Reflective essays begin with a description of an event or occurrence, followed by an analysis of what the experience means and what can be derived from it. The writer of a reflective essay examines a past experience from the perspective of the present.
The following are some of the most popular topics for a reflective essay:
- A true adventure
- Something you had a dream about
- A location or a unique item
- Anything you can feel with your five senses
Step 1: Choose a topic
In many essay types, starting is usually the most challenging part. In order to make this easier for you, we are providing the steps for writing an excellent reflective essay.
Choosing the topic of your reflective essay is an essential part. If you haven’t been given a topic and don’t know what to write about, look at the list above for ideas.
For this how-to guide, we are choosing the topic “my first concert”.
Topic ideas for a reflective essay
The general topics mentioned above can guide you in finding a topic for your reflective essay. However, if you would like more specific ideas, check out this list below.
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Places you’ve visited
- An exclusive hideaway or a unique space
- Your childhood home
- A friend’s home
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Life-changing incidents
- A day where you experienced something new
- An experience where you faced your fears
- A time of failure or success
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Important thoughts you have
- A chat you wished you’d have or a task you wished you’d completed
- An awkward moment that you’ve experienced
- The kind of person you want to be
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Impactful experiences
- A song, movie, or book that had a strong impact on you
- Something you’ve seen on social media
- A magazine article
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Significant people from your life
- A relative that affected your personality
- Someone who has harmed you
- Your significant other
Step 2: Prepare an outline
Although a reflective essay is personal, it still must have some structure. So, as with any other essay, an essay outline will help you arrange your thoughts, so you know what subjects you want to discuss.
Outline tips
- Consider the outline as a map; you prepare beforehand which points you want to explore and address in your writing.
- It’ll save you a lot of time! Since the outline actually acts as the essay’s framework, you’ll save a lot of time when it comes to writing.
- Remember that a reflective essay usually follows the traditional introduction, body, and conclusion structure.
Step 3: Write an introduction
Your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that includes both a hook and a thesis statement, as with all essays.
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Things to look for in an introduction
- To have the best chance of keeping your reader’s attention, you should depict the exciting elements of your story in the first paragraph.
- The thesis statement is a concise overview of the essay’s main point, which in this case is a specific event that had a significant impact on you.
- Remember to give a brief summary of your experience; if you give too much detail away, your reader will get disinterested.
Reflective essay introduction example
Attending my first concert is an experience that I can only define as one of the most memorable and unforgettable events of my life. Opening sentence: First sentence that portrays the importance of the event and makes the reader curious. The joy of watching the band whose music has been the soundtrack to my life for so long was surreal. Reminding importance: Explanation as to why the event is so significant. Attending this concert then became a significant cornerstone in my life as after this concert, going to concerts became my biggest hobby and getaway from life’s problems. Thesis statement: Analyzing the event from today’s perspective.
Step 4: Write body paragraphs
The next step is writing the body of your essay. This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of the essay; it’s all too tempting to ramble and repeat yourself, both in the plan and in the actual writing.
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Taking a chronological approach
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Sufficient criticism and contemplation
The body paragraphs should not only summarize your past but also delve into the effect it has had on your life and the things you’ve experienced as a result of it.
Reflective essay body example
When the concert began, I started feeling a rush that I had never felt before. I was so excited about all my favorite songs that I was going to hear live. When the band started performing my favorite song by them, I was having one of the best moments of my life. Chronological explanation: Chronological approach that makes it easier to follow a coherent structure. I was already contemplating when I would be able to attend my next concert. Reflecting the future: A sentence that implies the impact of the event on future experiences. When the lead singer pointed at me while singing, I knew that this was going to be a memorable moment in my life. Concluding sentence: A concluding sentence of athe paragraph that reflects the feelings and the experience.
Step 5: Write a conclusion
You should concentrate on getting your reflective essay together at the conclusion by giving a rundown of all the points made during the event and what you have gained as a result.
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Conclusion paragraph best practices
- Try to include a few points about what kind of specific impacts this experience had on you.
- Consider how your personality and abilities have been influenced, such as what assumptions can be made concerning your problem-solving abilities.
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Questions to ask before writing the conclusion
- What conclusions can be drawn about your attitude to particular situations?
- What would you do better if you were in a similar situation again?
- What moves have you taken to put everything you’ve experienced about your journey into perspective?
Reflective essay conclusion example
Now that I look back at it, I can see that this experience made me the music lover I am today. Effect of the topic on today: An important phrase; shows that the essay makes reflections and a clear statement of the effect the experience had on the writer. I did love music back then, but before I had experienced live music, I was not aware of the power music had on me. Therefore, my first concert did not only enhance my love of Modest Mouse’s music, but it also made me discover my particular interest in music. Concluding sentence: Concluding sentence that shows the importance of the event.
Step 6: Proofread and edit your essay
For any essay type, editing is a crucial phase. You may use a variety of strategies to effectively edit your essay, including:
- Ask a friend to read your essay and have feedback. They may be able to provide some useful advice about how to improve your essay.
- Reading your essay aloud will help you determine the common mistakes in the essay more clearly.
- Leave some time from when you finish writing and when you return to edit. This provides you with some insight, allowing you to spot errors more quickly. Also, avoid plagiarism.
Do’s and dont’s of a reflective essay
- Write clearly. Your ideas must be expressed simply so that your audience understands.
- Stick to the standard format with an introduction, main body paragraphs, and conclusion.
- Keep in mind that you should write your essay based on both your own opinion and some objective information.
- Don’t get too personal. This is an academic paper, not a letter to a friend.
- Don’t pack all of your memories into a single essay, focus on the most relevant ones.
- Give your essay a formal study rather than an unstructured collection of observations, perspectives, and suggestions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for reading. If you need further information, feel free to have a look at our essay samples or contact us at live chat.
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