignation, on Tuesday Morris was still listed as the senior pastor on Gateway Church's website, which says he has been married to his wife Debbie for 44 years and has three children with her.

Morris has a television program that airs in over 190 countries and his radio program airs in more than 6,800 cities, according to his biography on the Gateway Church website . Morris' YouTube page , which has 80,000 subscribers, includes videos with titles like "Freedom Through Forgiveness" and "Did You Know You're Made Perfect By God's Grace?"

In a previous statement issued to WFAA-TV, the church said that Morris has been "open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago" and that "there have been no other moral failures."

In his own statement to the outlet on Sunday, Morris said that "this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of."

"I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young lady's father," he said. "They asked me to stop out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did."

In the latest statement, the church elders said that "we regret that we did not have the information that we now have."

"For the sake of the victim, we are thankful this situation has been exposed," they said. "We know many have been affected by this, we understand that you are hurting, and we are very sorry. It is our prayer that, in time, healing for all those affected can occur."

Morris was also on Trump’s spiritual advisory board during the 2016 campaign and during the presidency. Trump's current campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, said in a statement to NBC News that the former president hadn't been aware of the allegations and that Morris "does not have a role with the 2024 campaign.”

'Any and all victims, come forward'

Before Morris' resignation on Tuesday Clemishire told USA TODAY that she was "disappointed that they're basically lying and minimizing the crime."

USA TODAY does not typically name victims of sexual abuse but Clemishire said it was important to her.

She said that she has been sharing her story for decades with leadership in "very large and high-profile" churches and organizations, but no one took Morris out of ministry or the pulpit. Clemishire decided to come forward publicly to encourage others who may be victims to tell their stories, she said.

"Any and all victims, come forward ... I just don't believe that I'm the only person," she said.

At 54 years old, Clemishire said she has a "different confidence and a different understanding" that no longer makes her "feel intimidated."

"The courage is there," she said. "I just couldn't stay silent anymore."

Clemishire also included her name in the Wartburg Watch blog because she has "no shame."

"I've always just trusted that God's timing would take it wherever it needed to go," she said about Morris. "Why hide?"

Can Robert Morris be charged criminally?

Boz Tchividjian, Clemishire's attorney, told USA TODAY on Tuesday that Morris can't be charged criminally or civilly for the abuse because of the statute of limitations in place in the late 1980s, which was "fairly short."

Since 2017, the statute of limitations in Oklahoma for sex crimes involving children has been until the accuser turns 45. Before 2017, the statute of limitations was 12 years after the accuser turned 18.

"This just demonstrates the absolute importance of statute of limitations reform, both in criminal and civil cases," Tchvidijian said. "When somebody is traumatized as a child, for many it takes decades to process that trauma to even be ready to speak out or do something about it."

Tchividjian is advocating for "look-back windows," which allows states to reopen statutes of limitations that have previously expired so "survivors can now file their lawsuits."

Clemishire and Tchividjian are "currently evaluating all options" when it comes to legal action against Morris.

Watch CBS News

America's new generation gap: Young voters say they'll inherit a more challenging world. But will they vote in it?

By Anthony Salvanto , Fred Backus, Jennifer De Pinto

Updated on: June 24, 2024 / 5:17 PM EDT / CBS News

It's actually not  all ok, Boomers — at least not in the eyes of America's youngest voters.

Many under 30 believe their elders are leaving them a more dangerous world, with a worse environment and less opportunity.

These young voters are a more diverse group than older generations and in contrast to America's oldest voters, they think politics would be better with more of that diversity, too. 

They've already faced challenges. They were disrupted by COVID : the youngest of them were in high school or college during the lockdowns and now say their education was interrupted by it. And to a far greater degree than older generations, many also look back and describe growing up with concerns of gun violence. 

Today, they overwhelmingly feel it's become harder to buy a house (current interest rates would suggest they're right), to raise a family, to get what they consider to be a good job (this, despite the strong national jobs numbers ) or to start a business than it was for generations before them.

But most do remain hopeful about reaching the American Dream some day, and they're making their own path en route: Today, they describe their generation as "creative," followed by words like "innovative" and "diverse" — all qualities most think will help them eventually change the world.

Their focus is on different issues from their elders' too, with more on climate, abortion and promoting that diversity.

Yet for all those concerns — or maybe because of them — they aren't planning to vote as much as their elders. They're thinking less about the election right now, and fewer of them say they'll definitely vote than their older counterparts. 

So the extent to which they do or don't participate in '24 could be the most immediate way they'll shape the future for us all. 

On diversity

Majorities of voters under thirty think politics would be better with more diversity: More minorities, more women in office and (perhaps unsurprisingly) more young people. 

There are big differences comparing these views to those over 65, far fewer of whom think politics would be better with that diversity — and who grew up in a very different and less diverse America.

How age of the candidates factors in the campaign

Talking about young voters sets up a natural contrast with the age of this year's candidates — which for some of these young voters marks a fifty-year or greater gap in ages — and how that affects their views.

Half of these younger voters feel the candidates' respective ages — President Biden and former President Donald Trump's — make them out of touch.

