Personal life & relationships
Everyday experiences, family, friendship and ways to spend our time.
What Makes a Good Friend?
An argumentative essay about why reliability, respect, and room for disagreement matter more to friendship than the size of a social circle.
Should Schools Give Students More Opportunities to Play Sports?
An argumentative essay defending broader, more accessible school sports and physical-activity opportunities while distinguishing established health benefits from unsupported claims about grades or guaranteed character development.
Learning to Ask for Help
An illustrative reflective essay about a student who learns that independence can include seeking help, without giving up responsibility for their own work.
Living in the Present: When to Embrace the Moment
An argument that staying present is valuable when it supports attention, judgment, and meaningful action, but should be balanced with preparation and responsibility for the future.
Why Listening Matters in a Disagreement
An explanatory essay on how listening can clarify what people need without requiring them to agree, and how that interpretation relates to the CDC’s broader findings about supportive relationships.
Why Hobbies Deserve Time in a Busy Week
An argumentative essay explaining why people should protect reasonable time for absorbing activities while meeting work and family responsibilities, and why hobbies should not be mistaken for medical treatment.
Travel Close to Home or Travel Far Away?
A compare-and-contrast essay arguing that nearby parks and museums can offer depth and manageable costs, while distant travel can broaden learning when visitors approach cultural differences with curiosity.
Why Sleep Should Be Treated as a Public Concern, Not Just a Personal Habit
An explanatory essay arguing that sleep is shaped by shared schedules and environments, with consequences for learning and daily functioning.
Team Sports and Individual Sports: Different Ways to Grow
A compare-and-contrast essay showing how team and individual sports differ in responsibility, practice, and feedback while offering distinct opportunities for growth.
What Can a Visit to a National Park Teach Us?
A developed explanation of how a national park visit can combine learning, observation, and recreation while recognizing that visitors' experiences differ.
Why Preventive Public Health Depends on Ordinary Daily Environments
An explanatory essay on how everyday settings shape opportunities to sleep, move, and connect, and why public-health efforts must account for unequal access and individual experience.
Moving to a New School
An illustrative first-person narrative about how small, repeated choices can make a new school feel less unfamiliar.