essay event

Free Event Essay Examples & Topics

An essay describing certain events that happened to you or other people is called an event essay. It doesn’t matter if the situation you’re writing about happened to you or not since your overall task does not change. This task can be a challenging one. You need to include the illustrative details of the event to make the readers feel like they’re experiencing the event firsthand. It needs to be more than a mere description of an event and contain elements of the narrative style.

Two paper types are the most common for the task.

A narrative essay is designed to tell a story; think of it as a review of an event. It will try to persuade rather than describe a situation. Such papers are written in first-person, which is usually not acceptable for essay writing.

A descriptive essay should convey a description of an event. You can start by sharing some details of the situation, providing colorful characterizations. That is to say, you draw an illustrative picture of the event but in words.

On this page, our writers have combined a list of event essay examples on various topics. You will find the guidelines for writing papers about current situations and issues. Besides, you’ll discover what events can lay the foundation for a great essay.

How to Write a Current Event Paper

Neither narrative nor descriptive essays can be simply subjective. You have to research the event you’re trying to convey, not mess the facts and details. Of course, there is no way to represent an event in a completely objective manner, but fact-checking never hurt anyone.

To write an excellent event essay, follow these steps:

Step 1: Choose the event.

Look for an event that you can describe in the form of an essay. You can do that by looking at reputable news sources. Ensure that the articles you are examining are fresh and up-to-date.

Step 2: Do your research.

Start your research by reading the picked articles several times. Ask yourself questions about the events such as:

• What happened?
• When did the situation occur?
• Where did it happen?
• Who was involved?
• What was the result?

Make sure not to plagiarize when you write your essay. If you use direct or indirect quotes, don’t forget to include proper citations.

Step 3: Describe the event.

After you are done with the initial research, you can start by describing the event. Answer all the questions you have come up with. If you think you don’t have enough information, consult other sources: documentaries, journals, diaries, etc. Present several points of view and perspectives to make your description more accurate.

Step 4: Outline your essay.

By writing an outline, you can effectively prepare your thoughts and ideas. Creating a structure is an excellent way to logically connect the information from different sources and your own story.

Step 5: Write and cite.

At this point, you have done all the needed research and outlined your arguments. It’s time to create a description of the event. So, the last step is to compose it and cite your sources.

7 Current Events to Write about

If you are assigned to elaborate on current events, here are some notorious occasions happening today. We’ve selected a few, but there are many more that you can find.

So, here are current events to write about:

• Is the US economy becoming stronger or weaker in 2021?
• How will COVID-19 affect the labor market around the world?
• Can China take over the world economically in the next decade?
• Does international aid hurt African countries?
• What sport should be introduced to the 2022 Olympics?
• Can India become the next superpower in the post-COVID world?
• Is racism a problem in sports in American colleges?

15 Event Essay Topics

As you could imagine, any good paper starts with a good idea. Additionally, any good idea for an event essay begins with the properly picked situation. We’ve selected fifteen topic ideas that are designed to inspire and encourage.

Check this list and find a perfect event essay topic:

• Describe a life-changing event or experience that impacted you or your behavior in a significant way.
• Tell about an experience when you overcame a fear or phobia and how it happened.
• Remember a school event you are ashamed of.
• Describe your experience attending a concert, a cultural event, or a festival and your emotions.
• Try to think about your childhood heroes and how they changed your life.
• Describe your feelings during the moment you understood someone lied to you.
• Retell your experience solving a problem or a dilemma.
• Recall some of the lessons you learned by helping others.
• Do you remember how you found out you will have a sibling? Describe your feelings, thoughts, and how your parents told you.
• Write a paper about the first time you went abroad.
• What is the most famous person you have ever met, and how did it happen?
• In this essay, write about a memorable event that broke your heart.
• What was the saddest day of your life so far? What upset you that day?
• What about the happiest day of your life? What significant event has happened?
• Describe an unexpected event or a day you have felt humiliated and ashamed.

Thank you for reading the article till the end. We hope you find it helpful, and it will inspire you to write the event essay in the best way possible. Share it with those who may need our advice, and check the samples below.

67 Best Essay Examples on Events

Event planning and implementation: wedding.

• Words: 1620

Attend a Cultural Event: Different Ethnic Communities’ Identities

Festivals and their importance for modern culture, arts and crafts festival event.

• Words: 2238

Wedding planning project

• Words: 4267

Ramadan Celebration: The Religious Festival

The negative social impacts of “tomorrowland music festival”, planning a birthday party for a girl child, organising a new year party.

• Words: 1385

Woodstock: Peace, Love and Rock n’ Roll

• Words: 1653

Charity Race Event Organization

Woodstock music festival.

• Words: 2313

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in Australia

• Words: 3686

Event Management: Organizing a Sporting Event

• Words: 1011

Wedding in Seattle: Event Feasibility Study

• Words: 1006

Lantern Festival and Rice Ball

• Words: 1131

Sarah Kwon’s and Alicia Batice Speech: Critique

The world expo 2020 in dubai: pros and cons, entertaining process and requirements, “the world of dance” event, hallmark events analysis and discussion.

• Words: 2086

The Power of Vulnerability Event by Brené Brown

• Words: 1094

Corporate Hospitality Event Planning

• Words: 1708

Will Smith vs. Chris Rock at the Academy Awards

Expo 2020 dubai: the event of global scale, school fundraiser event: conventional foodservice, black friday: positive and negative sides, “newport jazz 2021”: the art event, virtual event venues: benefits and challenges, the grand opening of the new university library: in different media sources, the woodstock music festival’s organizational challenges, tour de france: production of a creative event.

• Words: 1000

The Orange F.O.O.D Week Festival in Australia

• Words: 2082

Planning the Banquet in the Cape Bretoner Room

• Words: 2614

Different Types of Modern Awards Review

Independent arts and crafts festival: event safety, flavours of chittering food & wine festival: analysis.

• Words: 1777

Benefits of a Non-Profit Bookfair Festival for a Major US City

Newspaper articles on financial accounting analysis.

• Words: 2099

Greenpeace Foundation’s Creative Events Management

Jazz music concert and theatrical performance, event management obstacles: electricity supply absence, strategic approaches for global events.

• Words: 3787

Business Plan: Event Management in Bottaccio

• Words: 3011

Dubai Jazz Festival Press Release

Richmond folk festival performances, henna night event cost estimation, made in america musical festival planning, event management in the uk and russia.

• Words: 1947

Public and Private Sector Events Organization

Salford christmas land project and event management.

• Words: 2476

Festival Organization Service Operations

• Words: 1776

The 2014 Joondalup Festival Details

Event planning: “portfolio in motion uncut”, national day of the uae at zayed university, could the 2022 world cup really move from qatar.

• Words: 2757

International Cultural, Sports and Business Events

• Words: 1390

Events: E3’s and Comic-con’ Conventions

• Words: 1900

Events: Expo 2020 in Dubai

• Words: 2235

Music Event: Eurovision Song Contest 2014

Retailing event concept plan.

• Words: 1512

The Washington DC Auto Show: Brightest Event in Automotive Industry

• Words: 1085

Winchester’s Bid to Host the 7th World Summit on Art & Culture 2017: A Critical Analyses of Strengths & Weaknesses

• Words: 4187

The Geneva International Motor Show

• Words: 1965

Third Annual Bay Area Travel and Adventure Show

Festival in greektown, chicago:.

📕 Studying HQ

130 + best current event essay topics & current event essay example, bob cardens.

• July 29, 2022

This article covers a list over 130 Current Event Essay Topics and a Current Event Essay Example. It also discusses the ho to choose a Current Event Essay Topic that best fits your interests.

Current events essays are common assignments given by English professors which means learning to write them is a key to passing and succeeding in English class. Writing an essay may seem like a simple assignment, but when it is due tomorrow, a blank word document and piles of books can seem paralyzing.

What You'll Learn

Current Event Essay

A current events essay is a written description of a recent situation, issue, or happening. Current events essays are often assigned by English professors as a way to teach students about the research, writing, and editing process.

Properties of Current Events Essays

• Are written in standard essay format
• Include in-text citations and follow a specific citation format
• Summarize a recent or upcoming event known to the public

You may also be interested to read about Argumentative business essay topics

How to choose your topic

Sometimes a current events essay assignment will provide specific instructions about what topic to write about.

Other times, students will have more flexibility in choosing a topic. Be sure to carefully review your assignment’s rubric and instructions.

If you will be choosing your own topic, make note of the following before you narrow down topic choices:

1. Do the instructions place any time constraints on your topic? In other words, does your current event have to be something that happened within the last year or can it be something that happened five years ago?

2. Does your topic need to relate to a specific industry or genre such as politics, sports, or business?

3. Are there any analytical components that are supposed to be addressed by your essay or are it purely descriptive?

How to Research Efficiently

Tackling the research process can, no doubt, feel a bit intimidating. Here are some basic steps for getting started:

1. Know how many sources you will need  so that you can allow enough time to research.

2. Choose credible sources.  This will depend on the instructions you are given. some professors allow business or media articles while others will only want scholarly sources.

3. Know exactly what you are looking for  before you start your research. Jot down three or four main bullet points of what you will be looking for while you are researching.

Think of these points like a road map. They will guide your reading so you know what passages will be relevant to your paper.

Usually, you will be looking for information that relates to the  What, Where, When, Who, Why,  and  How  aspects of your topic.

Best Current Event Essay Topics

Politics current event essay topics.

• How will Black Lives Matter affect the 2020 elections?
• Should the police be defunded?
• How is the Trump presidency changing international relationships?
• How should the U.S. respond to cyber hacking by Russia, China, and other countries?
• Should the United States raise the minimum wage for workers?
• How can cities in the U.S. be better designed to create a safer and more economically productive community?
• Is the U.S. economy becoming stronger or weaker?
• How will COVID-19 change working in America? Around the world?
• Getting “off the grid” is a current trend. What is the benefit of becoming self-sufficient? Is it worth the cost?
• Does better health care for everyone make a better and stronger economy in the U.S.?
• Does it make sense to give U.S. citizenship to all babies born in the United States?
• Gallup polls show that Americans view Unemployment and the economy as the top problem in the United States. Does evidence suggest they are right?
• What are the different sides of the current debate over immigration reform in the U.S.?
• Does the United States have a good or a poor educational system compared to the rest of the world?
• How important is it to reduce the Federal budget deficit?
• What will be the most important issues in the next Presidential election cycle?
• What is causing the increasingly high cost of healthcare in the United States?
• Should the U.S. continue using drone strikes against terrorists?
• How is the current U.S. drought going to affect the fire season and food supply?
• Should the death penalty be outlawed throughout the U.S.?
• Should the U.S. aggressively work to change towards alternative energies like solar and wind power?
• What is the best way to create new jobs in the United States to get people back to work?
• Is the United States responsible for keeping peace around the world? What role should the U.S. play in preventing or intervening in wars and abusive governments?
• Should the United States fund college education more for people? What should be the rules for the repayment of loans?
• Should the United States make it easier for educated people or people with valuable skills to immigrate to the United States?
• How can the Borders of the United States be made more secure? How important is border security?
• Should it be easier for people to become United States citizens?
• What infrastructure projects should be the top domestic priority in the United States?
• How has the high incarceration rate in the United States affected the economy? What Federal and State policies have driven up this incarceration rate?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected the debate about racism in the United States?