Half of them say neither presidential candidate understands younger people … and most importantly, when they feel that, they're relatively less likely to want to vote. 

The big question: Turnout

They have critiques and issues, but will they show up? The answer, at least on their stated intent from here, is not as much as their elders.

In fact, among those who did vote in 2020, only three-quarters say they'll definitely do so again this time. 

That's a higher churn rate than for other age groups.

Historically, younger voters don't vote as much as older voters do , so that's not unique to this younger generation now — it's often about people's life stage, putting down roots in a community, developing habits of voting, getting involved or just having more time to follow politics as one gets older. 

That said, just one in five young people feel their generation has a lot of say in the political process — even while at the same time, many of them aren't likely to vote.

Just a third are thinking a lot about the presidential race right now.

When asked for the reasons why they won't vote, responses include that it doesn't appeal to them, they don't have time or that the whole system is bad. 

Young people are more disappointed with their choices in this race than the oldest age groups are.

But here's another difference. Older voters will vote regardless of whether they're satisfied with the candidate choice; they do so out of a sense of long-standing habit, party allegiance or duty. 

But for younger voters, a lot of whom aren't satisfied with the choices they have, candidate satisfaction matters more. When they aren't satisfied with the candidates, they aren't as apt to show up.

A wider range of issues that matter

For voters under 30, the economy is a major factor in their vote, as it is for all voters, but they're more likely to also include other issues in their calculus, such as abortion, climate, and issues of race and diversity — all of which accrue to a Biden vote.

Their percentage support today is not much different from 2020 either, though the turnout factor looms for their impact on Mr. Biden. Right now, young Democrats express comparably less likelihood of turning out than young Republicans.

By comparison, issues that Trump does well on with older voters — crime, immigration — are comparably less important to younger people.

(We should note, they're voting for Mr. Biden when they say diversity is a top issue, but a substantial portion of them still think he hasn't gone far enough promoting it, so it's not that they're completely satisfied with the president.)

Economy, opportunity and the American dream

Views of today's economy for them seem connected to ideas of opportunity, not just day-to-day finances.

When young people think they can attain the American Dream (as most of them do, despite all their perceived challenges) they're relatively more likely to call today's economy good. When they can't see getting the Dream, they say the economy today is bad.

(Notable for larger context, too: young people, still full of optimism, mostly think they can reach the American Dream, and most older voters over 65 think they have; it's actually people in between, in their prime working years today, who are most pessimistic about reaching it.)

Most say they grew up concerned about the possibility of gun violence when they were in school, a level of concern far higher than older voters express looking back. 

That seems to impact their stances on gun policy. A majority support stricter laws covering the sale of guns, and that support is even higher among those who grew up concerned about gun violence. 

Student loans

And they're big fans of canceling student loan debt. (Biden gets big backing from those who do.) 

But is it a motivator on its own? That's less clear. Those who approve of it are no more likely to say they'll turn out than people in the age group, overall.

Despite the attention over recent months and protests on college campuses, for the wider under-30 group, the war between Israel and Hamas ranks well below the economy, abortion, and many other issue factors.

However, they do feel very differently about it than older Americans, with relatively more of them calling for a stop to Israel's military action.

They're more likely to say climate change needs action now.

Abortion 

If the Biden camp wants to motivate turnout along abortion lines, they may have some work to do:

Most younger voters want abortion to be legal — as do most voters overall — but they're less likely than older Americans to think Biden would try to pass a national law legalizing it, and more likely than their elders to be unsure what he'd do. 

They're also more apt to think Trump would do nothing, or to be unsure what Trump would do.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,460 U.S. adults interviewed between June 17-21, 2024. The survey included an oversample of adults age 18-29 for a total of 743 adults in that age group.  The final sample as reported was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as to 2020 presidential vote. The margin of error for the total sample is ±2.8 points. The margin of error for the sample of adults 18-29 is ±5.2 points.

• Opinion Poll

Anthony Salvanto, Ph.D., is CBS News' executive director of elections and surveys. He oversees the CBS News Poll and all surveys across topics and heads the CBS News Decision Desk that estimates outcomes on election nights

More from CBS News

PTL Links: June 25, 2024

New pedestrian safety measures coming to Mt. Washington

Pittsburgh area hit with several severe weather warnings Sunday as cold front nears arrival

Ptl links: june 24, 2024.

How Delta made itself America’s luxury airline — and what United wants to do about it

Delta Air Lines  is the country’s most profitable airline. CEO Ed Bastian’s challenge is to make sure his carrier stays on top.

The airline’s unit revenue, the amount it brings in for every seat it flies one mile,  outpaced  its competitors’ last year. Delta’s share price has soared almost 23% in 2024, more than any rival in the rocky airline   sector, in a rally that’s outdone the  S&P 500 ′s. It expects free cash flow to rise as much as 50% this year to between $3 billion and 4 billion, and is eyeing a return to an investment-grade credit rating. And a stat any traveler would appreciate: Delta came in first in punctuality last year, with more than 83% arriving on-time, according to the Transportation Department.

Rival  United Airlines  — second to Delta in net profit margins — is circling. It says it could  grow   profits  even more this year.

