my high school years essay

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My High School Years

• Category Education
• Subcategory School
• Topic High School

I remember when I was in middle school I would watch “That’s So Raven,” on Disney Channel all day, wishing I was already in High School like Raven, so that I could have the same pleasurable experiences as she did. But little did I know “That’s So Raven,” was a fantasy and that life would not be so easy.

Social media hadn’t really taken its sway over me until my freshman year at high school. The year began with me trying to find an identity for myself, as well as what made me different from those around me. I lacked solid self-confidence and self-reliance. I believed that you couldn’t disagree without jeopardizing the relationship. I no longer wanted to be a background character; but the center of the scene. As I was new, I felt like all eyes were on me and that everyone was waiting to see what I had to bring to the table. My need to impress a bunch of people who I soon realized couldn’t care less about me, only led to increased feelings of anxiety, poor body image and loneliness. I cared about my social image just as a politician running for office. My own Instagram profile probably didn’t even represent the person that I felt like on the inside. It was adverse that social media became all about fitting in and showing off, just at a time when my self-esteem became more fragile as I became more self conscious.

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It took me until my sophomore year to realize that the more identities you have, and the more time you spend pretending to be someone you aren’t, the harder it’s going to be to feel good about yourself. But this realization didn’t just stir up by itself.

Around the middle of my sophomore year, I made friends with this junior named Samm. He didn’t come to school that often because he didn’t really appreciate the confines that our education system had instigated towards learning beyond the classroom’s walls. I couldn’t disagree with him on that. Within a few months of getting to know him, he suddenly became diagnosed with paraplegia; the lower half of his body became completely paralyzed. But still so, he refused to live his life like a vegetable, and he continued pursuing his passion – basketball. At first he avoided going to the basketball court in fear of getting mocked by other peers, but he realized that if he was able to accept himself, then given a little time, others would be able to do so as well. While that friend of mine dreamt of forming the first national wheelchair basketball league in Bangladesh, there I was trying to impress a bunch of people I didn’t even really know. His continuous and ongoing journey of finding himself stimulated me to embrace the fact that I am who I am today and I am who I will be tomorrow, with all my flaws. I learnt that I couldn’t please everyone and that there would always be some people who just wouldn’t like me.

My first two years in high school had thus ended, with me finally grasping the fact that self-esteem comes from consolidating who you are and knowing how to say what you think and feel, even when you’re in disagreement with the person or it feels emotionally risky.

Unlike most people, who think that their freshman year is like starting a whole new chapter, I perceived that feeling when beginning my junior year. I began to explore and take advantage of the vast options and opportunities I had. Since I didn’t want to look back and wish or regret something that I did or didn’t do, I decided to only make moments that I would want to remember. I turned to befriending more like-minded people and those who would hopefully have a positive impact on me.

To extirpate the negativity around me I decided to cut a multitude of people out of my life that dragged me down in one way or another; especially energy zappers and promoters of bad habits. It is till date one of the key steps I’ve encountered on my way to finding happiness. Friends will come and go and that is natural. Severing ties with some people made scope for more positive people to come into my life; and gave me more time to nurture the true relationships I had.

After overcoming various predicaments I began my final and senior year feeling a sense of worthiness and strength. The insidious problems I had to face that year are but a smudge on my memory. In order to make my senior year my best year, I decided to the things I enjoyed doing. I encouraged juniors not to fall victim to the negative sides of peer pressure. I didn’t want other students to go through the same things I experienced and felt inclined to stand up for a change; but I understood that change takes one step at a time and that it’s up to everyone to take the first step on their own. I decided to initiate a certain platform which would mentally and physically prepare students to interact with the environment around them and would also allow them to express their thoughts and emotions. This platform made me believe that being an agent in my community wasn’t just a cliché for me, but a necessary commitment.

I graduated high school learning that school and teachers can only teach us so much, and that the real learning comes from self-motivation. Ultimately, it’s all a matter of staying true to what you believe personally and following your moral compass, even in the foggiest conditions. High school helped me grow academically, emotionally, socially and realistically; and though it wasn’t the best four years of my life, as it is for many, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the experience. 

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The La Salle Falconer

The High School Experience: A Personal Reflection

Filled with growth and life lessons, the high school experience has been a journey worth the climb.

Anna Waldron , Editor May 4, 2022

High school is arguably the most transformative time of a person’s life. My own experience has been filled with more memories, laughter, stress, and — most importantly, growth — than I ever could have anticipated when I began. 

The lessons I have learned about myself, about others, and about the world in the last four years have shaped who I am today, and that person is far from the naive 14-year-old girl who walked through those glass doors of La Salle nearly four years ago. I was oblivious to the overwhelming emotional distress that I would feel when I started high school. 

In some ways, it feels like an everyday battle. 

As a freshman, the struggle began with adjusting to what felt like a whole new world. I was desperately trying to make friends, considering I had only one. I never knew what it was like to feel alone in a school with so many people. I felt like I had to act a certain way or be a certain person in order to maintain a basic conversation with people in my classes or on my soccer team. 

Every day, my head was filled with an overwhelming concern about how I could manage to make myself look like someone with more friends than I actually had at the time. 

I remember constantly thinking, “I’ll start enjoying this at some point, right?” 

The truth is, I did. 

To anyone who is feeling the way I once felt, please know that those feelings do go away. By the end of my freshman year and into the next, I enjoyed myself. School wasn’t particularly challenging, and I was spending my weekends having fun with my friends and going to basketball games and sleepovers. I had finally created a routine and felt mostly content with my life, aside from daunting thoughts in my head telling me it was all a lie.

I think that’s something that all teenagers deal with. It comes with the age, the questions, “do my friends actually like me?” or “am I enough?” — “do people worry about me or have I tricked myself into thinking they do?” 

I continued to move throughout my sophomore year feeling a new level of comfort with my life. Then, the pandemic hit. 

The original two weeks of quarantine turned into two months, and then two years. The predictable high school experience I had become accustomed to was no longer my reality, and instead, high school turned into an atypical rollercoaster of isolation from all the essential parts of the experience. 