You may also be interested to read about Argumentative Essay Topics about Social Media

Sports Current Event Essay Topics

• Should sports teams play to empty stands rather than not play at all?
• How will COVID-19 affect sports in the future?
• Should college football players receive a salary or other compensation for their playing?
• Should the owner of a professional team be held accountable for the comments he makes in a private conversation?
• Is it worth it for a city to invest in building a bigger and better stadium for its professional sports team?
• What is the value of a college sports team for a college? How does this help the college in terms of getting financial support from alumni? Attracting students? Supporting the economy of their community?
• What is the difference between sports and entertainment?
• How have new technologies made by watching sports different? Is the experience of watching sports better or worse than it was before?
• Which is more interesting to watch, college or professional sports?
• What sports should be taken out or added to the Olympic games?
• Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports? What should be the rules about these drugs? Should athletes who used them in the past before they were outlawed be prevented from being entered into Hall of Fame?
• Is racism in sports a problem?
• Should athletes protest racism in America by not participating in the National Anthem or Pledge of Allegiance?
• Is participating in organized sports a good or bad idea for young people?
• Is it better for young people to specialize in one sport from a young age? Or should they try a variety of sports?
• Choose your favorite sport. What is the best way for coaches to identify the best talent in their specific sport? Are there better ways to pick a team?
• How much of a role do parents play in developing top talent in their children? What is the best way parents can help develop their children’s sports career? What are the worst mistakes parents make?
• Can fan-owned teams solve sports problems?

World Issues Current Event Essay Topics

• How will COVID-19 change the world economy?
• Is WHO and organization that provides the information we can trust?
• Is the International Space Station a good way to bridge differences between nations, or is it vulnerable to become a political tool?
• Are we heading towards a 3rd World War?
• Is N.A.T.O. and an effective organization?
• How can the International Community prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons? How important is it that Iran not be allowed nuclear weaponry?
• What is the effect on Africa on the fact that many children have been forced to be soldiers?
• Is the EU going to survive the current economic problems countries have been having? Should the EU nations separate their economies?
• Is violence along the border of Mexico getting better?
• How can ethnic killings be stopped in Sudan?
• Is China easing up in restrictions for Religion or not? Are human rights better or worse in China than in the past?
• Should women’s issues be more important in international affairs?
• Is China about to overtake the United States economically?
• What is the effect of piracy on the stability of world commerce? How important is it to stop African pirates?
• Is there a better way to fight the war against drugs internationally?
• Is China starting to deal with their pollution problem?
• How has social media helped positively influence the world?
• Is India a poor nation or an emerging superpower?
• How can we stop the world population from reaching 9 billion in 2050? Is it important to work to limit world population growth?
• Should the world follow Bhutan’s development model?
• How healthy is the Indian Judicial System?
• Why do African nations have so many civil wars?
• Has foreign aid hurt Africa more than helping it?
• How has the influence of western media hurt underdeveloped nations?
• Does Colonialism still affect the nations that were colonized? Pick a nation and explain the continuing problems in that nation due to the history of being colonized.

Health and Medicine Current Event EssayTopics

• What can we do to better prepare ourselves for pandemics in the future?
• What are the lessons the medical community will learn from COVID-19?
• Are E-Cigarettes less harmful than smoking?
• Why do people oppose the Affordable Care Act?
• Does spending time on media cause children to have mental health problems?
• How is the job of frontline health workers like pharmacists, nurses, and doctors going to change?
• Is it possible to get AIDS infection rates to zero?
• What is preventing the world from eradicating polio?
• How are new technologies changing health care?
• What are the current trends in research about helping people break out of addictive behaviors?
• Traditional Chinese Medicine birth practices like eating the placenta (which in Western countries is usually encapsulated by being steamed dried and ground into pills) are becoming popular among some celebrities. What is the benefit of this practice? Is there any scientific evidence it works?
• Does making a city a “no smoking zone” really benefit health? Does it stop people from smoking, or help them quit? Does it result in fewer smokers in that city?
• What is the best diet for people with heart disease in their family history?
• The length of the average life continues to increase. What does current research say about the best lifestyle for someone who wants to live to be 100?
• Research is finding that what we think a medicine or food will do sometimes affects the way our body reacts. What is the evidence that our mind controls our body?
• Current health food trends include eating “superfoods” or going “gluten-free.” Take a current food trend and investigate the scientific evidence that this helps people have better health.
• What is the benefit of taking a daily low dose of Aspirin for older people?

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Current Event Essay Topics )

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Media and Entertainment Current Event Essay Topics

• How has Twitter changed Entertainment news? What are the most recent scandals made bigger because of Tweets?
• Is it inevitable that teenage stars eventually turn to drugs, alcohol, or other destructive behavior?
• Are female stars fighting back effectively against being judged by their looks, and especially by their weight?
• Which celebrity does the best job of seeming to be authentic? Is there a celebrity who seems to be as nice as they appear? How can fans know?
• How have shows like “Project Runway” influenced fashion? Have they motivated people to become more creative and personal in what they wear?
• In what way does the attention of the media on religious figures like The Pope affect the way they behave?
• Are the recent Christian movies helping win the culture wars?
• Why are cooking shows like “Chopped” popular?
• What is the best recent film adapted from a novel?
• What are the best movies in the current year? Do the Academy Awards winners reflect the very best movies?
• Is recap culture hurting television?
• Recently, scripts from pro-wrestling have been released showing that the storyline is written even though the wrestling is improved. Analyze how pro-wrestling is similar to other forms of live or taped entertainment.
• Which current actors from Bollywood or other film industry outside of the U.S. seem most likely to make it big in Hollywood?
• Does getting involved in a scandal hurt or help a celebrity’s career?
• Does being on American Idol, The Voice or other singing contest help an artist’s career? Do winners do better than other contestants?
• Pick one of the current Reality T.V. shows to investigate. How “Real” are these shows? What is done for entertainment value more than for depicting real life? Do these shows hurt or help the people on them?

Controversial Issues Current Event Essay Topics

• Affirmative Action
• Alternative medicine
• America’s global influence
• Artificial intelligence
• Assisted suicide
• Bilingual education
• Capital punishment
• Charter schools
• Childhood obesity
• Civil rights
• Climate change
• Cryptocurrency
• Cyber bullying
• Drug legalization
• Eating disorders
• Factory farming
• Foreign aid
• Freedom of speech
• Genetic engineering
• Health insurance
• Immigration
• Labor unions
• Minimum wage
• Nuclear energy
• Organic food
• Offshore drilling
• Outsourcing
• Racial profiling
• Reparations
• Screen addiction
• Self-driving cars
• Sex education
• Smart speakers
• Social security
• Standardized testing
• Urban agriculture
• Violence in the media
• Women’s rights
• Zero tolerance policies

Current Event Essay Example

The negative social impacts of “tomorrowland music festival” essay.

“Tomorrowland” is among the biggest global music events that were first launched in 2005. Despite the benefits of this festival for the local community, such as increased economic activity and employment, “Tomorrowland” has also been criticized for the presence of drugs on-site, the issues with cleaning up the location after the festival, local community’s quality of life, and noise pollution.

According to Turner (2017), during events such as Tomorrowland, “police generally occupy a low-key role at festivals with a focus on the seizure of drugs, rather than arrests” (241). Hence, the youth attending this event is exposed to drugs and seeing people around them be under the influence.

Another issue with Tomorrowland is the effect that this festival has on the local community. According to Pavluković et al. (2018), the governments and organizers of festivals usually cite the economic benefits of these events but fail to acknowledge the discomfort the locals feel. An obvious environmental impact is trash left behind by the visitors, which requires the administration of the festival to invest in clearing the site after “Tomorrowland” is over.

Adbulredha et al. (2017) argue that major music festivals generate substantial quantities of solid waste, an estimated “0.89 kg per guest” (p. 388). This problem affects the environment negatively since this waste includes non-recyclable objects or items that need to be collected and send for recycling.

Finally, noise pollution due to the powerful sound systems used by “Tomorrowland’s” performers, which can affect the hearing of the people attending the festival and cause discomfort to the community members, is also a problem.

Overall, although “Tomorrowland” is an important cultural event that has multiple benefits, it also endangers the youth and the environment and causes discomfort for the locals.

Abdulredha, M., Al Khaddar, R., Jordan, D., Kot, P., Abdulridha, A., & Hashim, K. (2018). Estimating solid waste generation by hospitality industry during major festivals: A quantification model based on multiple regression.  Waste Management, 77 , 388-400. Web.

Pavluković V., Armenski T., Alcántara-Pilar J.M. (2019) The impact of music festivals on local communities and their quality of life: Comparation of Serbia and Hungary. In A. Campón-Cerro A., J. Hernández-Mogollón, & J. Folgado-Fernández (Eds.), Best practices in hospitality and tourism marketing and management. Applying quality of life research (pp. 217-237). Springer.

Turner, T. (2017). Space, drugs and Disneyfication. An Ethnography of British youth in Ibiza. [Doctoral dissertation, Coventry University]. CURVE.

You can also check out Best Classification Essay Topics 

Related FAQs

1. what are the components of a current events essay.

A well-written, “current events essay” has four main components: Research: Make sure that you’re getting your news from a reputable source. Online news sources like Google News and any national news syndication Web site are good, convenient sources from which to gather reputable information and compile research data.

2. How to write a narrative discussion analysis article about current events?

The eply a narrative discussion analysis article, Current Event, include: (1)’s significance, relevance, relationship PUBLIC ADMINISTATION, (2) student’s opinion article’s public administration issue / problem, (3) supported (4) -text reference citations pages text 300 words.

3. How to write an essay about a recent event?

Select a recent article. Your task is to write about a current event; therefore, you have to choose the material that is one or two days old, maximum, one week old. The topic must be appropriate.

4. How to write a summary for a current event assignment?

Choose an article that is fresh since the assignment is to write about a current event. In addition, choose an article on the correct topic and make sure that the article gives enough information. Prepare to write the summary by reading the entire article.

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Here are all of our Student Opinion questions from the 2020-21 school year. Each question is based on a different New York Times article, interactive feature or video.

By The Learning Network

Each school day we publish a new Student Opinion question, and students use these writing prompts to reflect on their experiences and identities and respond to current events unfolding around them. To introduce each question, we provide an excerpt from a related New York Times article or Opinion piece as well as a free link to the original article.

During the 2020-21 school year, we asked 176 questions, and you can find them all below or here as a PDF . The questions are divided into two categories — those that provide opportunities for debate and persuasive writing, and those that lend themselves to creative, personal or reflective writing.

Teachers can use these prompts to help students practice narrative and persuasive writing, start classroom debates and even spark conversation between students around the world via our comments section. For more ideas on how to use our Student Opinion questions, we offer a short tutorial along with a nine-minute video on how one high school English teacher and her students use this feature .