“Knowing that there’s someone that thinks that they can take that mantle from us, that keeps us on our toes and keeps us continuing to drive hard,” Bastian told CNBC.

Delta has fashioned itself America’s premium airline. It has won over hordes of splurging travelers, many of them carrying  American Express  cards, Delta’s cash cow of a partner that generated almost $7 billion for the airline last year. Sales growth of Delta’s roomier and more expensive seats continues to outpace revenue from standard coach.

As they vie for luxury flyers, both Delta and United have  added more high-end seating  to their planes to cater to travelers who deem worthwhile a $300 surcharge for a few inches of extra legroom on a cross-country round trip, or 10 times as much for a seat in business class.

Bastian, a former auditor who said he took his first flight at age 25 for a business trip (New York to Chicago), is in charge of ensuring Delta lives up to its brand luster.

More from CNBC

• Fed Governor Bowman says she’s still open to raising rates if inflation doesn’t improve
• EU charges Microsoft with ‘abusive’ bundling of Teams and Office, breaching antitrust rules
• Airbus shares fall 12% as company cuts 2024 guidance on targets, deliveries

On Wednesday,  Delta will take its next shot  in the battle for high-spending flyers when it opens its newest,  highest tier of airport lounge  at John F. Kennedy International Airport for passengers in its Delta One cabin, its top product that features lie-flat beds for longer flights.

At more than 39,000 square feet it will be Delta’s largest lounge, accented with pillows that have iconic zig-zag motif of Italian fashion house Missoni, its new amenity kit partner. It features complementary spa treatments, like ice globes and serum for jet-lagged eyes, along with showers, a full restaurant, and a deck overlooking the airfield, in a bet that travelers’ desire to treat themselves is here to stay.

Delta is taking a page from the playbooks of United and  American , which  already dedicate their swankiest lounges  to customers flying in long-haul business class. Delta plans to open Delta One lounges in Boston and Los Angeles later this year, and is studying airports where it could open others.

“The thing with this industry is no good idea goes uncopied,” said Raymond James airline analyst Savanthi Syth.

Meanwhile, United is placing huge orders for new  Boeing  and Airbus planes and remodeling hundreds of narrow-body cabins that feature seatback screens and bluetooth technology, a strategy that aims to cater to travelers in international business class or on the cheapest basic economy tickets.

“We haven’t exactly achieved the No. 1 profitability status in the industry, but I know we’re on our way,” United’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said in an interview last month. “If we continue to invest in our customers through great service and great products and great network, we know that will feed upon itself and it’ll help us achieve the financial results that we’re looking for.”

The airlines and American are approaching their 100th birthdays, and are trying to stay ahead — if not drive — shifting travel demand and still turn a profit.

United is adding to the more than 300 airports it serves. Figuring out the next hot destination is “part art” and “part science,” said Patrick Quayle, its head of network planning. The airline’s sprawling global network makes United the biggest U.S. airline by capacity and it recently launched service to places like Dubrovnik, Croatia and Amman, Jordan.

Quayle pointed to United’s addition of Cape Town, South Africa, which it first announced before the pandemic, as a success.

“Another airline has subsequently copied us. ... I might want to add based in Atlanta,” he said, alluding to Delta’s home city.

The latest changes come at a difficult time for a lot U.S. airlines. Labor and other costs swelled after the pandemic, eating into margins despite  record numbers of travelers . Added capacity in the U.S. market has forced carriers to  discount fares  in off-peak travel periods.

It’s tricky, and expensive, to change course. Even  Southwest Airlines  is facing  investor pressure  to add things like premium seating or  seat assignments  as its simple business model shows signs of age.

Meanwhile, U.S. consumers are  growing more selective : Some corporate leaders have lamented a spending pullback while others, like Delta’s CEO, are saying the opposite. Americans are still digging into the so-called experiences economy, and paying for more comfort along the way, according to Bastian.

“They may not be buying that new EV or that that new house, but they’re saying we’re going to go out and experience the world and invest in that experience,” he said. “And that’s why you see it happening in high-end concerts, high-end hospitality.”

‘Brick by brick’

When the U.S. was careening toward recession almost two decades ago, Delta’s leaders made a correct bet that travelers would eventually pay more to fly on its jets.

Delta was emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2007, which other U.S. carriers found themselves in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Former CEO Richard Anderson said the airline had to start with basics: Stop losing bags. Make sure flights didn’t get canceled and arrived on time. Clean up the cabins.

“It was about building the operation brick by brick,” said Anderson, who handed the reins to Delta’s former president, Bastian, in 2016. “It didn’t matter what you did with AmEx. If the flight canceled, you ruined your brand.”

Delta took better care to avoid maintenance problems. It also started ferrying planes to airports to avoid cancellations if a replacement aircraft was needed.

And the carrier tried to clean up its image, hiring a marketing firm that advised former President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Anderson said the airline needed to be consistent and not fly its mix of paint jobs and cabin interiors. It faced fresh competition from low-cost airlines like a then-spritely upstart out of Queens, N.Y. called  JetBlue Airways . Delta and United had both launched their own low-cost subsidiaries, but they discontinued them.

Delta executives knew they needed a brand to match if they were going to command a premium over competitors.