To say it was hard would be an understatement, but after the initial forced adjustment to a remote life, I was forced to be content without relying on others.

Without having to fear other people’s judgments of me or having to conceal myself in social situations to appear more “acceptable,” I gained independence and confidence within myself that I didn’t know existed.

Then finally — after over a year — the long-awaited return to school arrived. 

I rejoiced in my ability to thrive academically again and I was so relieved to feel like I was really learning. I reconnected with my friends, ate lunch outside, took finals, and then — after a blur of two months — the year ended. My junior year flew by like no other. 

When senior year rolled around, I felt out of place. I couldn’t imagine a world where I belonged to the oldest class at the school. In the beginning, it was odd getting used to, but after a few weeks, it was nothing but a thrill as I planned what the next weekend alongside my friends would hold. 

My friendships were flourishing and I was becoming closer and closer with people I had never really gotten to know. 

Unlike the three years prior, my senior year has felt like a stereotypical high school experience, and I could not be more grateful for it. 

I always thought of myself as someone who was above enjoying things like attending soccer games, getting ready for homecoming with my friends, singing karaoke in someone’s basement, or going to a trampoline park for an 18-year-old’s birthday party. 

The truth is, I’m not. 

I regret that I spent so long depriving myself of the things I love in order to fit a narrative that I created for myself. 

I love that I will graduate high school happier and more fulfilled than I ever felt during my other three years here. It feels like everything has finally come full circle, after all these years of feeling so alone. 

So yes, it was transformative. I am finally content with the person I have become and the life I have chosen to lead. I wouldn’t be the same without La Salle and I wouldn’t be the same without the people I’ve gotten to know here. 

I know that I will look back on my high school experience here, not feeling critical of the insecurities I have felt, but feeling grateful for the memories and lessons that came regardless of them. 

Senior Anna Waldron has lived in Portland, Oregon her whole life, in the same neighborhood as nine members of her extended family.  Outside of The...

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My Highschool Reflections Before Graduation

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What My School Means to Me: Essays from 3 High Schoolers

How students at an unusual school think—and write—about their experience.

In January, I visited the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, a public residential high school in Greenville. Artistically talented students from around the state spend two or three of their high school years in dedicated pursuit of their art—dance, drama, music, visual arts, or creative writing—along with their academic curriculum. I wrote about it here .

I asked Scott Gould, a creative writing teacher at the school, if he would ask his students to write me a short essay about their school. This was a wide-open request; I wanted to hear whatever perspective the students wanted to offer about their experience at the school. Among the essays the students submitted, here are three of my favorites, unedited and untouched. I’d like to share them with you.

The first is by Cameron Messinides, a junior from Camden, SC:

Long-Distance My mother called on Sunday to tell me our herd of goats, previously twenty-one strong, had been reduced to three. Two feral dogs squeezed through a hole in the pasture fence and killed anything they could catch. My parents and brother arrived during the massacre. My father jumped the fence to chase the dogs and shot the slower one with a pistol. On his way back, he heard a few scattered bleats and followed the sounds. In a gully, he found two billies and the last nanny. They had survived by shoving themselves into an abandoned chicken coop. Afterwards, my family walked among the carcasses--once white, now bloodstained and caked with rain-softened clay. We wanted to find life, my mother said. They gave up at four in the afternoon, and my father and brother made a pile of the bodies in the woods, to be buried later. Phone calls like this are common now. I've been in a boarding school since August, and every weekend my mother seems to find something new to break to me. It's not always bad. The weekend before, she called to tell me my brother enrolled in a birding retreat on the South Carolina coastline. And before that, she told me about the new color she picked for the living room walls. I'm still not used to this kind of communication. I miss immediacy. A year ago, when I still lived with them, I would know all this. She wouldn't have to tell me two or three days later. I'd like to say I've adjusted, but I haven't. The Wednesday after the goats died, she called again. She told me she couldn't shake what she had seen. She worried. Would the dogs' owner show up? How about the surviving dog? What if he came back? She hadn't been sleeping, and when she did, she dreamt of the bloody bodies, the torn sides of a billy, the kids crushed into the mud. I told her I knew how she felt, but I don't. I don't think it's possible. She sent me only one picture of the scene, a close-up of the surviving nanny's nose, ripped open by the dog's teeth. The rest I have to imagine. I imagine the dogs—Brown? Black?—chasing the herd across a winter field, hooves and paws tearing up dead grass. I imagine stumbling kids. I imagine the deputy who arrived a few hours later, gray-haired and perhaps a slow talker. None of it is certain. I still sleep easily. That's the cost of our separation: her anxieties don't travel the phone lines, and I can't make myself care. But I want to care. Some days I only want to be home, in the ranch-style with green siding and the stump in the front yard, which is the only remnant of the rotting oak my family cut down without me. I'd walk to the pasture with my father, take the shovel he offers me, and dig with him, shoulder-to-shoulder, a hole big enough to put all eighteen dead goats under three or four feet of orange clay. Then, we return home, and I sit in the living room next to my mother, tell her she can sleep now. Even hours into the night, after she has gone to bed, I sit, surrounded by lamplight and the color of the freshly-painted walls, three coats of Townhouse Tan, and listen to my brothers. They lie side-by-side on the hearth, birder's guidebook open before them, and take turns whispering names to each other: bobwhite, cardinal, tufted titmouse.