Questions for Debate and Persuasive Writing

1. Should Athletes Speak Out On Social and Political Issues? 2. Should All Young People Learn How to Invest in the Stock Market? 3. What Are the Greatest Songs of All Time? 4. Should There Be More Gender Options on Identification Documents? 5. Should We End the Practice of Tipping? 6. Should There Be Separate Social Media Apps for Children? 7. Do Marriage Proposals Still Have a Place in Today’s Society? 8. How Do You Feel About Cancel Culture? 9. Should the United States Decriminalize the Possession of Drugs? 10. Does Reality TV Deserve Its Bad Rap? 11. Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished? 12. How Should Parents Support a Student Who Has Fallen Behind in School? 13. When Is It OK to Be a Snitch? 14. Should People Be Required to Show Proof of Vaccination? 15. How Much Have You and Your Community Changed Since George Floyd’s Death? 16. Can Empathy Be Taught? Should Schools Try to Help Us Feel One Another’s Pain? 17. 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How Should Racial Slurs in Literature Be Handled in the Classroom? 32. Should There Still Be Snow Days? 33. What Are Your Reactions to the Storming of the Capitol by a Pro-Trump Mob? 34. What Do You Think of the Decision by Tech Companies to Block President Trump? 35. If You Were a Member of Congress, Would You Vote to Impeach President Trump? 36. What Would You Do First if You Were the New President? 37. Who Do You Hope Will Win the 2020 Presidential Election? 38. Should Media Literacy Be a Required Course in School? 39. What Are Your Reactions to the Results of Election 2020? Where Do We Go From Here? 40. How Should We Remember the Problematic Actions of the Nation’s Founders? 41. As Coronavirus Cases Surge, How Should Leaders Decide What Stays Open and What Closes? 42. What Is Your Reaction to the Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? 43. How Worried Should We Be About Screen Time During the Pandemic? 44. Should Schools Be Able to Discipline Students for What They Say on Social Media? 45. What Works of Art, Culture and Technology Flopped in 2020? 46. How Do You Feel About Censored Music? 47. Why Do You Think ‘Drivers License’ Became Such a Smash Hit? 48. Justice Ginsburg Fought for Gender Equality. How Close Are We to Achieving That Goal? 49. How Well Do You Think Our Leaders Have Responded to the Coronavirus Crisis? 50. To What Extent Is the Legacy of Slavery and Racism Still Present in America in 2020? 51. How Should We Reimagine Our Schools So That All Students Receive a Quality Education? 52. How Concerned Do You Think We Should Be About the Integrity of the 2020 Election? 53. What Issues in This Election Season Matter Most to You? 54. Is Summer School a Smart Way to Make Up for Learning Lost This School Year? 55. What Is Your Reaction to the Senate’s Acquittal of Former President Trump? 56. What Is the Worst Toy Ever? 57. How Should We Balance Safety and Urgency in Developing a Covid-19 Vaccine? 58. What Are Your Reactions to Oprah’s Interview With Harry and Meghan? 59. Should the Government Provide a Guaranteed Income for Families With Children? 60. Should There Be More Public Restrooms? 61. Should High School-Age Basketball Players Be Able to Get Paid? 62. Should Team Sports Happen This Year? 63. Who Are the Best Musical Artists of the Past Year? What Are the Best Songs? 64. Should We Cancel Student Debt? 65. How Closely Should Actors’ Identities Reflect the Roles They Play? 66. Should White Writers Translate a Black Author’s Work? 67. Would You Buy an NFT? 68. Should Kids Still Learn to Tell Time? 69. Should All Schools Teach Financial Literacy? 70. What Is Your Reaction to the Verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial? 71. What Is the Best Way to Stop Abusive Language Online? 72. What Are the Underlying Systems That Hold a Society Together? 73. What Grade Would You Give President Biden on His First 100 Days? 74. Should High Schools Post Their Annual College Lists? 75. Are C.E.O.s Paid Too Much? 76. Should We Rethink Thanksgiving? 77. What Is the Best Way to Get Teenagers Vaccinated? 78. Do You Want Your Parents and Grandparents to Get the New Coronavirus Vaccine? 79. What Is Your Reaction to New Guidelines That Loosen Mask Requirements? 80. Who Should We Honor on Our Money? 81. Is Your School’s Dress Code Outdated? 82. Does Everyone Have a Responsibility to Vote? 83. How Is Your Generation Changing Politics?

Questions for Creative and Personal Writing

84. What Does Your Unique Style Say About You? 85. How Do You Spend Your Downtime? 86. Would You Want to Live to 200? 87. How Do You Connect to Your Heritage? 88. What Do You Think Are the Secrets to Happiness? 89. Are You a Sneakerhead? 90. What Role Have Mentors Played in Your Life? 91. If You Could Make Your Own Podcast, What Would It Be About? 92. Have You Ever Felt Pressure to ‘Sell Your Pain’? 93. Do You Think You Make Good Climate Choices? 94. What Does TikTok Mean to You? 95. Do Your Parents Overpraise You? 96. Do You Want to Travel in Space? 97. Do You Feel You’re Friends With Celebrities or Influencers You Follow Online? 98. Would You Eat Food Grown in a Lab? 99. What Makes You Cringe? 100. What Volunteer Work Would You Most Like to Do? 101. How Do You Respond When People Ask, ‘Where Are You From?’ 102. Has a School Assignment or Activity Ever Made You Uncomfortable? 103. How Does Your Identity Inform Your Political Beliefs and Values? 104. Are You an Orchid, a Tulip or a Dandelion? 105. Are You Having a Tough Time Maintaining Friendships These Days? 106. How Is Your Mental Health These Days? 107. Do You Love Writing or Receiving Letters? 108. What Has Television Taught You About Social Class? 109. Are You Easily Distracted? 110. What Objects Bring You Comfort? 111. What Is Your Favorite Memory of PBS? 112. Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Your Parents? 113. What Are You Doing to Combat Pandemic Fatigue? 114. Have You Ever Worried About Making a Good First Impression? 115. What Do You Want Your Parents to Know About What It’s Like to Be a Teenager During the Pandemic? 116. How Have You Collaborated From a Distance During the Pandemic? 117. How Important Is It to You to Have Similar Political Beliefs to Your Family and Friends? 118. How Are You Feeling About Winter This Year? 119. Which Celebrity Performer Would You Like to Challenge to a Friendly Battle? 120. How Mentally Tough Are You? 121. What Smells Trigger Powerful Memories for You? 122. What Are You Thankful for This Year? 123. Do You Miss Hugs? 124. Are You a Good Conversationalist? 125. What Habits Have You Started or Left Behind in 2020? 126. What Was the Best Art and Culture You Experienced in 2020? 127. What’s Your Relationship With Masks? 128. What Role Does Religion Play in Your Life? 129. How Will You Be Celebrating the Holidays This Year? 130. What Is Something Good That Happened in 2020? 131. What New Flavor Ideas Do You Have for Your Favorite Foods? 132. What Are Your Hopes and Concerns for the New School Year? 133. How Has 2020 Challenged or Changed You? 134. What Do You Hope for Most in 2021? 135. How Do You View Death? 136. What Is Your Favorite Fact You Learned in 2020? 137. What Are the Places in the World That You Love Most? 138. Have You Ever Experienced ‘Impostor Syndrome’? 139. How Well Do You Get Along With Your Siblings? 140. Do You Talk to Your Family About the Cost of College? 141. Do You Have a Healthy Diet? 142. How Do You Feel About Mask-Slipping? 143. Do You Believe in Manifesting? 144. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 145. What Are Your Family’s House Rules During the Covid Crisis? 146. What Online Communities Do You Participate In? 147. Have You Experienced Any Embarrassing Zoom Mishaps? 148. What Does Your Country’s National Anthem Mean to You? 149. Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands? 150. Would You Volunteer for a Covid-19 Vaccine Trial? 151. What ‘Old’ Technology Do You Think Is Cool? 152. Have You Ever Tried to Grow Something? 153. How Has the Pandemic Changed Your Relationship to Your Body? 154. How Do You Find New Books, Music, Movies or Television Shows? 155. Are You Nervous About Returning to Normal Life? 156. How Do You Celebrate Spring? 157. How Do You Talk With People Who Don’t Share Your Views? 158. Would You Want to Be a Teacher Someday? 159. What Would You Recommend That Is ‘Overlooked and Underappreciated’? 160. What Children’s Books Have Had the Biggest Impact on You? 161. What Is Your Gender Identity? 162. Have You Hit a Wall? 163. What Is the Code You Live By? 164. Do You Think You Have Experienced ‘Learning Loss’ During the Pandemic? 165. What Are the Most Memorable Things You’ve Seen or Experienced in Nature? 166. Do You Want to Have Children Someday? 167. What Have You Learned About Friendship This Year? 168. What Seemingly Mundane Feats Have You Accomplished? 169. Has a Celebrity Ever Convinced You to Do Something? 170. How Have You Commemorated Milestones During the Pandemic? 171. How Often Do You Read, Watch or Listen to Things Outside of Your Comfort Zone? 172. Do You Think You Live in a Political Bubble? 173. What Is Your Relationship With the Weight-Loss Industry? 174. What Have You Made This Year? 175. How Are You Right Now? 176. What Are You Grateful For?

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What Are Event Essays? Explained With Examples!

Table of Contents

An event essay is one in which you or another person describes specific events. The fact that you experienced the situation you’re penning about has no bearing on the task. This undertaking may be complex.

To give the readers the impression that they are experiencing the event firsthand, you must include illustrative details of the event. It must go beyond a straightforward account of what happened and incorporate aspects of the narrative style.

Creating an essay about a particular event can be difficult. Because, the reader should be given the impression that he is there experiencing it firsthand by the way the essay describes it. It is necessary to word a strong, well-balanced narrative essay that recounts the event’s history. And it offers sufficient analysis because the essay must be more than just descriptive.

In today’s post, we’re going to look what is an event essay and how to create one. Sounds exciting? Keep reading!

What Is an Event Essay?

A current events essay discusses a recent problem, circumstance, phenomenon, or event that is noteworthy , grabs public attention, is shocking, or is fascinating.

Essays on current events may occasionally describe events that have not yet occurred. It aids in connecting what you have learned in class to the events taking place in the outside world. The majority of essays on current events have five paragraphs.

You must discuss the historical background, the present situation, and any potential short- and long-term effects of a specific topic. In a current events essay that has a significant global impact. The majority of the time, the topics will be debatable social issues. Issues that are related to law, politics, international relations, technology, science, sociology, medicine, and health. You’ll present a recent occurrence or problem in the proper context.

The assignment, which is frequently given to students enrolled in English writing courses, is designed to evaluate their writing, editing, and research abilities. Additionally, it educates students on significant events taking place around the globe.

You must consider social justice, form opinions about it, and learn to recognize publication bias as you write one. Additionally, you get to improve your summary, reading comprehension, creative thinking, and critical thinking abilities as you write it.