“One of the things about being a premium product is consistency, consistency in policy, consistency in appearance,” said Anderson. “If you got on a flight in Tokyo we wanted you to feel like you were home.”

After the string of changes, Delta’s performance improved. Corporate business travel contracts helped boost profits and still do, as business travel returns post-pandemic.

Delta had a key advantage over competitors. After it came out of bankruptcy, it merged with Northwest Airlines in 2008, allowing it to stabilize and expand around the world while other carriers floundered. The rest of the industry spent much of the next decade recovering from bankruptcies and a subsequent musical chairs of mergers that  left four big carriers in control of about three-quarters of the U.S. domestic market . Delta’s rivals were years behind the carrier on integrating their merged staff, operations, networks and fleets.

Bastian said the carrier’s focus on reliability has made life easier for not just its customers, but also its employees.

“They’re not having to explain for a cancellation or mishandled luggage,” he said. “They have time to serve rather than to apologize.”

Delta is also unique as the least unionized of the major U.S. airlines, at about 20%. In April, as campaigns were underway to organize its flight attendants and other workers, it again  raised worker pay . Flight attendants for Delta’s regional carrier Endeavor, which are unionized, have recently demanded compensation on par with the carrier’s mainline flight attendants.

Time to remodel

After Delta got the basics down, Bastian, 67, who joined Delta in 1998, said it was time for the airline to focus on more ambitious projects.

“You had the liberty to start investing in premium,” he said. “You started to figure out how to to make first class more available to customers.”

It has expanded in big-spending New York and Los Angeles, the country’s two largest air travel markets by revenue, according to aviation data firm OAG.

Delta also built up its host of global alliances, joint ventures and minority ownership stakes, giving it more reach. That includes its 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, which already had a strong foothold in premium air travel and popular lounges.

“I think some of that heritage has made its way into the core of Delta,” said Virgin Atlantic’s CEO Shai Weiss. “I’m not suggesting we are the messiah for Delta, but there is no surprise that Delta and Virgin Atlantic see eye-to-eye on many things.”

The vast majority of the more than 940 million people that flew on U.S. airlines last year fly in coach, and Delta has tried to make its flights more desirable travelers on all sections of the plane.

It remodeled old and dated terminals, and built out its network of luxury airport lounges, which are tied to its lucrative credit card deal with American Express. It added seat-back televisions and better in-flight entertainment options, and in February 2023, it  announced  its long-awaited  free Wi-Fi  to customers enrolled in its SkyMiles frequent flyer program.

Delta has invested more than $12 billion to rebuild and update its U.S. hubs with soaring ceilings, new technology and in some lounges, a signature scent. (“It’s proprietary,” said Claude Roussel, who oversees Delta’s lounges, when asked what was in it.)

One of its latest efforts is its terminal and new Sky Club at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, alongside other airlines’ new terminals. A decade ago, then-Vice President Joe Biden famously said someone who was blindfolded and taken to that airport would think, “I must be in some third-world country.”

The airline faced big problems along the way like a dayslong system outage in 2016. And the worst of all: Covid-19. Like other airlines, Delta accepted billions in federal aid to weather the pandemic. The carrier successfully urged some  17,000 workers to take buyouts , hiring newer, lower-paid staff that lacked the experience of departed employees. Early in the process, Bastian said the newer workers gave the company a “juniority benefit.” The airline employed about 100,000 people in the U.S. as of the end of last year.

Delta and its competitors also pulled out of many small cities as the pandemic eased, isolating some smaller cities amid a shortage of regional jet pilots.

But international travel has proved resilient so far, as consumers show they are willing to shell out on experiences.

Luxury air travel? In the U.S.?

Luxury air travel and the United States didn’t go together for many years — and   might not still, if you ask well-heeled globetrotters.

U.S. airlines don’t offer on-board showers or  roomy suites  like those on the superjumbos flown by the likes of Etihad Airways or Singapore Airlines. But the U.S. air travel market, the world’s largest, has gotten a number of upgrades in recent years, and travelers have grown to expect the same convenience they get from their online shopping sites and ride-hailing and food-ordering apps.

“Delta’s not bougie by any stretch, but when your competitors don’t try very hard, it doesn’t take much,” said Henry Harteveldt, a former airline executive and founder of Atmosphere Research Group.

But as a rewards-credit card boom, strong consumer spending, social media envy and a wanderlust that predated the pandemic combined to boost demand, airlines executives were taking notice.

Delta’s sales from premium products are growing faster than revenue from its main coach cabin, a trend the airline forecasts will continue. Sales from Delta’s loyalty business, premium cabins and other streams comprise more than half of the carrier’s revenue.

Airlines have made big changes as they struggle to accommodate the big-spending travelers armed with elite status. Major carriers have all overhauled their frequent flyer programs to reward the biggest spenders instead of those that fly the most miles,   and made it harder to earn coveted elite status.

And at Delta and other airlines, many of the perks for luxury flyers come through lounges.

One of Delta’s Sky Clubs in Los Angeles International Airport offers a separate, dedicated security lane for customers flying Delta One, away from the masses at the airport. That feature will make it to the new JFK lounge later this year, a Delta spokesman said.