Next, by Shelley Hucks, a senior from Florence, SC:

Florentine In the heart of South Carolina, the railroad tracks converge over swampland, and fields are laced with cotton in the Dog Days of early August. The summer heat rolls in, unstoppable and rests between cypress knees and Spanish moss. The place can’t decide what to be: it’s one-third urban, one-third rural, and one-third swamp. The people seem to fall victim to a cycle of poverty, of being at sixteen what their parents were at eighteen, what their own children will be at fourteen. It’s not easy to get out. The place is called Florence, and I lived there for sixteen years before moving three hours away to study creative writing at a boarding school. In upstate South Carolina is the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. It’s situated just off Greenville’s downtown area, with Reedy River Falls Park in the school’s backyard. Downtown Greenville is an arts community, with performing centers and theaters, galleries, art festivals and craft fairs, and restaurants willing to provide venues for writing club readings or jazz band performances. Not only is the atmosphere different, but the entire landscape: from my dorm room, I can see the hazy silhouette of mountains. At the Governor’s School, I’ve studied under excellent teachers. I’ve been exposed to new authors and genres, learned to be curious, analytical, to believe in the deliberation of every line of poetry and each line of dialogue in a short story. I’ve learned to put my personal life into artistic context with the help of professionals. I’ve learned to become aware. To make something strange, beautiful, something important. And, something particularly valuable to me because of my immense pride in my hometown, I’ve learned to appreciate a strong sense of setting, the way characters can function in so many complex ways. I’ve learned how to convey Florence in words. Governor’s School has provided me with the training to write about the content that I grew up with, the material I naturally have to offer. Every story I write takes place in some type of Florence, with its tangible sensation of heat trapped in the swamp, the perpetual presence of desperation. All of my characters are based on Florentines: single mothers I’ve met at work, the mysterious neighbor who passed out already-opened Halloween candy, or the woman who showed up to church drinking hairspray. Going home on breaks, or for the summer, has altered my perspective of Florence. Instead of seeing tragic figures living in a never-changing place, I see characters full of complexities living in a place as undecided as they are. Once, the chain-link fence covered in hubcaps was ugly. But now I see it as armor, protecting the women on the porch, who sip sweet tea and watch another fistfight unfold in the street, those men who wordlessly understand the ritual required to live here.

Finally, by Jackson Trice, a senior from Simpsonville, SC:

Outside the Lines I forget how strange my school sounds to the rest of the world until I leave it. On a card at the front desk inside a college admissions building, I am told to write the name of my high school. The full name, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, does not fit on the dotted line, and I have to draw an arrow to the back of the card, and write the rest there. When I say my school’s name out loud to family members, it sounds prestigious, almost regal. But on the first day of school here it is made clear that I was chosen based on potential, and not necessarily talent. It’s this ego smashing that happens throughout junior year that creates the atmosphere of Governor’s School. You don’t get “good,” you just make progress. You are not special, you’ve just been given an excellent opportunity. I don’t know how much Governor’s School has changed me until I meet up with friends from my old school at a football game during fall break. I live in Simpsonville, South Carolina only a fifteen minute drive from downtown Greenville. Still, all these kids know about my school are rumors. “I’ve heard the dancers are super catty,” one says. “I’ve heard there’s, like, crazy amounts of sex.” I answer, “Sometimes,” and “That’s a good joke,” respectively. I try to explain to them that yes, I have real school work on top of art work. No, I can’t have a boy in my dorm room—I can’t even have Advil. Hey, hey, there are a few republicans. Like, two, maybe? I quickly realize that the magic of this school is lost as soon as I try and pin words to it. I stop coming home for Friday night football games. I choose, instead, to stay on campus. There are two creative writing classrooms that make up our department. Each is packed with books and long desks and computers. Only creative writers are allowed in these rooms, and there’s a giddiness in the seclusion of it. Monday through Thursday, we stay in the rooms after hours to get work done, but on Fridays, we kick our shoes off and run around to celebrate the weekend. We lay on the desks and talk to each other and laugh until our sides ache. We share secrets and stories and we belong to these rooms, to the spines of our favorite books on the bookshelves. We belong to each other. There are, of course, the nights when AP Chemistry keeps me up until four in the morning. There are the days where workshop is brutal, and I never want to write another word again. There are those scary moments where I feel that the pressure is too much and I fantasize about going to regular school. Maybe then, I could learn to drive, go to real high school parties, eat my mother’s delicious food anytime I wanted. But then there’s a drama student playing guitar in the academic stairwell. The sound of his voice spins up the flights of stairs, bouncing off walls in wistful echoes. It calms me. There’s hot chocolate at the Starbucks across the street, and there’s the beauty of that street, which is lined with small trees dressed up in white Christmas lights, illuminating the sidewalk. There’s my friend who sits with me inside Starbucks and talks about Rilke and Miley Cyrus with equal insight and tenacity. When I return, there’s a group of students outside the residential life building, blocking the doors. They’re all dancing, and singing to the beat of their clapping hands, stomping feet: “You have to dance to pass. Dance, dance, to pass.” And because I can sense that there is something wonderfully magical about this place, I feel that I must obey them. It is only necessary. I am a terrible dancer, but in this moment, I dance shamelessly. When the crowd is satisfied with my moves, they cheer, and finally part, letting me into the building, welcoming me home.

My High School Experience Essay Sample

Some said high school would be the best four years of my life, but having to go through circumstances that are not in my favor, I would have to argue the opposite. Looking back at all the memories during my high school career, certain experiences shape me into who I am today. Not having the average family home created barriers to live through. Having an abnormal family, going through mental issues and family hardships are not my ideal dream life, but these experiences have molded me into someone who knows how to persevere through experiences that feel impossible to overcome. 

Growing up without my biological parents’ presence allowed me to grow closer to and find a normal family life with my sister. My kind of situation creates the likelihood of unsuccessfulness, compared to growing up in a more stable home. I used to live with my biological mom and brother, while my older sister lived in a different city. My school schedule would barely miss my mom's work schedule. She left for work before I woke up for school and returned after I put myself to bed. I had all my physical needs, but somehow was missing a mother’s nurturing. My sister came to visit me and my brother every once in a while, but one day her visitations were not enough. There was just a feeling of not ever wanting to say goodbye to her again. Choosing to move in with my sister was the moment that changed my whole high school career. The shift was an easy adaptation because I felt as if my sister has always been the one to take care of me. She provided the nurture that I was lacking growing up. A nurture that a mother and father should be present to provide. I consider my sister and her husband to be my own parents. Even though they were a great support system for me, I always had a feeling of being forgotten. Constantly trying to prove myself to my parents that taking me in was worth their time, and that my biological parents are missing out on an amazing little girl, is mentally draining. In all that, I gained a personal trait that I would rather not have: validation. Academic, male, personal, and family validation tends to run my life.  Having a constant struggle with self-esteem took a toll on my mental health.

