Reflective essay topics seem easy to handle, but we often can’t squeeze a single sentence out of our brains. Why is it so hard for us to write a paper about ourselves? Mostly, because we lack practice and patience to dig deeper into our own souls. If you are stuck on your reflective essay outline, stop torturing yourself. Use our simple three-step system to overcome your writer’s block.
Three Pragmatic Reasons To Write a Reflective Essay
It is tempting to think teachers come up with bizarre titles for reflective essays just to spite you. In reality, they try to provide you with experience and skills you will need further down the road, during your college years, or when you begin your professional career. Dealing with reflective essay topics is one of the most critical assignments you need to complete. You are bound to use this skill many times in the future, like:
- When you apply for a job. Interviews are notoriously tricky for college graduates because all the knowledge they gain doesn’t prepare them for answering loaded questions. If you have never thought about it, coming up with a coherent answer about your strengths and weaknesses might be a problem. After handling reflection essay topics, you will gain the skills to analyze yourself and formulate appropriate responses to the HR manager.
- When you send out college applications. Admission committees enjoy getting to know their potential students. Reading an excellent self-reflection essay allows professors to learn more about you then all your records, credentials, and diplomas. The more you practice writing at school, the easier it will be for you to complete your admissions essays.
- When you decide you want to become successful. Formal education provides you with essential skills required by modern society, but if you're going to become successful, personal growth is the way to go. Reflective essay topics require deep self-analysis that will help you understand your own peculiarities. They will allow you to define weaknesses you should diminish and strengths you need to develop.
Three Reflective Essay Topics To Choose From
A reflective essay format is all about you. But you are a multifaceted personality with hundreds of complicated facets and thousands of nuances. If you can’t choose among the reflective essay topics, start by narrowing your choices down. Simply put, there are three main directions a reflective essay format can take:
- Your character traits. These include both qualities that are considered good and bad. In a self-reflection essay, you can choose one attribute and describe its origins, manifestations, and development. For example, explain why you have become extremely distrustful of people, and how you manage to overcome this distrust daily. Alternatively, you can describe a couple of opposite qualities and their precarious balance. In a reflective essay format, you could write about your kindness and anger that are always at odds, making your personality unpredictable.
- Your experiences. All your life consists of small lessons, but some have had a more profound effect on you. Choose one event that influenced you the most, changed your views or taught you a valuable life lesson. Reflective essay topics can include your first solo trip, a loss of a family member or a friend, winning a contest. Both happy and sad events can be used. But before choosing to describe a bad experience, make sure you are comfortable sharing it with your teacher and classmates.
- Your relationships. There must be special people in your life. Those, who influence your decisions and define the choices you make. Even if there is no one among your acquaintances you would like to write about; you can choose reflection essay topics about your role models among politicians, journalists, fictitious or historical characters.
Three Parts Of A Traditional Reflective Essay Outline
Traditionally, every essay, including a reflective one, has three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. They will form the basis of your reflective essay outline. However, to keep your writing streamlined and logical, you should describe the main ideas of every paragraph in the outline.
- The introduction is a problematic part of an outline for a reflective essay because you have no idea how your paper will turn out. You can postpone writing it until after other pieces of the paper are ready. But ultimately it should consist of two parts: a hook and a thesis statement. Your hook is supposed to intrigue the readers and surprise them, evoke strong emotions. It can take on a form of a quote, a fact, an anecdote. Your thesis statement should include the main idea you wish to drive home. It should give readers a general overview of your essay.
- The body of the essay should clearly and logically explain your main idea and showcase both your writing and analytical skills. Titles for reflective essays dictate the structure of the main body paragraphs. They can be organized chronologically, by character trait or by argument. Every section should include one point and your take on it. Your reflections, analysis, and musings are the main point of this type of paper, so don’t be shy. You don’t have to be objective. Boldly state your opinions and ideas, providing your reasoning and experience to support them.
- The conclusion gives you an opportunity once again bring the main idea of your paper into focus. You can include the points you have made throughout the body and combine them to repeat the thesis statement you have made in the introduction. The well-written conclusion gives the reader a sense of satisfaction, making them understand what the point of your story has been.
If you divide your reflective essay assignment into manageable chunks of three, you will realize that writing it is quite enjoyable. We hope our advice will help you find the right motivation, choose among the best reflection essay topics and create a well-rounded outline for a reflective essay. But if you still require help, feel free to reach out to our professional writers!