United and American Airlines have also worked to glam up and expand their airport lounges, access to which is a common perk with credit cards.

Delta  softened some restrictions  on Sky Club lounge access last year — which it made to end annoying and  unsightly long lines  to enter its exclusive airport real estate — after an uproar from customers.

'We’re constantly pushing each other'

Both Delta and United have issued sunny financial forecasts for this year, while many carriers are losing money or not pulling in similar profit margins.

“Watching [Delta] succeed, I became convinced that the product mattered and service mattered, and we have done that at United now,” United CEO Scott Kirby said at a JPMorgan industry conference in March.

And at an investor conference last month, he pointed to how the two are pulling away from the rest of the pack in profitability, particularly at big hubs.

United has made some big bets that paid off. It held onto its wide-body planes, when travel demand collapsed in the pandemic, and has benefitted from the surge in international travel.

With United on Delta’s tail, Bastian is trying to expand the airline’s reach. Bastian has attended the massive Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and has announced new partnerships with  Lyft  and  Starbucks  for its loyalty program.

He says he can’t mystery shop on other carriers because he’s too recognizable, but said his team flies on competitors regularly to see what they can improve.

“We don’t own the market rights to innovation in our industry,” he said.

When asked what Delta can improve, Bastian threw kudos back to United for its detailed messages to travelers when there’s a disruption.

“They’ve done some nice things with their app,” he said. “I still think ours is better, but ... they’ve done a nice job in terms their communications with their customers and how they manage trip interruptions.”

Bastian added: “We’re constantly pushing each other.”

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

What to do if your flight is cancelled or delayed

Share this with

Passengers at Manchester Airport are facing major disruption after a power cut forced two of its three terminals out of action .

More than 50 flights have been cancelled from both Terminal 1 and 2, while journeys still going ahead are severely affected by delays.

Those who have seen their flight cancelled will be left wondering what happens now and what their rights are.

We’ve taken a look at exactly what you can do when your flight is cancelled or delayed.

What am I entitled to if they cancel my flight?

When flying to or from the UK, passengers are fairly well protected by UK laws when it comes to flights being cancelled.

Here’s a breakdown of what those rights are, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

First of all, airlines must provide you with care and assistance, which includes supplying a reasonable amount of food, drink and means of communication.

This often comes in the way of vouchers to use at shops and restaurants.

If you are re-booked onto a flight the following day, the airline must provide you with accommodation, usually in a nearby hotel, as well as transport to and from the airport.

Even if the delay lasts longer than one day, an airline must still put you up until they are able to provide the service and get you to your destination.

When major disruption hits, airlines sometimes struggle to assist the large number of passengers. If this happens to you, make sure you keep every receipt for everything you paid for until you board your replacement flight.

This must be within reason, such as food, drink and emergency accommodation.

Will I be refunded for a cancelled flight if I no longer wish to fly?

In short, yes.

CAA guidance says: ‘You can get your money back for all parts of the ticket you haven’t used. For instance, if you have booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket back from your airline.

‘If you are a transfer passenger and you have already completed part of your journey, you are also entitled to a flight back to your original departure point when your connecting flight is cancelled and you decide not to continue your journey.’

Will I get compensation for a cancelled flight?

This is a bit of a grey area, but the rule of thumb is that if your flight is completely cancelled without 14 days notice, you are entitled to claim compensation.

Each airline will vary in their cancellation policies – and it’s worth checking how it works for the specific airline you are flying with.

The cause of the cancellation can be a loophole for airlines, however. For example, if it wasn’t the airline’s fault, don’t expect to receive any compensation.

The CAA says: ‘Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other “extraordinary circumstances” are not eligible for compensation.’

Whether or not a power cut would fall under this category would be a topic of debate, so you will need to follow up with your specific airline regarding cancellation compensation.

For further information about exactly how much compensation you could be entitled to, it’s worth looking at the CAA rules here .

What to do if your flight is delayed

The first step to protecting your holiday from delays starts before you even pack your bags: travel insurance.

Many insurers offer cover for customers who can prove they missed their flight due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’ out of their control, according to Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel.

He writes on Which? : ‘Evidence that you turned up at the time advised by the airport or airline could be crucial, so keep your bus ticket or parking stub, and any receipts from shops or restaurants inside the terminal.

Travellers who experience delays at check-in or security processing should also ‘make a fuss’ if their flight is due to take off soon for example by asking staff to take them to the front.

Mr Boland added: ‘Buried in the T&Cs of many airlines is a promise to help, and some will let you rebook for free in such instances.’

If staff are hard to come by, airlines must usually provide updates online – but if this fails, you can also enter your flight number on FlightRadar24 for real-time tracking of the plane you’re due to catch.

Under UK law, airlines must provide passengers experiencing ‘significant delays’ with food and drink (usually in voucher form), means of communication and, if their flight is pushed back a day, temporary accommodation and transport to the lodgings.

‘Significant delays’ mean waits of more than two hours for short-haul flights, three hours for medium-haul and four hours for long-haul.