A substantial part of my high school career was centered around my mental health. Being told my mental health and stress was not important because someone’s mental state was worse, affected how I treated my life. I started to invalidate my own thoughts and feelings, as if I did not need to keep myself mentally healthy because having the amount of stress I had was normal for everyone. Stress keeps me going, affecting a considerable amount of my life. Stress eventually got to a point where I could not function. My grades and health dropped from losing interest in school, family, and friends, causing me to be irritated with anyone and any inconvenience.  My irritation started to spread throughout my house causing my family to lose interest in being around me. I felt like I was not present in my parents' life,  and I did not matter to them. I knew this was not true, but this feeling led me to desire change because my family is what is most important to me, and I value their opinions. I thought to myself if I kept this act up, where would I go in life. I do not want to be an adult that lives off their parents' dime.  Having my parents provide their time to me, is why I want to be on a path that can provide back to my parents’ when I am older, as a way to thank them. 

My dad is another significant part in supporting me through high school, until I faced him being deployed overseas. He was gone for about seven months, leaving my family and I to fill a void that was nearly impossible to prepare for. We would talk with him frequently, but his absence still weighed on my mom, little sisters, brother, and especially myself. I have been told a girl’s father is the most important man in her life, but what they do not say is that my father figure needs to be biological. My dad’s absence gave me anger, as if he chose to leave me,  just like my biological father. Obviously, the situation was not that way at all because of the military obligations he has, but I felt selfish to explain that to my family. I had this feeling to make sure my family was okay, before I took care of myself. My life was supposed to solely be about keeping my grades up, and my performance, but doing so was hard with my circumstances. There was no preparation to have him ripped away from us , but somehow I managed my school work and mental health to come out stronger on the other side when my dad returned. 

Going through challenges is a path I have grown familiar with, because I found that they bring out the best in me. So following the easy path in life is simply not an option. I have embraced challenges since the first day of high school. Now, with a 4.2 weighted GPA, Vice President of Student Council, Historian of my senior class, and senior year ahead of me, I feel ready and confident to conquer any circumstance life wants to throw at me, including this essay.

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About my High School Experience

How it works

My name is Arizona Poole, and I am a junior at Cornerstone. I have attended Cornerstone since 5th grade. I’ve wanted to be a teacher all my life. Since I was a young child, I’ve known that teaching is what I want to do. The only thing that has changed is the grade I want to teach. I am an extremely responsible and hardworking student. I am a part of the Beta Club and Community Service Club. In 10th grade, I was the treasurer and Character Education chair.

In 11th grade, I was elected president of the Future Teachers of America Club. I am actively involved in my church and volunteering. Being in the Teacher Cadet allows me to expand my knowledge of teaching, and I know that field experience will be invaluable. One reason I want to become a teacher is because of all the educators who have influenced me to love school, work hard, and value teaching. In elementary school, I had a mostly positive experience. My kindergarten and first-grade teachers were amazing. They both set me up to succeed in the rest of my school experience. Both were strict and had high expectations, but they were also kind and caring. They wanted to see their students succeed and consistently incorporated an element of fun into their classrooms. In these early grades, despite being extremely shy, I was able to excel because they allowed me to do extra work. I took many Accelerated Reader tests and had extra schoolwork and spelling words so that I could reach my full potential. I was allowed to go beyond what we did in class and be pushed and challenged, which is probably why I loved school so much. In kindergarten, I decided I wanted to teach; ever since, I have held that firm belief that it is what I am meant to do. In the second grade, my experience was definitely not as positive. Though schoolwork was still pretty easy for me, that was the roughest year I had in elementary school. The environment of that classroom made it really hard for me both socially and acadically. In 3rd and 4th grades, my teachers placed me in higher-level classes and the Academically Gifted program, which helped to challenge me with higher-level thinking. I had some great teachers who grounded the foundation of my learning with skills and tricks that I still use to this day. These grades were also when I came out of my shell a little. Though I still wasn’t the most outgoing, I definitely became more outgoing with peers and adults. They encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone socially, which helped me gain confidence. In 5th grade, I moved to Cornerstone, and I had another great teacher. My teacher challenged me academically but also built a classroom community where the whole class got along. That class was definitely challenging but also another important one in my development. Overall, I excelled in all subjects in elementary school. Math was always the easiest for me, so I had to work harder in English. Math was always my favorite subject, followed by history. I was put in upper-level core classes, enrolled in an Academically Gifted class, and skipped a grade in math in 5th grade. For the most part, my elementary school experience was extremely positive. My middle school experience was also largely positive. It allowed me to grow as a student in terms of responsibility while also being challenged academically. The amount of homework gradually increased starting in 6th grade, which was strenuous for me. Throughout middle school, and even in 5th grade, I had the same teacher for homeroom twice, for math once, and for the yearbook. She was very influential in my life, always encouraging me and giving me useful advice. 6th grade was difficult because some teachers, new to the grade level, had unrealistic expectations regarding the workload for a 6th grader. This experience taught me to step up and take initiative when I struggle. I still really liked my teachers and enjoyed my time in the 6th grade. In the 7th grade, my three teachers were all ones that I liked. They challenged us and pushed me to work hard. In the 8th grade, I was once again pushed to work hard, but also taught a lot of skills that would help me in high school. Study skills, writing techniques, and presenting habits all helped to prepare me for the future. My favorite subject continued to be math. English was harder for me, but I had really good teachers that improved many of my English test grades significantly. Science was also really hard for me, since I had never done a lot of it before. I was forced to study a lot. My middle school years were positive because I had so many great teachers who truly cared for their students. They went above and beyond expectations to help prepare us for high school and to give advice and help us through issues that arose. While many consider it an awful time, middle school was full of great teachers and friends. My high school experience has been a mix of good and bad. While the high school teachers have been amazing, the workload has not. My teachers have truly cared about helping me succeed in their classes and in my future. They have been open to pushing me to my full potential. In 9th grade, my workload was really tough. Having homework for seven classes every night, I had no free time after school. I took as many honors classes as possible – four in total – and then had three other classes. These classes required higher-level thinking, but also led to me struggling with the workload. In 10th grade, I took 2 Advanced Placement classes, 3 honors classes, and 2 regular ones. One of the Advanced Placement classes proved to be the toughest I have experienced so far. It required numerous hours of homework each night and made my workload intolerable. Lastly, my junior year has been harder in terms of content, but easier concerning the workload. I have been able to pursue other interests during the afternoons, but I also have to study a great deal for my four Advanced Placement classes, one college class, and Teachers Cadet class. Overall, math has remained my favorite subject. The challenges of upper-level math classes have not diminished my interest; they have actually enhanced it, potentially focusing my teaching major in mathematics. I’ve always loved math and am considering further math credentials with a view to becoming a more effective teacher in the future. Each year of high school comes with its own unique challenges, but my teachers have been amazing. Despite the workload, Cornerstone has been a fantastic fit for me. The educators here genuinely care about their students and have provided me with great assistance. Plus, through the Future Teachers of America club and Character Education, I’ve had opportunities to step up and work with other students. High school has allowed me to take on more leadership roles and show some initiative. Overall, I have had a positive experience in elementary, middle, and high school. I’ve been able to identify what I want to pursue as a career. When I realized it was teaching in kindergarten, it became apparent throughout middle and high school as well. My teachers have helped me step outside of my comfort zone and pursue my passions. I’ve been challenged and pushed throughout my educational journey. In addition, the exceptional elementary school teachers I had made me realize why I want to teach younger grades. They showed me that a teacher can profoundly influence a student’s perspective on learning for the rest of their lives. My teachers created an outstanding classroom environment, challenged me, and encouraged me, all of which solidified why I want to teach. My upper-grade teachers were there to encourage, educate, and show me the value of my chosen path. While many years of my schooling have been challenging, those struggles were rewarding and overall beneficial to me.

