Choose one of the topics below and compose a 500–750 word five–paragraph essay:
1. Discuss the three people who have influenced you the most. How did they influence
you? What did you learn from them?
2. If your house were on fire and there were no people in the house, what three items
would you try to rescue?
3. Discuss three specific times when you felt as though you were an outsider, isolated
because of social, intellectual, or ethnic differences between you and others. Did you
resolve the problems your isolation created? If so, explain how.
4. What do you feel are your three best (or worst) qualities? For each one, discuss a
specific instance in your life when you demonstrated that quality.
5. Describe three challenges that new or returning college students face. You may also
discuss your ideas of how to overcome each of the three challenges.
6. Describe three times in your life when you felt afraid. You may choose any events from
when you were a child, teenager, and/or adult.
7. Discuss three times you have achieved a hard–won victory—in sports, school, your
personal life, or elsewhere. How did you prepare for each victory? What did the success
of each victory mean to you then, and what does it mean to you now? Do you have
advice for people who might follow in your footsteps?
8. Describe three specific places that are important to you. Why are they important? Do
they offer you solitude, beauty, energy, recreation, etc.?
*If you would like to write your essay on a topic other than these, you must first get your
instructor’s approval.
Follow MLA guidelines to format your essay correctly. (An example of correct MLA formatting is
available in the Essay 1 Supplemental Material folder.)
Submit the final draft of this assignment to the Submit Essay 1 Final Draft dropbox.