Passengers due to travel on UK or EU-regulated flights are also legally entitled to compensation for delays of more than three hours to the arrival time – starting with £210 for short-haul flights – unless caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances’ out of their hands.

These rules cover any flights leaving from a UK or EU airport and do not change if the airline is based in another country, according to MoneySavingExpert .

That means they still apply if you fly between two EU countries, or fly elsewhere on an EU-regulated flight that has nothing to do with the UK.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

They also usually apply if the delay stops you from boarding a connecting flight from a non-UK, non-EU airport if both legs were part of a single booking, or if that connecting flight was similarly delayed.

If your flight is delayed by more than five hours and you no longer want to catch it, you are entitled to a full refund regardless of the cause, according to Citizens’ Advice.

Be wary of doing this if you still plan to get to your destination by other means: the return flight purchased through your original operator may be included as part of the same refunded booking.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

MORE : British Airways staff ‘suspended over jibes at colleague’s weight’

MORE : Three easyJet wheelchair passengers left stranded after plane takes off without them

MORE : ‘Slow travel’ is surging — but there’s a secret to it

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

Secret’s out! Amazon announces the official dates for Prime Day — we have early deals to shop now

• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show
• TODAY Plaza

Personal stories about parenting, health, pop culture and more.

The church I grew up in opposes IVF. Are my infertility struggles part of God’s design?

The Southern Baptist Convention recently voted against the use of assisted reproductive technology. As a former member, that decision is weighing heavily on me.

My daughter has a disability. This is the reaction from strangers I hate the most

My kid lost his last baby tooth and I'm not ready for what comes next

I was diagnosed with cancer at age 37. Then my best friend was, too

After my dad died, I quit my job and took a cross-country road trip to recapture our past

I have a painful condition known as the 'suicide disease.' This is how I got my life back

It's not like I wanted a dad anyway, right?

What my dad's report card from 1959 told me about his struggle with addiction

I worked with terminal patients for decades. This is what they taught me about life

I'm 48 and my husband is 29. That won't stop us from having a baby

My child identified as gender-fluid. Then, they didn’t

I was gay, poor and hiding it from everyone

Advertisement

Supported by

Remembering Willie Mays as Both Untouchable and Human

Mays, who died on Tuesday at 93, had been perfect for so long that the shock of seeing baseball get the best of him was the shock of seeing a god become mortal.

• Share full article

By Kurt Streeter

At the end, the Say Hey Kid looked nothing like the extraordinary force who had been at the center of the American imagination for much of the 20th century.

The Kid — Willie Mays — struggled at the plate and stumbled on the basepaths. A line drive arced his way, easily catchable for Mays during most of his career. But he fell. Another outfield mistake caused the game to be tied in the ninth inning.

He was a creaky-kneed 42 years old on that October afternoon, Game 2 of the 1973 World Series — Mays’s New York Mets in Oakland facing the A’s. On the grandest stage, the ravages of time had settled upon the game’s most gilded star.

That he would redeem himself at the plate three innings later is often forgotten. The unthinkable had happened. Mays had not only failed, he had appeared lost, clumsy and out of sorts.

The shock of seeing him that way would linger long past his playing days as a warning: Don’t be like Willie Mays, sticking around too long, stumbling in center field, a shadow of his former self. Such became the axiom, uttered in so many words by everyone from politicians to business leaders to commentators weighing in on great athletes who yearn to play into their twilight.

Quit before it is too late.

In retirement, Mays, who died on Tuesday at 93, did his best to ignore the game that would be his last. But there is another way to view its echoes.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Gratitude - The Life Blog

Kayleigh's Story - Survivor

Destinee's Story - Heaven on Earth!🥹💓

Lameez's Story - What does friendship mean to you?

Sarah's Story - Just say thank you

Jade's Story - Root yourself in joy

Breanna's Story - My Life

11 Earnest Thank You Notes for Friends

30+ Meaningful Birthday Wishes for Coworkers

50+ Heartfelt Thank You for Being a Friend Messages

70+ Happy Father's Day Wishes for Your Ultimate Hero

50+ Heartfelt Happy Mother's Day Wishes & Messages

100+ Good Luck Wishes and Messages

110+ Abundance Affirmations for Limitless Possibilities

100+ Positive Affirmation for Depression

How to Make an Affirmation Jar + 150 Examples

150+ Words of Affirmation Examples for Happy Relationships

100+ Positive Mantras to Live By For a Good Life

100+ Morning Mantras to Start Your Day Positively

60+ Best Thanksgiving Quotes to Spread Gratitude Everywhere

45+ Inspiring Have a Great Day Quotes & Wishes

50+ International Women's Day Quotes & Wishes

40+ April Quotes for Motivation and Inspiration

70+ Mindfulness Quotes to Live Peacefully

30 Best March Quotes to Enjoy Your Time

60+ Thoughtful Get-Well Wishes for Your Loved Ones

7 Ways to Be Brave and Finally Overcome Your Fears

13 Ways to Practice Emotional Self-Care

7 Ways to Focus On Yourself As A People Pleaser

70+ Journal Prompts for Easing Anxiety

16 Poems About Self-Love to Celebrate Your Magic

What are you grateful for 105 things to be thankful for in life.