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High School Essay

Navigating the complexities of High School Essay writing can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Our guide, infused with diverse essay examples , is designed to simplify this journey for students. High school essays are a crucial part of academic development, allowing students to express their thoughts, arguments, and creativity. With our examples, students learn to structure their essays effectively, develop strong thesis statements, and convey their ideas with clarity and confidence, paving the way for academic success.

What Is a High School Essay? A high school essay is anything that falls between a literary piece that teachers would ask their students  to write. It could be anything like an expository essay , informative essay , or a descriptive essay . High school essay is just a broad term that is used to describe anything that high school student writes, probably in subjects like English Grammar or Literature.

It is a good way to practice every student’s writing skills in writing which they might find useful when they reach college. Others might even be inspired to continue writing and take courses that are related to it.

Download High School Essay Bundle

When you are in high school, it is definite that you are expected to do some write-ups and projects which require pen and paper. Yes. You heard that right. Your teachers are going to let you write a lot of things starting from short stories to other things like expository essays. However, do not be intimidated nor fear the things that I have just said. It is but a normal part of being a student to write things. Well, take it from me. As far as I can recall, I may have written about a hundred essays during my entire high school years or maybe more. You may also see what are the parts of an essay?

High School Essay Format

1. introduction.

Hook: Start with an engaging sentence to capture the reader’s interest. This could be a question, a quote, a surprising fact, or a bold statement related to your topic. Background Information: Provide some background information on your topic to help readers understand the context of your essay. Thesis Statement: End the introduction with a clear thesis statement that outlines your main argument or point of view. This statement guides the direction of your entire essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

Topic Sentence: Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, supporting your thesis statement. Supporting Details: Include evidence, examples, facts, and quotes to support the main idea of each paragraph. Make sure to explain how these details relate to your topic sentence and thesis statement. Analysis: Provide your analysis or interpretation of the evidence and how it supports your argument. Be clear and concise in explaining your reasoning. Transition: Use transition words or phrases to smoothly move from one idea to the next, maintaining the flow of your essay.

3. Conclusion

Summary: Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of your body paragraphs without introducing new information. Final Thoughts: End your essay with a strong closing statement. This could be a reflection on the significance of your argument, a call to action, or a rhetorical question to leave the reader thinking.

Example of High School Essay

Community service plays a pivotal role in fostering empathy, building character, and enhancing societal well-being. It offers a platform for young individuals to contribute positively to society while gaining valuable life experiences. This essay explores the significance of community service and its impact on both individuals and communities. Introduction Community service, an altruistic activity performed for the betterment of society, is a cornerstone for personal growth and societal improvement. It not only addresses societal needs but also cultivates essential virtues in volunteers. Through community service, high school students can develop a sense of responsibility, a commitment to altruism, and an understanding of their role in the community. Personal Development Firstly, community service significantly contributes to personal development. Volunteering helps students acquire new skills, such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. For instance, organizing a local food drive can teach students project management skills and the importance of collaboration. Moreover, community service provides insights into one’s passions and career interests, guiding them towards fulfilling future endeavors. Social Impact Secondly, the social impact of community service cannot be overstated. Activities like tutoring underprivileged children or participating in environmental clean-ups address critical societal issues directly. These actions not only bring about immediate positive changes but also inspire a ripple effect, encouraging a culture of volunteerism within the community. The collective effort of volunteers can transform neighborhoods, making them more supportive and resilient against challenges. Building Empathy and Understanding Furthermore, community service is instrumental in building empathy and understanding. Engaging with diverse groups and working towards a common goal fosters a sense of solidarity and compassion among volunteers. For example, spending time at a senior center can bridge the generational gap, enriching the lives of both the elderly and the volunteers. These experiences teach students the value of empathy, enriching their emotional intelligence and social awareness.   In conclusion, community service is a vital component of societal development and personal growth. It offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with their communities, learn valuable life skills, and develop empathy. Schools and parents should encourage students to participate in community service, highlighting its benefits not only to the community but also in shaping responsible, caring, and informed citizens. As we look towards building a better future, the role of community service in education cannot be overlooked; it is an investment in our collective well-being and the development of the next generation.

