What are generally the two key components, when it comes to recounting and discussing personal experiences?
narrative and reflection. The two can be intertwined, although the narrative often appears first, with the bulk of your reflection coming towards the end of the essay.
What are the three steps to writing with personal narrative components?
1) Tell the story behind the problem, task, or barrier you faced (Body paragraph 1)
2) Share the story of how you solved the problem/task or overcame the barrier/challenge (Body Paragraph 2)
3) Reflect on this story from your current perspective (Body Paragraph 3 or Conclusion)
What should you do in the first part of your narrative?
Start telling your story by describing a time when you faced some sort of challenge that posed great difficulty or that you did not think you could overcome. What was it? Why was it a problem or challenge?
What do you mean by challenge?
“Challenge” is an abstract term that can be defined differently depending on the perspective of an individual. So, a challenge for one may not be a challenge for another. Thus, you can pick anything that has meaning to you, with the caveat that you take care to define what that challenge was and why. This, of course, can be woven into your narrative.
What are some potential problems?
- Overcoming a fear (such as public speaking)
- Correcting negative behaviors or bad habits (procrastination, stubbornness, etc.)
- Struggling to understand a concept or new subject
- Dealing with or resolving conflict
- Adjusting to a new environment, school, or place
- Overcoming a failure, big or small
- Rejecting stereotypes or negative perceptions
- Learning to work with others
- Completing a task that seemed daunting or “impossible”
- Pushing a personal limit or doing something you didn’t think you were able to
- Challenging an idea that you previously held
- Overcoming a negative or limiting perception that you had
- Health conditions or injury faced by you or a loved one
- Any sort of personal hardship
What is ACL looking for in essays?
They are looking for essays that allow them to “assess motivation, persistence, problem-solving, and creativity.”
What do you convey in the second half of your personal narrative?
Tell us what you did to overcome the problem or challenge that you describe in paragraph one. Again, be specific, offer details to help us “see” what you did, and share insights as to why you did it this way and what resulted from it.
What will you want to do at some point later in the essay when conveying a personal narrative?
You will want to reflect on what this experience means to you now, in the current moment. What has changed because of this? What have you learned or how have you been affected positively? Some reflection gets built in as you retell your story and what resulted. But it’s good to take some space and discuss where you are at now because of this experience.
What are the two options in which you can reflect on your personal narrative?
You can offer a reflection either in the 3rd body paragraph or the conclusion of the essay.