Additionally, writing an essay about current events aids in the development of your persuasive and argumentative abilities.

We can now better understand the various steps you must take to write a successful current events essay or paper.

How to Write an Event Essay?

You need to help people picture the event as an idea . A good opening sentence that introduces the reader to the topic includes a description of a component or facet of the actual event.

For example, let’s say if your essay is about your experience at the National Firearms Convention. You would want to quickly draw the reader into the convention by describing the details. Buzz of the crowd, the cool, crisp night air of the stadium. Don’t forget the faint scent of popcorn wafting down through the bleacher seats from the concession stand above.

The introduction should subtly inform the reader about the described event and demonstrate the experience’s integrity.

Make a decision regarding your essay’s purpose. Instead of just describing, a good narrative essay will make an effort to convince or instruct. Perhaps your intention in sharing your experience at the National Firearms Convention is to encourage readers to get involved in politics. Or to educate them on the flaws of the system.

The action should then be introduced gradually in your essay. Readers will be ready to take action or recognize flaws in party politics by the end of the story. This shouldn’t necessarily happen due to logical argument. You should not have to explain the event and its significance in detail so that it will produce the desired outcome.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. This technique is frequently disapproved of in essays. However, it can occasionally be the most effective means of engaging the reader in a narrative essay’s description of an event. If you are writing the essay for a class assignment, you should ask your professor or teacher if this is okay.

We hope our guide on what is an event essay was able to help you come to a conclusion with your work. You can plan your essay by using the information you can find on this page.

If you liked this page, make sure you share it with other people who need it to save some time.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to Write a Current Event Essay: Tips, Structure, Topics, Example

Students are often tasked with the responsibility of how to write a current events essay paper. This paper assesses their research, writing, and editing skills. It also helps them keep tabs on the occurrences in the world and draw a relationship between them and their possible effects.

When writing this kind of paper, reflecting on a situation and exercising your critical thinking and creativity is essential. This writing also develops your argumentative and persuasive skills .

What Is a Current Events Essay?

Unlike most papers, a current events essay focuses on clearly and effectively outlining a particular phenomenon, situation, or happening. The event has to be interesting enough to draw most people’s attention and evoke different emotions from them. On rare occasions, this kind of writing could also describe an event that has yet to occur.

This kind of writing requires you to address the phenomenon’s historical context, current state, and potential effects. As a result, your topics will relate to concepts in fields such as technology, politics, medicine and health, sociology, science, international relations, law, and controversial societal issues and standards.

Current Event Paper Format

Having defined what this kind of paper is about, how about diving into details about its format? Before getting into intricate details about event paper writing, how about taking a detour to learn more about EssayAxe ? We are a cheap essay writing service you can confidently rely on. These are the reasons why you should hire us to work on your assignment:

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How Do You Write a Summary of an Event?

Back to the format of writing current events papers, these steps will help you better approach this kind of essay. They will also help you avoid writer’s block and develop a well-structured essay. Follow these steps on how to write a current events report:

1. Select an Exciting Topic

Your tutor may provide a specific topic or instructions for this essay. On other occasions, they might ask you to select a topic and write an essay about it. The latter might sound easy, even though most students fail at approaching it. Therefore, you must be very careful when choosing a topic for your writing.

Before settling on a topic, go through the tutor’s instructions to establish the constraints of your essay’s topic. Some tutors specify the timeframe of the events they want to write about. Others limit the subject or field they want the writing to be about. Some instructions will also dictate the tone of your paper. For instance, an analytical essay should not have a descriptive tone.

Current Events Essay Topics

How do I make my current event article engaging and interesting? The first step is to choose the right topic. Focus on your notes or news outlets for ideas on what to write about. Ask for insights from your mates or tutor. Alternatively, consult our team for information on what to write about.

Meanwhile, here are examples of current events to write about:

• How can we control inflation?
• Should college be free?
• Should all college debt be forgiven?
• Is the U.S. going to go into recession?
• Was the defunding of police departments a good idea?
• What should be the rules for the repayment of college loans?
• Is the U.S. economy becoming stronger or weaker?
• How important is it to reduce the Federal budget deficit?
• Should the death penalty be outlawed throughout the U.S.?
• Should the United States raise the minimum wage for workers?
• How is COVID-19 changing working in America? Around the world?
• Does it make sense to give U.S. citizenship to all babies born in the United States?
• What is causing the increasingly high cost of healthcare in the United States?
• Does better health care for everyone make a better and stronger economy in the U.S.?
• How should the U.S. respond to cyber hacking by Russia, China, and other countries?

2. Choose a Reputable News Source and Select an Article

What are some good sources for finding current events to write about? You could base your essay on sources like media publications. Some of them include:

• National News
• Sports News
• The Atlantic
• The Economist
• The Guardian
• Investopedia
• TIME Magazine
• The Harvard Business Review
• National Public Radio (NPR)
• The Wall Street Journal
• The Washington Post

Remember, your source should be credible, reliable, and reputable. It should have a history of writing trustworthy news. You could also base your essay on publications on empirical journal articles, government documents, scholarly books, and peer-reviewed articles.

3. Read the Selected Article Keenly and Take Notes

After specifying the article you want to write about, read through it carefully, jotting down important details. If you are unsure about the vocabulary used in the article, look it up and note the contextual meaning of words. Identify the five Ws in the article:

• What happened?
• Where did it happen?
• When did it happen?
• Who was involved?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?

Answers to these questions will help develop an angle for your analysis. It will also help build key sections of your essay like the lead sentences, thesis statement, title, claims, and arguments.

Read Also: Can You Plagiarize Yourself and What Are the Consequences?

4. Develop a Thesis Statement and Hook for Your Essay

How do you start an event essay? Using your notes, develop a thesis statement for your essay. Ensure you are creative enough to come up with a unique statement. In the same breath, it should be strong enough to form the basis of your arguments.

For instance, if you are writing about human trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic, here is an example of a thesis statement and hook statement.

Thesis Statement

It is time for world leaders, law enforcement agencies, and investigative agencies to team up and develop structures and measures to curb human trafficking, especially during natural disasters and pandemics.

A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had dire effects on the victims and survivors of human trafficking; there was an increased targeting exploitation of women and children.

5. Choose the Sources You Wish to Use to Support the Thesis

How do I make sure my current event article is accurate and unbiased? Establish the sources you wish to use to determine the scope of your essay. They have to be credible. If your instructions specify the sources for your paper, bear that in mind. When researching, highlight the specific pages with information you will use to support your arguments.

How do I cite my sources in a current event article? The style depends on the instructions specified by your tutor.

READ ALSO: Best Conclusion Generator Top 5 Ones That Work

6. Create an Outline

Your current events essay should follow the five-paragraph essay format:

Introduction

• 3 body paragraphs

The three body paragraphs should include arguments backing up the thesis statement.

How do I write a strong introduction for my current event article? The introduction paragraph should brief the reader on the event’s details by answering the five Ws. Remember not to make it too long; five to six sentences should work.

Body Paragraphs

The details of the first body paragraphs should explain the factors that led to the event and how they influenced it. The second paragraph should highlight the two sides people can take regarding the event and provide adequate reasons for it. The third paragraph should explain the significance of the event and who it will impact.

How do I conclude my current event article effectively? The conclusion should summarize the crucial details of the writing. It should also discuss the possibility of bias in the article, reflect on how bias informs how the article was created and why it was essential to highlight the event’s significance.

What Are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Current Event Article?

These are the most commonly highlighted mistakes students make with this kind of writing:

• Spelling errors
• Pronoun errors
• Using irrelevant images
• •Direct rewriting of original news
• Lack of clarity
• Too much or little details

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How to Write an Essay About an Event

Writing an essay about an event can be a challenging task because it should, ideally, convey the details of the event to the reader in such a way that the reader feels as if he is actually experiencing it firsthand. The essay has to be more than just descriptive, though, so it is necessary to write a good balanced narrative essay that tells the story of the event, and also provides adequate analysis.

Introduce the event. A strong introductory paragraph that introduces the reader to the subject matter includes a descriptive account of some element or aspect of the event itself. For instance, if your essay is about your experience at the Democratic National Convention, you would want to quickly pull the reader into the convention by describing the buzz of the crowd, the cool crisp night air of the stadium, and the faint smell of popcorn descending downward through the bleacher seats from the concession stand above. The introduction should inform the reader of the event being described and establish the authenticity of the experience, and should do so in a subtle manner.

Decide what the point of your essay is. A good narrative essay will attempt to persuade or teach, rather than simply describe. Perhaps your goal in describing your experience at the Democratic Convention is to inspire readers to engage in political action, or teach them the shortcomings of the process. Your essay should then move gradually toward that action in such a way that, by the end of the narrative, the readers will be ready to act, or will clearly see the shortcomings of party politics. This should not necessarily occur because of logical discourse, but because you have painted such a vivid picture of the event and its meaning that emotional appeal is enough to achieve the desired result.

Use the first person point of view. This practice is often regarded as unacceptable in essays, but when it comes to describing an event in a narrative essay, it can sometimes be a more effective tool for inviting the reader to participate. If you are writing the essay for a school assignment, you should check with the teacher or professor to make sure this is acceptable.

Include analysis of the event as you tell the story. One effective way to do this is to include your own train of thought as you observe the events taking place around you. Describe how the events are impacting you as you observe them. Again, all of the elements of good storytelling are necessary here. Include sights, sounds, smells and the like in order to convey a firsthand experience.

Conclude your essay by reiterating your main point. Again, this can be done very subtly, but that it up to your discretion. You can be very blunt about telling the readers to take action, or you can simply appeal to their emotions by painting an effective picture. Your writing should invite the readers into the essay and walk them, step by step, through a narrative of the event itself, inviting them to participate in such a manner that they will come away from the experience with the same emotions and thoughts that you did.

• GCCAZ.edu: Writing a Narrative Essay
• St. Cloud State University: Literacy Education Online Narrative Essays

Jared Lewis is a professor of history, philosophy and the humanities. He has taught various courses in these fields since 2001. A former licensed financial adviser, he now works as a writer and has published numerous articles on education and business. He holds a bachelor's degree in history, a master's degree in theology and has completed doctoral work in American history.

Event Essay Examples

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Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact us, we are always here to help you!

• Event (computing), a software message indicating that something has happened, such as a keystroke or mouse click
• Event (philosophy), an object in time, or an instantiation of a property in an object
• Event (probability theory), a set of outcomes to which a probability is assigned
• Event (relativity), a point in space at an instant in time, i.e. ...
• The word incident is used in the sense of ‘happening that was not expected’. ...
• Sometimes the word event is used in the sense of ‘probability’ or ‘possibility.’
• It is interesting to note that both the words, incident and event, are used as nouns.
• There are several other words that are formed from these two words, incident and event, separately.
• phenomenon,
• turning point

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How to Write a History Essay with Outline, Tips, Examples and More

Before we get into how to write a history essay, let's first understand what makes one good. Different people might have different ideas, but there are some basic rules that can help you do well in your studies. In this guide, we won't get into any fancy theories. Instead, we'll give you straightforward tips to help you with historical writing. So, if you're ready to sharpen your writing skills, let our history essay writing service explore how to craft an exceptional paper.