Essay Topics for High School with Samples to Edit & Download

• Should schools have dress codes?
• Sex education in middle school
• Should homework be abolished?
• College education costs
• How does technology affect productivity?
• Is climate change reversible?
• Is social media helpful or harmful?
• Climate change is caused by humans
• Effects of social media on youth
• Are men and women treated equally?
• Are professional athletes overpaid?
• Changes over the past decade
• Guns should be more strictly regulated
• My favorite childhood memory
• Religion in school
• Should we stop giving final exams?
• Video game addiction
• Violence in media content

High School Essay Examples & Templates

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High School Essay For Students

High School Essay Outline

High School Essay Example

High School Self Introduction Essay Template

High School Student Essay

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Reflective High School

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Argumentative Essays for High School

Informative Essays for High School

High School Persuasive

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Narrative Essays

Scholarship Essays

High School Application

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High School Graduation Essay

High School Leadership Essay

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How to Write a High School Essay

Some teachers are really not that strict when it comes to writing essay because they too understand the struggles of writing stuff like these. However, you need to know the basics when it comes to writing a high school essay.

1. Understand the Essay Prompt

• Carefully read the essay prompt or question to understand what’s required. Identify the type of essay (narrative, persuasive, expository, etc.) and the main topic you need to address.

2. Choose a Topic

• If the topic isn’t provided, pick one that interests you and fits the essay’s requirements. Make sure it’s neither too broad nor too narrow.

3. Conduct Research (if necessary)

• For expository, argumentative, or research essays, gather information from credible sources to support your arguments. Take notes and organize your findings.

4. Create an Outline

• Outline your essay to organize your thoughts and structure your arguments effectively. Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

5. Write the Introduction

• Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention (a quote, a question, a shocking fact, etc.). Introduce your topic and end the introduction with a thesis statement that presents your main argument or purpose.

6. Develop Body Paragraphs

• Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea or argument that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence, provide evidence or examples, and explain how it relates to your thesis.

7. Write the Conclusion

• Summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis in a new way. Conclude with a strong statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Types of High School Essay

1. narrative essay.

Narrative essays tell a story from the writer’s perspective, often highlighting a personal experience or event. The focus is on storytelling, including characters, a setting, and a plot, to engage readers emotionally. This type allows students to explore creativity and expressiveness in their writing.

2. Descriptive Essay

Descriptive essays focus on detailing and describing a person, place, object, or event. The aim is to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind using sensory details. These essays test the writer’s ability to use language creatively to evoke emotions and bring a scene to life.

3. Expository Essay

Expository essays aim to explain or inform the reader about a topic in a clear, concise manner. This type of essay requires thorough research and focuses on factual information. It’s divided into several types, such as compare and contrast, cause and effect, and process essays, each serving a specific purpose.

4. Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays aim to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint or argument. The writer must use logic, reasoning, and evidence to support their position while addressing counterarguments. This type tests the writer’s ability to persuade and argue effectively.

5. Analytical Essay

Analytical essays require the writer to break down and analyze an element, such as a piece of literature, a movie, or a historical event. The goal is to interpret and make sense of the subject, discussing its significance and how it achieves its purpose.

6. Reflective Essay

Reflective essays are personal pieces that ask the writer to reflect on their experiences, thoughts, or feelings regarding a specific topic or experience. It encourages introspection and personal growth by examining one’s responses and learning from them.

7. Argumentative Essay

Similar to persuasive essays, argumentative essays require the writer to take a stance on an issue and argue for their position with evidence. However, argumentative essays place a stronger emphasis on evidence and logic rather than emotional persuasion.

8. Research Paper

Though often longer than a typical essay, research papers in high school require students to conduct in-depth study on a specific topic, using various sources to gather information. The focus is on presenting findings and analysis in a structured format.

Tips for High School Essays

Writing a high school essay if you have the tips on how to do essay effectively . This will give you an edge from your classmates.

• Stay Organized: Keep your notes and sources well-organized to make the writing process smoother.
• Be Clear and Concise: Avoid overly complex sentences or vocabulary that might confuse the reader.
• Use Transitions: Ensure that your paragraphs and ideas flow logically by using transition words and phrases.
• Cite Sources: If you use direct quotes or specific ideas from your research, make sure to cite your sources properly to avoid plagiarism.
• Practice: Like any skill, essay writing improves with practice. Don’t hesitate to write drafts and experiment with different writing styles.

Importance of High School Essay

Aside from the fact that you will get reprimanded for not doing  your task, there are more substantial reasons why a high school essay is important. First, you get trained at a very young age. Writing is not just for those who are studying nor for your teachers. As you graduate from high school and then enter college (can see college essays ), you will have more things to write like dissertations and theses.

At least, when you get to that stage, you already know how to write. Aside from that, writing high essays give a life lesson. That is, patience and resourcefulness. You need to find the right resources for your essay as well as patience when finding the right inspiration to write.

How long is a high school essay?

A high school essay typically ranges from 500 to 2000 words, depending on the assignment’s requirements and the subject matter.

How do you start a personal essay for high school?

Begin with an engaging hook (an anecdote, quote, or question) that introduces your theme or story, leading naturally to your thesis or main point.

What makes a good high school essay?

A good high school essay features a clear thesis, coherent structure, compelling evidence, and personal insights, all presented in a polished, grammatically correct format.

High School Essay Generator

Text prompt

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Write a High School Essay on the importance of participating in sports.

Discuss the role of student government in high schools in a High School Essay.

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How to Write Any High School Essay

Last Updated: March 22, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 563,201 times.

Writing an essay is an important basic skill that you will need to succeed in high school and college. While essays will vary depending on your teacher and the assignment, most essays will follow the same basic structure. By supporting your thesis with information in your body paragraphs, you can successfully write an essay for any course!

Writing Help

Planning Your Essay

• Expository essays uses arguments to investigate and explain a topic.
• Persuasive essays try to convince the readers to believe or accept your specific point of view
• Narrative essays tell about a real-life personal experience.
• Descriptive essays are used to communicate deeper meaning through the use of descriptive words and sensory details.

• Look through books or use search engines online to look at the broad topic before narrowing your ideas down into something more concise.

