Students in high school and college are often required to write a personal essay. Whether it is for admissions or for a particular course, this assignment is always challenging because you have to use both narrative and descriptive styles of writing, and double-check your grammar as well as the usage of tenses. More importantly, you can’t simply tell a story or describe a person or an event. You have to connect what’s happened to you to a broader idea. Here is a selection of 100 personal essay topics to help you get a head start with this writing assignment. They are all interesting and give you an opportunity to create an impressive piece of writing. Let’s start.

  1. The most fascinating adventure you’ve ever had
  2. A recent stressful situation
  3. How you managed to overcome a great obstacle on your way to achieving something
  4. The most motivating thing for you
  5. How you coped during a difficult time in your life
  6. Your greatest fear
  7. A time when you reacted without thinking
  8. The most annoying thing for you
  9. An event that has brought you closer to your parents
  10. If you were an animal, what would you be?
  11. A time when you failed but learned something from the experience
  12. The last time you left your “comfort zone”
  13. A time when you were alone and felt good about it
  14. How you relax
  15. A major change that has occurred in your life
  16. A person that you want to write a thank-you message to
  17. How you made a difficult decision
  18. A public figure that you would invite to speak at your college/high school
  19. The most daring thing that you have done
  20. A time when you did something heroic
  21. The family member who has had the most influence on you
  22. How you work in a team
  23. Your favorite karaoke song
  24. A time when you competed for something
  25. A character in a book/movie who shares many personal traits with you
  26. How did your parents choose your name?
  27. The school trip which you had the most fun on
  28. A superpower that you wish you could have
  29. The historical figure that you admire the most
  30. The best place to hang out in your local area
  31. A celebrity that you want to interview
  32. The sweetest neighbor that you have had
  33. A family tradition that you carry on
  34. The most dangerous situation that you have been in
  35. Which of the latest technologies are you most excited about?
  36. How your parents react to your report card
  37. Your favorite cartoon
  38. A time when a friend helped you out
  39. The biggest conflict that you have had with a sibling/cousin
  40. What you like the most about the place where you live
  41. The most disappointing thing that happened to you at school
  42. A type of behavior that annoys you
  43. A time when you changed another person’s mind
  44. Your favorite place in your house
  45. The most interesting family story that you have
  46. A time when you had a lot of fun
  47. Your dream home
  48. A time when you made a wrong decision
  49. Compare yourself to one of your parents
  50. How a teacher/professor has motivated you to do better
  51. The most beautiful place on the planet for you
  52. A time when you explored the great outdoors
  53. The coolest kid in your previous class/school
  54. A piece of technology that you cannot live without
  55. If you were President for a day, what would you do?
  56. Your favorite TV show when you were younger
  57. A place in your local area that you try to avoid
  58. How your life would differ if you lived a century ago
  59. The last video that you watched online before writing this essay
  60. The role money plays in your life
  61. A time when you wanted to run away but stayed
  62. Your favorite time period in history
  63. An object that you have kept since childhood
  64. The last thing you posted on social media
  65. The thing that has made the biggest impression on you today
  66. How you decorated your room
  67. The book with the biggest impact on you so far
  68. A time when a friend disappointed you
  69. The most irresistible thing for you
  70. The last time when you deleted an online chat message
  71. A historic event you wish you could have witnessed/been a part of
  72. The last important topic that you discussed with a friend
  73. The time when you felt the greatest pride
  74. If you could invent something, what would it be?
  75. The last time you needed a hug
  76. The artist or band whose music inspires you the most
  77. The greatest moment in movie history
  78. A time when you found something valuable by accident
  79. A piece of fake news that you read online
  80. The most impressive building for you
  81. A time when a close person betrayed your trust
  82. The most distractive thing in the classroom
  83. A TV show character that you would like to be friends with
  84. If you had a million to spend today, what would you buy?
  85. A time when you lied with a good intention in mind
  86. A person that you cannot imagine your life without
  87. The last time when you supported a good cause
  88. The single item that you have spent the biggest amount of money on in your life
  89. The mobile app that you use the most
  90. A song that brings a happy memory to mind
  91. A celebrity that you want to invite to your graduation party
  92. The most memorable poem for you
  93. Your latest act of kindness
  94. The person who has helped you the most with homework
  95. A time when you felt very angry
  96. Your favorite work of art
  97. What helps you to learn a new language
  98. How you approach essay writing
  99. How you find inner peace
  100. Your dream job
  101. What makes your parents special
  102. What your grandparents taught you
  103. How you managed to avoid a dangerous situation
  104. How a stranger changed your life
  105. The longest minute of your life

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