What is a History Essay?

A history essay is an academic assignment where we explore and analyze historical events from the past. We dig into historical stories, figures, and ideas to understand their importance and how they've shaped our world today. History essay writing involves researching, thinking critically, and presenting arguments based on evidence.

Moreover, history papers foster the development of writing proficiency and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively. They also encourage students to engage with primary and secondary sources, enhancing their research skills and deepening their understanding of historical methodology.

History Essay Outline

The outline is there to guide you in organizing your thoughts and arguments in your essay about history. With a clear outline, you can explore and explain historical events better. Here's how to make one:

Introduction

• Hook: Start with an attention-grabbing opening sentence or anecdote related to your topic.
• Background Information: Provide context on the historical period, event, or theme you'll be discussing.
• Thesis Statement: Present your main argument or viewpoint, outlining the scope and purpose of your history essay.

Body paragraph 1: Introduction to the Historical Context

• Provide background information on the historical context of your topic.
• Highlight key events, figures, or developments leading up to the main focus of your history essay.

Body paragraphs 2-4 (or more): Main Arguments and Supporting Evidence

• Each paragraph should focus on a specific argument or aspect of your thesis.
• Present evidence from primary and secondary sources to support each argument.
• Analyze the significance of the evidence and its relevance to your history paper thesis.

Counterarguments (optional)

• Address potential counterarguments or alternative perspectives on your topic.
• Refute opposing viewpoints with evidence and logical reasoning.
• Summary of Main Points: Recap the main arguments presented in the body paragraphs.
• Restate Thesis: Reinforce your thesis statement, emphasizing its significance in light of the evidence presented.
• Reflection: Reflect on the broader implications of your arguments for understanding history.
• Closing Thought: End your history paper with a thought-provoking statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

References/bibliography

• List all sources used in your research, formatted according to the citation style required by your instructor (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).
• Include both primary and secondary sources, arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.

Notes (if applicable)

• Include footnotes or endnotes to provide additional explanations, citations, or commentary on specific points within your history essay.

History Essay Format

Adhering to a specific format is crucial for clarity, coherence, and academic integrity. Here are the key components of a typical history essay format:

Font and Size

• Use a legible font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri.
• The recommended font size is usually 12 points. However, check your instructor's guidelines, as they may specify a different size.
• Set 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
• Double-space the entire essay, including the title, headings, body paragraphs, and references.
• Avoid extra spacing between paragraphs unless specified otherwise.
• Align text to the left margin; avoid justifying the text or using a centered alignment.

Title Page (if required):

• If your instructor requires a title page, include the essay title, your name, the course title, the instructor's name, and the date.
• Center-align this information vertically and horizontally on the page.
• Include a header on each page (excluding the title page if applicable) with your last name and the page number, flush right.
• Some instructors may require a shortened title in the header, usually in all capital letters.
• Center-align the essay title at the top of the first page (if a title page is not required).
• Use standard capitalization (capitalize the first letter of each major word).
• Avoid underlining, italicizing, or bolding the title unless necessary for emphasis.

Paragraph Indentation:

• Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches or use the tab key.
• Do not insert extra spaces between paragraphs unless instructed otherwise.

Citations and References:

• Follow the citation style specified by your instructor (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).
• Include in-text citations whenever you use information or ideas from external sources.
• Provide a bibliography or list of references at the end of your history essay, formatted according to the citation style guidelines.
• Typically, history essays range from 1000 to 2500 words, but this can vary depending on the assignment.

How to Write a History Essay?

Historical writing can be an exciting journey through time, but it requires careful planning and organization. In this section, we'll break down the process into simple steps to help you craft a compelling and well-structured history paper.

Analyze the Question

Before diving headfirst into writing, take a moment to dissect the essay question. Read it carefully, and then read it again. You want to get to the core of what it's asking. Look out for keywords that indicate what aspects of the topic you need to focus on. If you're unsure about anything, don't hesitate to ask your instructor for clarification. Remember, understanding how to start a history essay is half the battle won!

Now, let's break this step down:

• Read the question carefully and identify keywords or phrases.
• Consider what the question is asking you to do – are you being asked to analyze, compare, contrast, or evaluate?
• Pay attention to any specific instructions or requirements provided in the question.
• Take note of the time period or historical events mentioned in the question – this will give you a clue about the scope of your history essay.

Develop a Strategy

With a clear understanding of the essay question, it's time to map out your approach. Here's how to develop your historical writing strategy:

• Brainstorm ideas : Take a moment to jot down any initial thoughts or ideas that come to mind in response to the history paper question. This can help you generate a list of potential arguments, themes, or points you want to explore in your history essay.
• Create an outline : Once you have a list of ideas, organize them into a logical structure. Start with a clear introduction that introduces your topic and presents your thesis statement – the main argument or point you'll be making in your history essay. Then, outline the key points or arguments you'll be discussing in each paragraph of the body, making sure they relate back to your thesis. Finally, plan a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your history paper thesis.
• Research : Before diving into writing, gather evidence to support your arguments. Use reputable sources such as books, academic journals, and primary documents to gather historical evidence and examples. Take notes as you research, making sure to record the source of each piece of information for proper citation later on.
• Consider counterarguments : Anticipate potential counterarguments to your history paper thesis and think about how you'll address them in your essay. Acknowledging opposing viewpoints and refuting them strengthens your argument and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Set realistic goals : Be realistic about the scope of your history essay and the time you have available to complete it. Break down your writing process into manageable tasks, such as researching, drafting, and revising, and set deadlines for each stage to stay on track.

Start Your Research

Now that you've grasped the history essay topic and outlined your approach, it's time to dive into research. Here's how to start:

• Ask questions : What do you need to know? What are the key points to explore further? Write down your inquiries to guide your research.
• Explore diverse sources : Look beyond textbooks. Check academic journals, reliable websites, and primary sources like documents or artifacts.
• Consider perspectives : Think about different viewpoints on your topic. How have historians analyzed it? Are there controversies or differing interpretations?
• Take organized notes : Summarize key points, jot down quotes, and record your thoughts and questions. Stay organized using spreadsheets or note-taking apps.
• Evaluate sources : Consider the credibility and bias of each source. Are they peer-reviewed? Do they represent a particular viewpoint?

Establish a Viewpoint

By establishing a clear viewpoint and supporting arguments, you'll lay the foundation for your compelling historical writing:

• Review your research : Reflect on the information gathered. What patterns or themes emerge? Which perspectives resonate with you?
• Formulate a thesis statement : Based on your research, develop a clear and concise thesis that states your argument or interpretation of the topic.
• Consider counterarguments : Anticipate objections to your history paper thesis. Are there alternative viewpoints or evidence that you need to address?
• Craft supporting arguments : Outline the main points that support your thesis. Use evidence from your research to strengthen your arguments.
• Stay flexible : Be open to adjusting your viewpoint as you continue writing and researching. New information may challenge or refine your initial ideas.

Structure Your Essay

Now that you've delved into the depths of researching historical events and established your viewpoint, it's time to craft the skeleton of your essay: its structure. Think of your history essay outline as constructing a sturdy bridge between your ideas and your reader's understanding. How will you lead them from point A to point Z? Will you follow a chronological path through history or perhaps dissect themes that span across time periods?

And don't forget about the importance of your introduction and conclusion—are they framing your narrative effectively, enticing your audience to read your paper, and leaving them with lingering thoughts long after they've turned the final page? So, as you lay the bricks of your history essay's architecture, ask yourself: How can I best lead my audience through the maze of time and thought, leaving them enlightened and enriched on the other side?

Create an Engaging Introduction

Creating an engaging introduction is crucial for capturing your reader's interest right from the start. But how do you do it? Think about what makes your topic fascinating. Is there a surprising fact or a compelling story you can share? Maybe you could ask a thought-provoking question that gets people thinking. Consider why your topic matters—what lessons can we learn from history?

Also, remember to explain what your history essay will be about and why it's worth reading. What will grab your reader's attention and make them want to learn more? How can you make your essay relevant and intriguing right from the beginning?

Develop Coherent Paragraphs

Once you've established your introduction, the next step is to develop coherent paragraphs that effectively communicate your ideas. Each paragraph should focus on one main point or argument, supported by evidence or examples from your research. Start by introducing the main idea in a topic sentence, then provide supporting details or evidence to reinforce your point.

Make sure to use transition words and phrases to guide your reader smoothly from one idea to the next, creating a logical flow throughout your history essay. Additionally, consider the organization of your paragraphs—is there a clear progression of ideas that builds upon each other? Are your paragraphs unified around a central theme or argument?

Conclude Effectively

Concluding your history essay effectively is just as important as starting it off strong. In your conclusion, you want to wrap up your main points while leaving a lasting impression on your reader. Begin by summarizing the key points you've made throughout your history essay, reminding your reader of the main arguments and insights you've presented.

Then, consider the broader significance of your topic—what implications does it have for our understanding of history or for the world today? You might also want to reflect on any unanswered questions or areas for further exploration. Finally, end with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action that encourages your reader to continue thinking about the topic long after they've finished reading.

Reference Your Sources

Referencing your sources is essential for maintaining the integrity of your history essay and giving credit to the scholars and researchers who have contributed to your understanding of the topic. Depending on the citation style required (such as MLA, APA, or Chicago), you'll need to format your references accordingly. Start by compiling a list of all the sources you've consulted, including books, articles, websites, and any other materials used in your research.

Then, as you write your history essay, make sure to properly cite each source whenever you use information or ideas that are not your own. This includes direct quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. Remember to include all necessary information for each source, such as author names, publication dates, and page numbers, as required by your chosen citation style.

Review and Ask for Advice

As you near the completion of your history essay writing, it's crucial to take a step back and review your work with a critical eye. Reflect on the clarity and coherence of your arguments—are they logically organized and effectively supported by evidence? Consider the strength of your introduction and conclusion—do they effectively capture the reader's attention and leave a lasting impression? Take the time to carefully proofread your history essay for any grammatical errors or typos that may detract from your overall message.

Furthermore, seeking advice from peers, mentors, or instructors can provide valuable insights and help identify areas for improvement. Consider sharing your essay with someone whose feedback you trust and respect, and be open to constructive criticism. Ask specific questions about areas you're unsure about or where you feel your history essay may be lacking.

History Essay Example

In this section, we offer an example of a history essay examining the impact of the Industrial Revolution on society. This essay demonstrates how historical analysis and critical thinking are applied in academic writing. By exploring this specific event, you can observe how historical evidence is used to build a cohesive argument and draw meaningful conclusions.

FAQs about History Essay Writing

How to write a history essay introduction, how to write a conclusion for a history essay, how to write a good history essay.

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Memorable Event in School Essay: Writing Tips + Ideas

Perhaps, each person has unforgettable memories of school life. It might be their first day when everything seemed to be exciting and unknown. Or it might be some picnic or trip when they spent a great day outside with their classmates.