• For example, the statement “Elephants are used to perform in circuses” does not offer an arguable point. Instead, you may try something like “Elephants should not be kept in the circus since they are mistreated.” This allows you to find supporting arguments or for others to argue against it.
• Keep in mind that some essay writing will not require an argument, such as a narrative essay. Instead, you might focus on a pivotal point in the story as your main claim.

• Talk to your school’s librarian for direction on specific books or databases you could use to find your information.
• Many schools offer access to online databases like EBSCO or JSTOR where you can find reliable information.
• Wikipedia is a great starting place for your research, but it can be edited by anyone in the world. Instead, look at the article’s references to find the sites where the information really came from.
• Use Google Scholar if you want to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles for your sources.
• Make sure to consider the author’s credibility when reviewing sources. If a source does not include the author’s name, then it might not be a good option.

• Outlines will vary in size or length depending on how long your essay needs to be. Longer essays will have more body paragraphs to support your arguments.

Starting an Essay

• Make sure your quotes or information are accurate and not an exaggeration of the truth, or else readers will question your validity throughout the rest of your essay.

• For example, “Because global warming is causing the polar ice caps to melt, we need to eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels within the next 5 years.” Or, “Since flavored tobacco appeals mainly to children and teens, it should be illegal for tobacco manufacturers to sell these products.”
• The thesis is usually the last or second to last sentence in your introduction.

• Use the main topics of your body paragraphs as an idea of what to include in your mini-outline.

Writing the Body Paragraphs

• Think of your topic sentences as mini-theses so your paragraphs only argue a specific point.

• Many high school essays are written in MLA or APA style. Ask your teacher what format they want you to follow if it’s not specified.

• Unless you’re writing a personal essay, avoid the use of “I” statements since this could make your essay look less professional.

• For example, if your body paragraphs discuss similar points in a different way, you can use phrases like “in the same way,” “similarly,” and “just as” to start other body paragraphs.
• If you are posing different points, try phrases like “in spite of,” “in contrast,” or “however” to transition.

Concluding Your Essay

• For example, if your thesis was, “The cell phone is the most important invention in the past 30 years,” then you may restate the thesis in your conclusion like, “Due to the ability to communicate anywhere in the world and access information easily, the cell phone is a pivotal invention in human history.”
• If you’re only writing a 1-page paper, restating your main ideas isn’t necessary.

• For example, if you write an essay discussing the themes of a book, think about how the themes are affecting people’s lives today.

• Try to pick the same type of closing sentence as you used as your attention getter.

• Including a Works Cited page shows that the information you provided isn’t all your own and allows the reader to visit the sources to see the raw information for themselves.
• Avoid using online citation machines since they may be outdated.

Revising the Paper

• Have a peer or parent read through your essay to see if they understand what point you’re trying to make.

• For example, if your essay discusses the history of an event, make sure your sentences flow in a chronological way in the order the events happened.

• If you cut parts out of your essay, make sure to reread it to see if it affects the flow of how it reads.

Community Q&A

• Allow ample time to layout your essay before you get started writing. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• If you have writer's block , take a break for a few minutes. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
• Check the rubric provided by your teacher and compare your essay to it. This helps you gauge what you need to include or change. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

• Avoid using plagiarism since this could result in academic consequences. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/types-of-essays/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://guides.libs.uga.edu/reliability
• ↑ https://facultyweb.ivcc.edu/rrambo/eng1001/outline.htm
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
• ↑ https://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/five_par.htm
• ↑ https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/jason.laviolette/persuasive-essay-outline
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/paragraphs/topicsentences
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/how-to-write-an-essay/conclusion
• ↑ https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

About This Article

Writing good essays is an important skill to have in high school, and you can write a good one by planning it out and organizing it well. Before you start, do some research on your topic so you can come up with a strong, specific thesis statement, which is essentially the main argument of your essay. For instance, your thesis might be something like, “Elephants should not be kept in the circus because they are mistreated.” Once you have your thesis, outline the paragraphs for your essay. You should have an introduction that includes your thesis, at least 3 body paragraphs that explain your main points, and a conclusion paragraph. Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph. As you write your main points, make sure to include evidence and quotes from your research to back it up. To learn how to revise your paper, read more from our Writing co-author! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
• Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• Expository and Informative Essay Topics
• Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

• Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
• Personal Essay Topics
• Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

• The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
• The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
• All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
• The best country in the world is …
• Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
• Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
• Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

WeAreTeachers

• Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
• Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
• What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
• Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
• Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

• Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
• Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
• What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
• Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

• How does playing sports affect people?
• What are the effects of loving to read?
• Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
• What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
• Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
• Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

• Public and private schools
• Capitalism vs. communism
• Monarchy or democracy
• Dogs vs. cats as pets

• Paper books or e-books
• Two political candidates in a current race
• Going to college vs. starting work full-time
• Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
• iPhone or Android
• Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

• Who is the funniest person you know?
• What is your happiest memory?
• Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
• Write about your favorite place.
• When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
• Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
• What is your earliest memory?

• What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
• Describe your favorite pet.
• What is the most important item in the world to you?
• Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
• Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
• Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
• Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
• Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

• What makes a good leader?
• Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
• What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
• Describe how the internet changed the world.
• What does it mean to be a good teacher?

• Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
• Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
• Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
• Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
• What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

• What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
• What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
• Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
• Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

• Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
• Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
• Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
• Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
• Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

• Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
• Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
• Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
• Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

• Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
• Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
• Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
• Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
• Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

• Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
• Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
• Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
• Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
• Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

• Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
• Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
• Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
• Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
• Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
• What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
• Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
• Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
• Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• The best music genre is …

• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is capitalism the best form of economy?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

• Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
• Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
• Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
• Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
• What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

• Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
• Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
• Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
• Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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How to Survive Your High School Reunion

Step one: Manage your expectations.

By Jancee Dunn

The first high school reunion I attended was held in a basement reached by a rickety elevator. After I got there, I hung out nearby to see the other arrivals. This turned out to be a mistake.

The elevator became a direct portal to my past: Who would step out next? I grew so anxious that a friend gently led me to the bar.

Rarely are we neutral about class reunions. A therapist friend told me that, every spring, she treats clients who spend entire sessions debating whether they should attend theirs in the summer.

For many of us, high school was our whole world — willingly or not. “It’s a very sensitive time of great change,” said Diana Divecha, a developmental psychologist at Yale who attended her 40th reunion a few years ago.