Here's a list of 40 things to be grateful for today.

There are so many things around us and in our lives that we overlook, so many blessings that we forget to acknowledge. Gratitude is everywhere. We are all so blessed in little and big ways. All we are required to do is focus.

To find things to be grateful for in every moment, I recommend trying out a technique that I call ' Atomic Gratitude '.

In this technique, we pick up one small aspect of our lives, and it can be anything, for example; your bedroom, your partner, nature, your pet, your job, yourself, your friend, your kitchen, anything.

And, now you focus on this part of your life and see the little atomic parts of it that you can be thankful for.

Let's take the example of a bedroom that I also mention in my Attitude of Gratitude course and find the things that we can be grateful for in it.

Now, there might not be anything extraordinary in your bedroom that you see and sleep in every night. But, imagine if it wasn’t there, and think of each individual atom that makes it home for you.

Let's make a gratitude list with the things we can be thankful for in a bedroom:

• Think of the walls that give you a space just for you.
• Think of the windows that let soothing wind and sunlight in.
• The curtains create soft light in the room, ensure privacy, and gently sway with the air.
• The floor that you stand upon and how reliable it is.
• The closet lets you keep your clothes and make more space in your room.
• The lightbulb illuminates in the dark.
• The buttons make it so easy to control the environment of the room.
• The bed is always available for you to rest on.
• The comfortable mattress supports your sleep and physical health.
• The cool and relaxing feeling of clean bedsheets.
• The support of pillows.
• The bedside table that keeps all the things you want near.
• The door that connects you to the rest of your house and also allows you to choose when you want to be with yourself only.
• The sense of assurance that the lock on that door gives you.
• The photographs on the walls relive golden memories.

There is such an incredible possibility in your bedroom alone. We just listed 15 things we can be grateful for in your bedroom alone and there's a lot more in it.

Imagine, if we searched for all the tiniest things and moments to feel grateful for, we'd never run out of ideas.

Before asking for more, let's appreciate all that we have, and let's focus on the tiny bits that make up and support the life we live.

What are you grateful for?

Alright then, let's dive into more ideas for things that you can be grateful for in your life here:

Things to Be Grateful For

Here are some of the things you can be thankful for:

"I am thankful for..."

• Your morning coffee/tea
• A healthy breakfast
• That movie that always makes you laugh
• When your hands are full and someone opens the door for you
• Your good health
• Your close friends
• Cute animal videos
• Warm sunshine on winter days/cool wind on hot summer days
• The senses that make you experience the world
• Funny people, always a blessing!
• A secret joke between you and your friend
• The moment when your food comes at a restaurant
• When your favorite song comes on the radio right at the perfect time
• Tears to express your deepest emotions
• A friend’s face after you surprised them
• Oxygen for life
• Transportation
• Comfortable clothes
• Your ability to help
• Kind strangers
• A warm, cozy blanket on chilly nights
• A great meal with your loved ones
• Excitement for adventures
• A relaxing bath
• Winning at a game
• Sacrificing for love
• Your favorite school teacher
• Handwritten letters
• A relaxed weekend
• Fresh morning air
• Deep conversations
• Feeling understood
• Stories that fascinate you
• Free learning resources
• Experience of life

😇 Tip : To really level up your gratitude practice, I recommend that you maintain a gratitude journal . It'll really shift your perspective by making small steps every day.

Gratitude list of unique things to be thankful for

• Google search engine
• Food delivery partners
• Sour candies
• Healthy nails
• Hair blowing in the wind
• Handmade jewelry
• Sweet new people
• Comfortable jeans
• Flexible body
• Typing speed
• Spellchecker
• Smooth keyboard
• Shiny tables
• Funny videos
• Soothing voices
• Discovering new songs you like
• Cracking the mystery before anyone else
• Automatic save functionality in software
• Good recommendations
• The excitement of an upcoming wedding
• Shared nostalgia
• The moment you wake up in the morning and know you have more time to sleep
• Compliments
• Hot/cool showers
• New recipes
• A great dinner
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Clean sheets
• Being around someone you like
• Resolution of conflict
• Moments of happiness
• Having money
• Giving gifts
• Being understood by a friend
• Awareness of being in the present moment
• Realization of how far you've come
• A good workout
• Feeling healthy
• Good health of the people you love

So, what do you say? We have so many things to feel grateful for. Go ahead and write in your gratitude journal! 💖

Here's to gratitude for the little things!

Continue Reading: 40 Ways to Show Your Partner You Love and Appreciate Them

Aarushi Tewari

The writer and affirmations speaker at Gratitude, Aarushi believes that one of the most effective ways of feeling inner peace is by being grateful and having a loving self-relationship.

Free Weekly Gratitude Worksheet!

Discover more from gratitude blog.