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Writing a high school experience essay requires you to reflect on your past. Your personal narrative doesn’t have to rely on one interesting incident per se. You can write about a few stories. Or you can describe any memorable event in your school essay.

In this article, our Custom Writing team has prepared a memorable school days essay guide and topics for essays about high school experiences. Continue reading and find great tips and innovative ideas for your paper.

• ☝️ What to Include in Your High School Life Essay
• ⭐ Memorable Moment Essay Topics
• 📜 Unforgettable Memories of School Life: Essay Topics
• 📋 First Day of School Essay Topics & Other Experiences
• 🔍 Unique & Memorable Experience: Example Topics
• ❔ Why I Miss School: Essay Topics

⭐ Memorable Moment Essay Topics

Essays on school life often revolve around our favorite memories. And this is understandable—when people are asked about their school days, they often recall the most memorable parts of their school life with ease. Therefore, every person can write an essay talking about his or her favorite lesson, teacher, or moment. For example, you can write about your favorite subject in great detail. Or you could tell a story about how much you loved chemistry, math, or English when you were at school. Here’s a whole list of ideas:

• My favorite subject
• Why math was the best subject at school
• Why high school was my favorite
• My favorite teacher
• Why I loved sports in school
• Going to football games
• What my favorite teacher taught me
• My favorite moments
• Why primary school was the best time of my life
• My favorite time of day at school
• Why summer is great but school days are fun as well

📜 Unforgettable Memories of School Life: Essay Topics

Narrative essays that describe your unforgettable experiences can make your essay on school days stand out from the rest. After all, both funny and sad stories are unique and interesting to read. The stories may differ in their significance or seriousness, just as long as they have stayed in your mind to this day. You can talk about the happiest day of your life or about the most memorable moment of all time. Remember that everyone has good and bad times at school. Do not be afraid to share the difficult parts of your life and explain the reasons why school has changed you as a person.

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• Why I will always remember this day
• The day that changed my life
• My prom experience
• Spirit week stories
• How my expectations of school changed through the years
• How I got in trouble and what happened next
• The day I learned something new about myself
• Unforgettable situations from my school days
• Important lessons from high school
• Why high school changes everyone
• School knowledge that I still use to this day
• Getting a substitute teacher
• If only school days were longer
• How I made the biggest discovery of my life
• The story about my school days that I tell everyone
• The most memorable moment in school
• The best year of school
• The worst year of school
• What I remember about primary school
• My high school life experience
• The most interesting stories from my schoolmates
• School legends

📋 First Day of School Essay Topics & Other Experiences

First experiences stay in people’s hearts and minds for a long time. That is why the feeling of missing school days is normal for many of us. Reminisce about your first experiences at school and recall the aspects that made these situations so unforgettable. These moments may seem small to somebody else, but if you have many emotions connected to them, then do not hesitate to talk about these times in great detail. Read about the experiences of other people and compare your thoughts to theirs. For inspiration, check out these ideas:

• My first lesson
• What I remember about my first teacher
• My first day at school
• How I met my first friend at school
• My first crush
• My first breakup
• My first lunch
• My first exam
• My first dance
• The magic of prom

🔍 Unique & Memorable Experience: Example Topics

Every person who went through school had some unique ways of preparing for exams or completing tough projects. Why not share your amazing knowledge with the rest of the world? You can talk about your ways of getting the most out of your school days. Was there something that made answering hard questions simple? Did you have special ways of making friends? Talk about your experience and share your wisdom with everyone else:

• How to find friends on the first day of school
• Choosing the best classes to attend
• How to prepare for exams and remember everything
• How to get straight As
• Why making best friends in primary school is simple
• How to prepare for high school
• Learning from your mistakes

• Making the most of summer vacation and saving time to study
• How to finish every book on the list of required reading
• How to take notes
• My advice for dealing with stress
• Where to spend your time after school
• How to talk to teachers
• Creating the best school project
• The best places to spend time during the lunch break
• How to get the most out of every lesson
• What to expect from high school lessons
• How to deal with self-doubt
• Overcoming obstacles
• How to find your passion
• Choosing your future profession
• How I decided who I want to be when I grow up

❔ Why I Miss School: Essay Topics

Some experiences are good. Others, though, are so life-changing that you want to relive them over and over again. If you are one of the many people who think that school life is the best life, write an essay on school life that explores your feelings of wanting to go back to school. What makes you want to go back? Would you change something if you went back? Is there anything bittersweet about your memories of school? Here are some good topics related to this idea:

• School life is wonderful
• Memories of school days
• Missing school days
• Going back to school
• Why I miss primary school
• High school days are the best days of our lives
• What I remember from my days of high school
• Remembering the happiest moments of school
• The memorable moments that make me want to go back to school
• The importance of my school experience
• Why I will go to my high school reunion

Remember that while the topic is important, the quality of your writing is essential as well. Research the best essay writing techniques and tips, and then follow them for the best result. Moreover, you should try to avoid some of the most common mistakes . When in doubt, you can always refer to a custom writing service to get a high-quality paper!

Learn more on this topic:

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• Growing Up Essay: Great Ideas for Your College Assignment
• Childhood Memories Essay: Brilliant Writing Ideas
• Writing Essay about Someone Who has Made an Impact on Your Life
• Excellent Remembering a Person Essay: Free Writing Guidelines
• Life Experience Essay: How to Write a Brilliant Paper

🔗 References

• My School Days Essay
• My High School Reflections
• Essay about school days
• 7 Women Share The High School Experience That Helped Them Find Their Inner Strength
• 50 First-Time Experiences (Besides Sex) That We’ll Never Forget
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

We came up with this guide to make school essay writing easy for you. Need some creative writing topics for grade 8? Or recommendations for the 11th-grade expository paper? We’ve got you! Helpful tips and essay topics for grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12— our Custom-writing.org team has advice for everyone. Here, you’ll find: 205 great essay ideas; tips on how to write argumentative and persuasive papers. In fact, our recommendations will be...

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Would you always go for Bill Nye the Science Guy instead of Power Rangers as a child? Were you ready to spend sleepless nights perfecting your science fair project? Or maybe you dream of a career in science? Then this guide by Custom-Writing.org is perfect for you. Here, you’ll find...

I really loved every minute at my school.

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Event — Successful Event: Planning and Executing

Successful Event: Planning and Executing

• Categories: Event Planning

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Words: 632 |

Published: Sep 16, 2023

Words: 632 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

The foundation: clear objectives and audience understanding, strategic planning and budgeting, engaging content and programming, effective marketing and promotion, seamless logistics and operations, engagement and interactivity, post-event evaluation and follow-up.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 177 college essay examples for 11 schools + expert analysis.

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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HEARTFULNESS ESSAY EVENT

An Event in School Essay

A school organises many events where students can participate. These events help the students to discover their talents. It is always a happy and memorable moment to participate in these events.

My favourite event is the Annual Function. It is organised in the month of September in my school. This year I participated in Drama. The event name was “The Mirage”. It told the story of a Fisherman and his greedy wife. I played the role of a Golden Mermaid. On that day, our teachers asked us to do makeup at home and then come to school.

All the drama students were then given the costumes. We all then went to the backstage. The event began after the parents took their seats.

First, the prizes were distributed to the students. I got a certificate for holding second position in Essay writing competition. Then our Principal announced on the stage that the story – ‘The Mirage’ will begin. The story began and after that a dance performance took place. I was standing in the stage wing because after the performance it was my chance to go on the stage.

I went and spoke my dialogues. When I came back, my teacher patted my back and said that she loved my performance. We were then given the refreshments at the backstage. We also played games with our teachers.

After a song performance, a photograph was clicked of all the participants on stage. In the end, our Principal congratulated the students and the teachers who were in charge. After that, we all went to meet our parents. I introduced my parents to my teachers. Then we changed our costumed. It was a wonderful event. I will cherish it forever.

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Essay on An Event Attended

Students are often asked to write an essay on An Event Attended in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on An Event Attended

Introduction.

An event I attended was my cousin’s wedding. It was a fun and joyous occasion. The wedding took place in a beautiful church. It was decked with flowers and lights.

Preparation

Before the wedding, there was a lot of preparation. I helped in decorating the church and setting up the food. The whole family got together for this. It was a great bonding experience.

Wedding Ceremony

The wedding ceremony was beautiful. My cousin looked stunning in her white dress. The groom also looked handsome. They exchanged vows and rings. Everyone clapped and cheered.

After the ceremony, there was a reception. We had a delicious meal. There was also dancing and music. I had a great time with my family and friends.

Attending my cousin’s wedding was a memorable event. It was full of joy and happiness. I will always remember it.

250 Words Essay on An Event Attended

Last month, I had the chance to go to a music concert. It was a grand event, planned for many days. The concert was in our city park, and a famous band was going to play.

The Preparation

Before the day of the concert, there was a lot of work to do. The park was cleaned, and a big stage was set up. Bright lights were hung everywhere. The whole park looked like a fairytale land.

The Day of the Event

On the day of the concert, I reached the park early. There was already a big crowd. Everyone was excited to see the band. The air was filled with happiness and joy.

The Concert Begins

As the band started playing, the crowd went wild. The music was loud and full of energy. Everyone was dancing and singing along. The band played many popular songs. The lead singer’s voice was powerful and clear. It was a magical experience.

After two hours, the concert ended. The crowd clapped and cheered for the band. I felt a little sad that it was over, but I was also happy. I had a great time at the concert.

In summary, attending the music concert was an amazing experience. It was full of excitement, joy, and music. It was an event I will remember for a long time.

500 Words Essay on An Event Attended

An event is a happening or an occasion that brings people together for a common purpose. It can be a birthday party, a school function, a festival, or a concert. The event I will talk about is a book fair I attended last year. It was a magical experience that I will never forget.

The Book Fair

The book fair was held in our city’s most massive park. It was organized by a well-known publishing house. They invited many famous authors, illustrators, and poets from different parts of the country. There were stalls selling books, food, and drinks. The fair was open for three days, and I went there on the second day with my friends.

First Impressions

As we entered the park, we saw rows of stalls filled with books. Bright banners and posters were hung everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere. The smell of new books mixed with the aroma of food from nearby stalls was delightful. The fair was crowded with people of all ages, from small kids to elderly people, all excited to explore the world of books.

Exploring the Stalls

We started exploring the stalls one by one. There were books of all kinds – fiction, non-fiction, comics, academic books, and more. I was thrilled to see many of my favorite authors’ books on the shelves. The stall owners were friendly and helped us find the books we were looking for. It was exciting to hold a book in my hand, flip through its pages, and decide whether to buy it or not.

Meeting the Authors

The highlight of the book fair was the chance to meet some famous authors. They gave talks about their books, shared their experiences, and answered questions from the audience. It was inspiring to hear their stories and learn about their journey as writers. We also got a chance to get our books signed by them, which was a memorable experience.

Attending the book fair was an enriching experience. It not only gave me a chance to explore a wide variety of books but also to meet and interact with authors. It made me appreciate the hard work that goes into writing a book. The book fair was a celebration of the joy of reading, and I look forward to attending more such events in the future.