Research suggests that the memories we form in adolescence and early adulthood are the most vivid — a phenomenon known as the reminiscence bump . That can make reunions feel like a kind of psychological time travel, where your past identity collides with the present identity that you have spent years building, Dr. Divecha said.

I asked experts for advice on how to decide whether to go — and if you do, how to make the most of it.

Manage your expectations.

You may have fantasies of going back and impressing people who ignored you in school, said Mitch Prinstein, the chief science officer at the American Psychological Association and author of “Popular.”

Don’t waste your time, he said. The movie scene where a former nerd makes a red-carpet entrance as everyone lowers their sunglasses in awe only exists on film, he added. Instead, present yourself as the person you are now.

At my reunion, I realized pretty quickly that we were all grown-ups. Many of us, by that point, had weathered our share of knocks — which made us more empathetic with one another. I discovered that a few classmates who had intimidated me in the old days had somehow turned into pleasant middle-aged people. As had I.

Don’t party like it’s 1999.

Hitting the bar can be tempting if you want to take the edge off or revive the old days, but it’s probably better to be present and lucid, Dr. Divecha said. “It’s one night,” she said. “And it goes so fast.”

Instead, have a reliable game plan for quelling your nerves. “When I went to my reunion, my strategy was to go with a friend, and we processed at various points during the night,” Dr. Divecha said. “Even in the bathroom.”

Think of yourself as a ‘social anthropologist.’

If you approach your classmates with curiosity, said Dr. Prinstein, you can observe and engage without “setting up residence in the past.”

You may find that people you didn’t think were particularly cool back in the day are worth your admiration now, he said. “And for many people that can lead to some pleasant surprises and nice interactions,” Dr. Prinstein said.

It can be weird to reconnect with people who witnessed to all of your awkward adolescent glory, but shared history can have its rewards. One of my friends lost her mom when she was a teen and spent her reunion asking former classmates for memories of her mother. She heard a few stories that she had never known.

Remember: You don’t have to show up.

If the idea of attending still makes you anxious, that’s OK. “It’s not for everybody,” Dr. Divecha said. In which case, she said, give yourself permission not to go.

I understand why many people have no interest in going, but I did end up having a good time at my reunion. I was my senior year class clown, and it was immensely freeing to act silly with my friends — something I don’t get a ton of opportunities to do these days.

I was also excited to see my biology teacher at the reunion (who wrote in my college recommendation letter about my transformation from a “distasteful caterpillar into a butterfly”) and we’ve since become text buddies.

And, like Dr. Divecha pointed out, the event did speed by. A few hours later, I was taking the rickety elevator back to the present.

A new study helps unravel why some ‘super-agers’ have exceptional memories.

We often assume that cognition gets worse as we become older. That’s not the case for so-called super-agers — people aged 80 and up who have the memory of someone 20 to 30 years younger. New research focuses on what’s so special about their brains.

Read the article: A Peek Inside the Brains of ‘Super-Agers’

Yes, you can train for sex.

If you want to have satisfying sex, experts say, you are likely to benefit from moving your body outside of the bedroom. A few specific exercises can be especially helpful for sexual function and enjoyment.

Read the article: 5 Exercises for a Better Sex Life

The Week in Well

Here are some stories you don’t want to miss:

Can a sound bath wash away your worries? Nicole Stock investigates .

Florida has banned most abortions after six weeks. Alisha Haridasani Gupta describes how the first six weeks of pregnancy unfold .

That treadmill desk might really be worth it , finds Amanda Loudin.

Why is it so hard to shower when you’re depressed? Anna Gibbs explains .

Let’s keep the conversation going. Follow Well on Instagram , or write to us at [email protected] . And check out last week’s newsletter about how to help your divorced friend .

Jancee Dunn , who writes the weekly Well newsletter for The Times, has covered health and science for more than 20 years. More about Jancee Dunn

About my high school years

About my high school years First of all, when did you work hardest in your life? I worked hardest when I was in high school. There were two reasons: study and club activities. The first is studying. Do you like studying? Also, what subject are you best at? I have loved playing games since I was in junior high school. I started to think that I would like to work in the game industry in the future after watching YouTube. I was never very smart, and I was never good at studying. But, having a dream since I was a junior high school student, I realized what subject I needed for my future. It was English. Therefore, among the many subjects I studied, I put the most effort into English. Thanks to this, I obtained the second level of the English Proficiency Test in the spring of my second year of high school. I believe that I was able to achieve this because I had a dream. Also, there was a sad event when I was preparing for the university entrance exam. I was in my third year of high school and studied all day long. Then, one week before the entrance exam, my grandfather passed away, and it was the most damaging thing for me that he passed away at the most important time of my life. However, because I overcame those obstacles, I was able to successfully pass the university. Second is club activities. What sports have you played in your life? I have played kendo, soccer, soft tennis, and volleyball. I continued to play volleyball in my university. The reason why I started playing volleyball in high school is because I had many friends from junior high school. I started because I just wanted to try it. The reason is very simple, isn't it? However, when I started playing volleyball, I had many hardships. First of all, I didn't have enough physical strength. I practiced blocking for the first time. For the first six months after I started, I fell down after every time. I also learned a lot, from how to touch the ball to how to hit it and how to receive it. There were many things I could not do, but I became able to do most of them in one year, and since then I have practiced a lot no matter how hard it was. For example, when we had practice on Saturdays in the afternoon, we practiced from 1 pm to 7 pm, and we had practice matches with various schools. I started in high school and put in a lot of effort, so I was able to play in matches, and when I entered university , I was so impressed by my friends from high school that I continued to play volleyball. And now I am a member of the volleyball team at university. Since I had the above experiences as a high school student, after entering University of Nagasaki, I took classes at the University of Maryland, worked part-time, played club activities, and went to driving school,  and   someone think it is very hard schedule but it was not hard at all for me. I am glad that I was able to experience many mentally and physically demanding things like this when I was young, and I am very grateful to my parents for creating such an environment for me even now. I will continue to work hard and put myself in more challenging environments. Finally, through my own experience, I think that if I were to become a parent, I would want to give them many experiences from a young age.

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