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Exams & Tests
• Comparative Adjectives
• Superlative Adjectives
• Adverbs Of Time
• Comparative Adverbs
• Conjunctive Adverbs
• Indefinite Articles
• Determiners
• Collective Nouns
• Countable Nouns
• Plural Nouns
• Possessive Nouns
• Uncountable Nouns
• Prepositions Of Place
• Prepositions Of Time
• Personal Pronouns
• Relative Pronouns
• Subject Pronouns
• Quantifiers
• Conjunctions
• Indirect Speech
• Relative Clauses
• Conditional
• Future Tense
• Past perfect simple
• Past Simple
• Present Continuous
• Present perfect progressive
• Present perfect simple
• Present Simple
• Present Tense
• Auxiliary Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Modal Verbs
• Participles
• Phrasal verbs
• Stative Verbs
• Pronunciation
• Tips & Resources
• Abbreviations
• Body and Health
• Business & Work
• Confusing words
• Education & School
• Expression for communicating
• Expressions for communicating
• Food & Drink
• Greetings & Goodbyes
• Slang & Accents
• Time & Dates
• TV & Media

'How are you feeling today' and 'How do you feel today'?

Hello! Tell me please what is the difference between 'How are you feeling today' and 'How do you feel today'? As for me it is similar, but my friends use the only second option. When can I use it?

While both phrases are more or less interchangeable, there is a very subtle difference – the one is locked in time (present simple) while the other is free to process and change (present continuous). Feel (sense, opinion or perception) is one of those verbs that are normally used in the simple form because they refer to states, rather than actions or processes. However, some of these verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning. For instance: I am feeling much better now; I feel good to be here.

"How are you feeling today" - The word feeling implies that the person is able to change from feeling to feeling say in physical wellbeing after an injury or illness. - How are you feeling today compared with how you were yesterday? –what’s your state of physical wellbeing today? "How do you feel today" - The word feel assumes the person is stuck in a feeling - How do you feel today about what happened yesterday? What’s your opinion or perception about yesterday’s event?

How do you feel today is correct. How are you feeling today is incorrect.

How do you feel? What are you feeling? How do you feel today? What are you feeling today? Feeling "something". As in : I love. I am loving "it".

I am feeling good today

Hello can you possibly answer this how are you felling today

Hi Victoria. "Felling" means cutting down (a tree). I'm not sure if that's the word you meant. If you mean "feeling" then check out the answer above. Best Regards

Óia eu n tô entendendo nd

Hi Maria Gabriela I'm sorry that you cannot understand anything. Maybe think about learning English. You can try self-study but it might be best to have a tutor to guide you. Feel free to sign up as my student at Preply and I’ll help you achieve your goals. Together we will create a learning plan specific to your needs. You can check my profile here: https://preply.com/en/tutor/90551/ Best Regards

Advise me please, what is the exactly spell or use of "roster" and "roaster", when we specific to use for the schedule. Such as Please prepare your roster to me or Please prepare your roaster to me. Thank you.

A ROSTER (usually US), is also called a ROTA (mainly British) ROSTER A list of the jobs to be done by members of an organization and often with the date/time that they are expected to do them. A register or roll showing the order in which officers, enlisted men, companies, or regiments are called on to serve. ROTA A round or rotation of duties; a period of work or duty taken in rotation with others. A register of names showing the order in which people take their turn to perform certain duties A list that gives details of the order in which different people have to do a particular job. ROASTER A person who roasts food A utensil used for roasting food A coffee factory may have a list of people who will be roasting the coffee beans using a roasting machine. This is a duty roster (rota) of coffee roasters.

What about "how do you feeling?" Is it true?

Hi Hina Correct How do you feel? (infinitive; present) How are you feeling? (present continuous) Incorrect How do you feeling? (ungrammatical) Best Regards

I want to learn English, who can help me?

Hi Crisleidi Feel free to sign up with me or search for a tutor at Preply here: https://preply.com/en/online/english-tutors Best Regards

I am feeling better today

اشعر بتحسن اليوم

Find out your English level.

Take this 5-min test to see how close you are to achieving your language learning goals.

Hi Olga, that's a great question! The good news is there's not much difference between the present simple: "How do you feel today?" and the present continues: "How are you feeling today?" so you can use them interchangeably in everyday conversation. The small difference is that the present continuous "How are you feeling today?" is a little bit more formal. You can use it more with people that you are not so familiar with, or at work or school. "How do you feel today" is for your everyday friends, people who you see all the time. I hope this helps!

How are you feeling today

Good and you?

Gente eu quero aprender inglês por que o vídeo tá em inglês aí eu n entendo nada se eu soubesse falar inglês ele seria inútil do mesmo jeito porque seria menha língua ao n ser que eu tivesse problema

Still need help?

Find an online tutor for 1-on-1 lessons and master the knowledge you need! Prices from just $5 per hour.

You might be interested in

When someone says they "feel horney", what does it mean? For whom can I say this words?

"In which", "of which", "at which", "to which", etc? I'm confused with these words. Please help me out here. W ...

I heard the phrase: "No pun intended" and can't understand the meaning? What does it mean and when I can use i ...

Hello! Could you help me with sentences: You made my day or You have made my day? Which one is correct?

Find the right tutor for you

• English tutors in Ajax
• English tutors in Shepparton
• English tutors in Croydon
• English tutors in Stuart, FL
• Present progressive tutors
• Future Tense tutors

Feeling stuck?

Ask our expert tutors a question (it's free!)

English community experts

Click on a tutor to learn more about them

Learning Resources