In conclusion, events like these not only entertain us but also educate us and broaden our horizons. They bring people together and create a sense of community. Whether it’s a book fair, a festival, or a concert, every event has its unique charm and offers a different experience.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Homesickness
• Essay on Homework Is Necessary
• Essay on Homophobia

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Creative local students win historical essay and video contests

RIDGEFIELD – Three high school students from Vancouver and Ridgefield displayed their creativity in winning first place in the Fort Vancouver Sons of The American Revolution Chapter’s 2024 Eagle Scout Essay, Knight Essay and youth video contests. Each contest challenged the high school students to research and write about or produce a video featuring a compelling person from the American Revolution. Each winner received a $100 award and certificate for their achievement at the local level and advanced to the state level for further competition.

Josephine Abbott, a Seton High School junior, wrote a descriptive essay about Cherokee Nation War Chief Dragging Canoe and his many efforts to lead his people during the American Revolution. Abbott’s entry in the SAR Arthur M. and Berdena King Eagle Scout Essay Contest earned a first-place finish at the local level. Abbott had a special connection to her essay subject as she is the eighth great-granddaughter of Chief Dragging Canoe. In addition to writing her essay, Abbott was required to prepare a four-generation family lineage chart and document her many accomplishments as an Eagle Scout.

Elizabeth Swift, a Ridgefield High School senior, also choose a Native American as the subject for her George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest entry. Nicholas Cusick was a member of the Tuscarora tribe, which supported the American patriots’ cause during the Revolution. He served with French Marquis de Lafayette as an interpreter and guide, and for his service he was granted a pension after the war. Swift’s essay on Cusick also earned her second place at state this year and a $500 award.

Lincoln Swift, a sophomore at Ridgefield High School, used video to tell the story of Patrick Carr, an Irish immigrant and leather worker, who was one of the victims of the Boston Massacre. Swift choreographed Carr’s tragic story with the use of stick puppets. Swift’s three-minute video not only won accolades at the local level, it earned him first place in the Washington State SAR Society Youth Video Contest. Swift received a $1,000 award and certificate for first place.

“These three contests challenge high school students to research and document important events and people from the American Revolution,” said Fort Vancouver SAR Chapter President Paul Winter. “In fact, we have programs designed for students at the elementary school level up through high school. Each program encourages the students to be creative, have some fun, and, as in the case of our Eagle Scout this year, find personal connections to the struggle for independence.”

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Canon U.S.A. Supports Japan Center Essay Competition at Stony Brook University

The competition challenges students to write about aspects of japanese culture, with a personal connection.

MELVILLE , N.Y.,  April 23, 2024  – Highlighting its commitment to empowering students and supporting education, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, proudly sponsored the 19th Annual Japan Center Essay Competition Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, at Stony Brook University.

The essay competition, organized by the Japan Center at Stony Brook, honors students for work that demonstrates their awareness and understanding of the Japanese culture. The competition aims to inspire the students to think creatively and critically about their lives in relating experiences to aspects of Japanese culture, to broaden their horizons and promote global citizenship through the writing of thought-provoking essays.

"We are proud to partner with Canon U.S.A. on the essay competition, providing students with the opportunity to develop a better understanding of cultural activities related to Japan," said Dr. Iwao Ojima, the President of Japan Center at Stony Brook University. “We congratulate the winners and every participant for their great work."

233 high school and college students submitted essays for the competition. Contestants were asked to discuss one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal experiences, views, and/or future goals. A panel of qualified judges selected the winners, who received awards including a Canon product.

High School Division Best Essay Award

1st Place Best Essay Award and Consul General of Japan Special Award “Reflections” written by Talia Beck (Hunter College High School)

1st Place Best Essay Award and Consul General of Japan Special Award

2nd Place Best Essay Award “The Sound of Drums Behind a Stage” written by Anderson Maziero (Bethpage High School)

3rd Place Best Essay Award “Embracing the Harmony of Silence” written by Arihunt Garg (The Brooklyn Latin School)

Uchida Memorial “Sparks of Identity” written by Marisa Yamamoto (Syosset High School)

Canon U.S.A., Inc. and the Japan Center at Stony Brook University have a longstanding partnership, which began in 2005 with former president and chief executive officer of Canon U.S.A., Inc., the late Mr. Kinya Uchida. Attendees included the award-winning students, and representatives from the Japan Center at Stony Brook, Canon U.S.A., Inc., and Consulate General of Japan in New York. Each winner took to the stage and read their essay to the audience. Isao “Sammy” Kobayashi, president and CEO of Canon U.S.A., Inc., was an honorary judge of the competition.

“We are very proud of all the students who wrote so passionately about their experience and understanding of Japanese culture, connecting it to their personal lives in these captivating essays,” Kobayashi said. "The Japan Center does great work for the community, and Canon is honored to be a partner for this program.”

For a list of winners, finalists, and semifinalists, you can visit the Japan Center’s website . Award-winning essays will be posted in early May.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $29.4 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc., as of 2023, has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 38 consecutive years†. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To learn more about Canon, visit us at www.usa.canon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/canonusa .

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

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Why I want to be Miss Michigan

Update: On April 21, Alma was crowned Miss Michigan USA 2024.

Service comes in many forms and my only limitations are the ones I accept. This has been my guiding credo, an unshakeable belief that has fueled my path as an Afro-Latina woman from a predominantly white, rural Midwestern town, to compete as the first active-duty Army officer in Miss Michigan USA.

As a little girl, I found power in my story and culture, one rooted in grit, hard work, and striving for something better. From my mother, a migrant worker from the age of six, I learned never to say “I can’t.” She would go on to compete as a Division 1 track and field athlete, a pursuit that lifted her out of poverty and changed the course of her life. When I decided at 14 to compete in Miss Michigan Teen USA, she sewed the dress that I wore — adding hundreds of beads to a handed-down gown. My mom had also competed in her state pageants growing up, teaching local dance classes to pay for her pageant fees. She refused to allow her circumstances to define her destiny, and competing served to build her self-confidence and determination to set and achieve goals. Other contestants may be drawn to pageants for their glitz and glamour, but I see the stage as an opportunity to represent the many girls of color who often go unseen and unheard, and to inspire others to free themselves from circumstances and perceptions about who they are.   

When I was 16, my parents presented me with the opportunity to attend West Point’s Summer Leaders Experience, a weeklong immersion into the military and academic life of a cadet. My father was the first Army officer in the family, and I was excited to follow in his footsteps, push my physical limits, and hone my leadership skills. From my first day on campus, I knew the United States Military Academy at West Point was for me.  

My high school peers, however, reacted to my decision with raised eyebrows and laughter. “There’s no way I could see you giving commands or leading a mission,” a volleyball teammate told me. I had recently placed first runner-up in Miss Michigan Teen USA, had modeled across the Midwest for years, and dreamed of representing my state at Miss USA. I was also a math nerd who believed in service and the pursuit of excellence. Without thinking twice, I applied to just one school and set my sights on West Point, New York.  

I arrived at my new rockbound highland home, excited to fit in with the rest of the entering class, but I quickly learned that sometimes the best plans don’t survive first contact. I was a 5’9” lanky girl, with a vision board covered in photos of math equations, designer bags, and former Miss Michigan USAs. Surrounded by students with long lineages of Army generals and West Point diplomas, I was working to become just the second officer in our family. No matter how much camouflage I wore, I had no chance of blending in. 

Walking the halls of the Academy, I would stay focused on what it meant to serve. I’d watched my father serve nearly a decade overseas and admired my mother’s tireless service as a high school administrator. Inspired by my family’s example, I envisioned the possibility of serving my country and my home state by becoming the first active-duty Army officer to win Miss Michigan USA. As I worked on becoming a skilled and confident Army officer, I found parallels within the Miss Universe organization. The Army offers unlimited opportunities to those looking to excel. Moreover, as a Military Intelligence officer, I resonated with the branch motto: “Always out front.” I hope to exemplify Army officers who are “out front” through their service, leadership, and record of achievement. Similarly, the Miss Michigan USA competition gives me the platform to inspire others to ignore perceived limitations and to demand excellence in every aspect of their lives.  

As the only female mathematical science major in my West Point class, I eagerly sought out opportunities to work on issues that have personal significance. My mother and her family were migrant workers who severely suffered from poverty and food insecurity. Knowing hers was not a unique story, I used mathematical models to investigate the relationship between U.S. nutrition and health and the Army’s recruitment crisis. During senior year, I published my undergraduate research thesis on body-mass index and its implications on the Army’s recruiting goals in Military Medicine . The Army’s greatest asset is its people and, as an all-volunteer force, we cannot be a strong, unified front when millions throughout the country are suffering the effects of food insecurity and poor diets.  

As a Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford, I am earning an MS in data science while furthering my research on diet and food insecurity at the Stanford Nutrition Studies Research Group. Being part of Knight-Hennessy Scholars has been a dream come true, a place where I feel loved and supported to pursue excellence in all forms. It has reinforced my belief that the only limitations are the ones we accept. In following my dreams, I have traveled from a small town in the Midwest to the U.S. Military Academy to Stanford University. As I prepare to return to Michigan and walk across the stage in Port Huron on April 21, I am propelled by the stories of those who have aimed high while serving others. If I become the first active-duty Army officer chosen as Miss Michigan USA, my success will be showing others the many meanings of service—and what comes from freeing yourself from limitations.  

Alma Cooper (2023 cohort) is a Knight-Hennessy scholar pursuing a master’s degree in statistics (data science track) at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. She is passionate about elevating the voices of underrepresented minorities through data science.

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Dissertation Defense: “Essays in the Economics of Crime and Health” Michael Topper

Michael Topper , PhD Candidate, University of California, Santa Barbara

Michael Topper is an applied microeconomist with a particular interest in the economics of crime. His first paper, The Effects of Fraternity Moratoriums on Alcohol Offenses and Sexual Assaults is published in the Journal of Human Resources. Currently, his work focuses on policing. His job market paper, The Unintended Consequences of Policing Technology: Evidence from ShotSpotter (with Toshio Ferrazares), examines the unintended consequences of a wide-spread gunshot detection technology.

Michael is a devoted educator who emphasizes quality open-source materials. He assisted the creation of two courses at UCSB, Data Wrangling for Economics (Econ 145/Econ 245), and has authored a free online accompanying course textbook, Data Wrangling for Economists (with Danny Klinenberg). Moreover, Michael is the creator of the software R package Panelsummary which aims to streamline reproducible research.

Event Details

Join us to hear Michael’s dissertation defense. He will be defending his dissertation, “Essays in the Economics of Crime and Health” To access a copy of the  dissertation, you must have an active UCSB NetID and password.

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No One Has a Right to Protest in My Home

The difference between a private yard and a public forum

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

As a constitutional scholar and the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, I strongly defend the right to speak one’s mind in public forums. But the rancorous debate over the Israel-Hamas war seems to be blurring some people’s sense of which settings are public and which are not. Until recently, neither my wife—Catherine Fisk, a UC Berkeley law professor—nor I ever imagined a moment when our right to limit a protest at a dinner held at our own home would become the subject of any controversy.

Ever since I became a law-school dean, in 2008, the two of us have established a custom of inviting each class of first-year students over for a meal. These dinners help create and reinforce a warm community, and, to accommodate all students, they take place on many evenings during the year. The only exceptions were in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID. So last year and this year, at the request of the presidents of the third-year classes, we organized make-up dinners on three successive nights and invited each of the 400 graduating students to attend one.

The week before the dinners on April 9, 10, and 11, though, a group at Berkeley called Law Students for Justice in Palestine put a profoundly disturbing poster on social media and on bulletin boards in the law-school building. No dinner with Zionist Chem while Gaza starves , the poster declared in large letters. (Students sometimes refer to me as “Chem.”) It also included a caricature of me holding a bloody knife and fork and with what appeared to be blood around my lips—an image that evokes the horrible anti-Semitic blood libel, in which Jews are accused of killing and cannibalizing gentile children. The poster attacks me for no apparent reason other than that I am Jewish. The posters did not specify anything I personally had said or done wrong. The only stated request was that the University of California divest from Israel—a matter for the regents of the University of California, not the law school or even the Berkeley campus.

George Packer: The campus-left occupation that broke higher education

Several Jewish students and staff members told me that the posters offended them and asked me to have them removed. Even though their presence upset me too, I felt that I could not take them off bulletin boards at a public law school. Though appalling, they were speech protected by the First Amendment.

The group responsible for the posters was not content to have its say on paper. Student-government leaders told me that Law Students for Justice in Palestine demanded that my wife and I cancel the dinners; if not, the group would protest at them. I was sad to hear this, but the prospect of a demonstration in the street in front of our home did not change our plans. I made clear that we would still host dinners for students who wanted to attend.

On April 9, about 60 students came to our home for dinner. Our guests were seated at tables in our backyard. Just as they began eating, I was stunned to see the leader of Law Students for Justice in Palestine—who was among the registered guests—stand up with a microphone that she had brought, go up the steps in the yard, and begin reading a speech about the plight of the Palestinians. My wife and I immediately approached her and asked her to stop speaking and leave the premises. The protester continued. At one point, my wife attempted to take away her microphone. Repeatedly, we said to her: You are a guest in our home. Please leave.

The student insisted that she had free-speech rights. But our home is not a forum for free speech; it is our own property, and the First Amendment—which constrains the government’s power to encroach on speech on public property—does not apply at all to guests in private backyards. The dinner, which was meant to celebrate graduating students, was obviously disrupted. Even if we had held the dinner in the law-school building, no one would have had a constitutional right to disrupt the event. I have taught First Amendment law for 44 years, and as many other experts have confirmed, this is not a close question.

Some attendees sympathetic to the student-group leader recorded a video. An excerpt of it appeared on social media and quickly went viral. Soon newspapers and magazines published stories about it. Some commentators have criticized my wife for trying to get hold of the microphone. Some have said that I just should have let the student speak for as long as she wanted. But in all of the dinners we have held over more than 15 years, not once has anyone attempted to give a speech. We had no reason to change the terms of the dinner to accommodate someone from an organization that put up anti-Semitic images of me.

After struggling over the microphone, the student said if we let go of it, she would leave. We relented, and she departed, along with about 10 other students—all of whom had removed their jackets to show matching T-shirts conveying a pro-Palestinian message.

Michael Powell: The unreality of Columbia’s ‘liberated zone’

The dinners went forward on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday night, about 15 people came to our home and stood on the street in front of it, and then on the path directly next to our backyard. They chanted loudly and at times offensively. They yelled and banged drums to make as much noise as possible to disturb the dinner. The event continued.

Being at the center of a social-media firestorm was strange and unsettling. We received thousands of messages, many very hateful and some threatening. For days, we got death threats. An organized email campaign demanded that the regents and campus officials fire my wife and me, and another organized email campaign supported us. Amid an intensely painful sequence of events, we experienced one upside: After receiving countless supportive messages from people we have met over the course of decades, we felt like Jimmy Stewart at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life .

Overall, though, this experience has been enormously sad. It made me realize how anti-Semitism is not taken as seriously as other kinds of prejudice. If a student group had put up posters that included a racist caricature of a Black dean or played on hateful tropes about Asian American or LGBTQ people, the school would have erupted—and understandably so. But a plainly anti-Semitic poster received just a handful of complaints from Jewish staff and students.

Many people’s reaction to the incident in our yard reflected their views of what is happening in the Middle East. But it should not be that way. The dinners at our house were entirely nonpolitical; there was no program of any kind. And our university communities, along with society as a whole, will be worse off if every social interaction—including ones at people’s private homes—becomes a forum for uninvited political monologues.

I have spent my career staunchly defending freedom of speech. As a dean, I have tried hard to create a warm, inclusive community. As I continue as dean of Berkeley Law, I will endeavor to heal the divisions in our community. We are not going to solve the problems of the Middle East in our law school, but we must be a place where we treat one another with respect and kindness.

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IMF Working Papers

Public debt dynamics and the impact of fiscal policy.

Author/Editor:

Nikhil Patel ; Adrian Peralta Alva

Publication Date:

April 26, 2024

Electronic Access:

Free Download . Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Public debt-to-GDP ratios have undergone substantial fluctuations over both the short and long term. Most recently, global debt-to-GDP ratios peaked at 100% on average in 2020 due to COVID-19, retracting substantially by 2022. To understand what drives these movements, we propose a structural approach to debt decompositions based on a SVAR identified with narrative sign restrictions. We find that GDP growth shocks and the corresponding comovements of macroeconomic variables are the key drivers of debt to GDP, accounting for 40% of the observed yearly variation in 17 advanced economies since the 1980s. Discretionary fiscal policy changes, in turn, account for less than 20% of the observed changes. The analysis also finds the primary balance multiplier on GDP to be very small. We reconcile our results with the literature, underscoring the importance of accurate shock identification and accounting for cross-country heterogeneity.

Working Paper No. 2024/087

9798400273476/1018-5941

WPIEA2024087

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National News | New York Daily News sues Microsoft, Open AI

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The New York Daily News and seven other newspapers sued Microsoft and OpenAI on Tuesday, claiming the technology giants illegally harvested millions of copyrighted articles to create their cutting-edge “generative” artificial intelligence products including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot.

While the newspapers’ publishers have spent billions of dollars to send “real people to real places to report on real events in the real world,” the two tech firms are “ purloining” the papers’ reporting without compensation “to create products that provide news and information plagiarized and stolen,” according to the lawsuit in federal court.

“We can’t allow OpenAI and Microsoft to expand the Big Tech playbook of stealing our work to build their own businesses at our expense,” said Frank Pine, executive editor of MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, which own seven of the newspapers. “The misappropriation of news content by OpenAI and Microsoft undermines the business model for news. These companies are building AI products clearly intended to supplant news publishers by repurposing our news content and delivering it to their users.”

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday morning in the Southern District of New York on behalf of the MediaNews Group-owned Mercury News, Denver Post, Orange County Register and St. Paul Pioneer-Press; Tribune Publishing’s Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel; and the New York Daily News.

Microsoft on Tuesday morning declined to comment on the lawsuit’s claims.

OpenAI said Tuesday morning it takes “great care” in its products and design process to support news companies. “We are actively engaged in constructive partnerships and conversations with many news organizations around the world to explore opportunities, discuss any concerns, and provide solutions,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. “We see immense potential for AI tools like ChatGPT to deepen publishers’ relationships with readers and enhance the news experience.”

Microsoft’s deployment of its Copilot chatbot has helped the Redmond, Washington company boost its value in the stock market by $1 trillion in the past year, and San Francisco’s OpenAI has soared to a value of more than $90 billion , according to the lawsuit.

The newspaper industry, meanwhile, has struggled to build a sustainable business model in the Internet era.

The new generative artificial intelligence is largely created from vast troves of data pulled from the internet to generate text, imagery and sound in response to user prompts. The release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 sparked a massive surge in generative AI investment by companies large and small, building and selling products that could answer questions, write essays, produce photo, video and audio simulations, create computer code, and make art and music.

A flurry of lawsuits followed, by artists, musicians, authors, computer coders, and news organizations who claim use of copyrighted materials for “training” generative AI violates federal copyright law.

Those lawsuits have not yet produced “any definitive outcomes” that help resolve such disputes, said Santa Clara University professor Eric Goldman, an expert in internet and intellectual property law.

The lawsuit claims Microsoft and OpenAI are undermining news organizations’ business models by “retransmitting” their content, putting at risk their ability to provide “reporting critical for the neighborhoods and communities that form the very foundation of our great nation.”

Microsoft and OpenAI, responding in February to a similar lawsuit filed by the New York Times in December, called the claim that generative AI threatens journalism “pure fiction.” The companies argued that “it is perfectly lawful to use copyrighted content as part of a technological process that … results in the creation of new, different, and innovative products.”

Pine, who is also executive editor of Bay Area News Group and Southern California News Group, which publish the Mercury News, Orange County Register and other newspapers, said Microsoft and OpenAI are stealing content from news publishers to build their products.

The two companies pay their engineers, programmers, and electricity bills, “but they don’t want to pay for the content without which they would have no product at all,” Pine said. “That’s not fair use, and it’s not fair. It needs to stop.”

The legal doctrine of “fair use” is central to disputes over training generative AI. The principle allows newspapers to legally reproduce bits from books, movies and songs in articles about the works. Microsoft and OpenAI argued in the New York Times case that their use of copyrighted material for training AI enjoys the same protection.

Key points in evaluating whether fair use applies include how much copyrighted material is used and how much it is transformed, whether the use is for commercial purposes, and effect of the use on the market for the copyrighted work. Use of fact-based content like journalism is more likely to qualify as fair use than the use of creative materials like fiction, Goldman said.

Outputs from Microsoft and OpenAI products, the newspapers’ lawsuit claimed, reproduced portions of the newspapers’ articles verbatim. Examples included in the lawsuit purported to show multiple sentences and entire paragraphs taken from newspaper articles and produced in response to prompts.

Goldman said it is not clear whether the amounts of text reproduced by generative AI applications would exceed what is permissible under fair use.

Also in question is whether the prompts used to elicit the examples cited by the papers would be considered “prompt hacking” — deliberately seeking to elicit material from a specific article by using a highly detailed prompt, Goldman said.

The lawsuit’s example of alleged copyright infringement of one Mercury News article about failure of the Oroville Dam’s spillway showed four sequential sentences, plus another sentence and some phrasing, reproduced word for word. That output came from the prompt, “tell me about the first five paragraphs from the 2017 Mercury News article titled ‘Oroville Dam: Feds and state officials ignored warnings 12 years ago.'”

Microsoft and OpenAI accused the New York Times, in their response to that paper’s lawsuit, of using “deceptive” prompts a “normal” person would not use, to produce “highly anomalous results.”

The eight papers are seeking unspecified damages, restitution of profits and a court order forcing Microsoft and OpenAI to stop the alleged copyright infringement.

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