An essay is a piece of writing that revolves around a particular theme and contains the academic opinions of the person writing it.
Aldous Huxley described an essay as “A literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything”.
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To write a good essay you need an Introduction, a Body (Supporting Paragraphs), and a Conclusion. In this post, we have added the top 20 examples of personal essays.
Examples of Personal Essay
Examples of Personal Essay #1
Who Are We?
I have always thought about the nature of my existence. What am I? What is my identity? Made of flesh, blood, and a complex system of internal organs, is my body my identity? My countenance expresses my various moods and emotions, is my face my identity? Are my thoughts that make me who I am? We are much more than what we perceive ourselves to be. We need to move beyond the obvious to ponder upon the truth of our existence. Ask yourself, ‘Who am I?’
The Upanishads state, ‘Aham Bhrahmasmi’, meaning ‘I am Brahman’. The term Brahman here does not refer to the caste; it refers to the ultimate truth that underlies all the phenomena in the universe. According to the Vedas, the real self is not the body or the mind. Beyond the realms of the body and the mind is the soul. The soul represents our consciousness;
consciousness is nothing but the awareness of the self by the self. It does not arise out of our material interactions.
Physically, we are composed of various elements—oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, etc. These elements constitute our bodies. If so, we are our bodies. What role does consciousness play in our identity?
Consciousness is a difficult term to define or understand. It cannot be explained with the help of numbers or explained with words. We identify ourselves with materials because they pleasure our physical selves. We form attachments for our need to be loved. We form ties that we cannot break free from. This further wedges a gap between us and our consciousness and we lose ourselves in the maze of worldliness.
We should never get distracted from our quest to uncover mysteries about ourselves. Only then will we realize our purpose in the vast system of planets, stars, life, and galaxies.
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Examples of Personal Essay #2
My Hobby
A hobby is voluntary work done in leisure with pleasure. There are many fashionable hobbies such as stamp-collecting, coin-collecting, photography, etc. But my favourite hobby is gardening. I started it when I was only ten. I have a small plot of land beside our house. There I cultivate gardening. I spend one hour every day gardening. Back from the morning walk, I go to my garden with a spade and a waterful bucket. I dig up the soil, trim the plants, and water them. I also spray insecticides and apply fertilizers.
When I see the plants swaying in the wind, my heart leaps in joy. I experience heavenly pleasure as I see them grow day by day. I have chosen this hobby because it gives me not only joy but also enough physical exercise to keep my body fit.
I face some problems in cultivating gardening. Entellus often eat up flowers and destroy the plants, though I am at pains to scare them away. Gardening brings me both joy and health. Every afternoon I work for an hour in my garden and watch the buds come up and the branches nod in the breeze. Although a hobby is a source of pleasure and not of profit, my hobby combines the two. My mother looks upon it very kindly, as a part of my garden serves as a kitchen garden. A hobby is an index to a man’s character and I believe my hobby reflects my character.
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Examples of Personal Essay #3
How Education Enriched Me
The importance of education for men and women cannot be understated. It plays a crucial role in the personal development of an individual and enriches the socio-economical fabric of society. Today, education is necessary for success, and each individual is pitched against the other in a bid to outperform one another. Education is something that can give a person the necessary edge over others. It is definitely an instrument of social progress.
Education does not merely end with sending children to school. It is a fire that has to be stoked repeatedly. I was born to intelligent parents who understood the importance of imparting education to children. They not only sent me to a very good school but they also whetted my interest in a variety of subjects by buying books and educational toys for me. Games such as Scrabble, Taboo, math puzzles, and the Rubik’s Cube stimulated my brain cells and strengthened my intellectual faculties.
My childhood was spent reading books of all kinds. Exposure to classical works of literature enriched my knowledge of the language. Thanks to my extensive reading, I also possess a very vibrant vocabulary. Encyclopedias on subjects like science and geography made me aware of the basic scientific principles and cultures of people all around the world. History
made me realize how human follies can change the course of our progress. Historical figures like Gandhi and Martin Luther King made me understand that social change can be brought about without the need to shed blood.
Math introduced me to the mesmerizing world of numbers. It challenged my mind and made it sharper. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology helped me understand the laws governing the physical world around me. It made me appreciate the universe more. I often ponder how the world as we know it came into being. Though I am left without answers most of the time, I
feel fortunate enough to have a mind that can question its own existence. I can weigh my actions morally and assess the repercussions of my words thanks to my education.
Without the benison of education, my life would have been no better than that of an animal. Apart from providing us with the knowledge to get by in life, it makes us rise above our primal tendencies. It expands our worldview and makes us more civilized. Educated people can become the driving force in the success of a nation. Education has made me what I am today. I am thankful that I, unlike many of my countrymen, have been fortunate enough to receive it.
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Examples of Personal Essay #4
Conquering My Fear
I am a fairly brave person. I can confidently say that I am the go-to girl if somebody wants to flick a bug away from his or her collar, or pacify a growling dog. Sometimes, I have stayed up late at night trying to calm the frayed nerves of a friend a week before the exams. Is there anything that a fairly brave person like me is frightened of? I am afraid, (pun intended) the answer is yes.
From a very young age, I was frightened of water. Picnics on river banks were nightmares. Never did I appreciate the beauty of a setting sun without dreading the rolling waves that crashed against the shore. In clinical terms, I was aquaphobic – someone who had a pathological fear of water bodies.
Was I happy about it? Of course not! I didn’t want to be the one sitting plastic chair when my family enjoyed a game of throwing a ball in the pool. This summer, I swore to myself that I will conquer this irrational fear at any cost. To put my plan into motion, I joined a swimming class. I told my instructor wasn‘t like the other students who have no trouble getting into the water. The fundamental challenge in coaching me is that I had to be coaxed into the water first.
Thankfully, the instructor was a patient person who took me seriously. He asked me to take my time and come back when I had figured out the reason for my fear. It took me a while but I went back when I found out that my phobia stemmed from my fear of drowning. As a child, I was pushed into the water and survived the scary drowning experience. He smiled and said, “Now that you know the reason, let me introduce you to your adversary.” I was about to perform the most daring act of my life, stepping into the pool.
I took my first step and found myself shivering. I immediately retreated. My instructor said benevolently, “Enough for today. Let‘s take baby steps.” The next day I took two steps. Just when I felt the urge to run back, I told myself, “It‘s just water. It will not harm you.” I stayed in the water for full 10 minutes. I repeated the feat the day after and this time, I waded deeper into the water. I never thought I would see this day; here I was, standing in the pool with water that came up to my chest. Across the pool, I heard my instructor applauding.
In the weeks that followed, I was already preparing for my swimming lessons. In a matter of months, I could say that I tamed my bête noir and had become a decent swimmer. I surprised my family by diving into the pool during a family picnic. I could finally see the beauty of the setting sun without worrying about missing my step and falling headfirst into the sea. For me, the greatest victory was challenging the limitations of my own mind and conquering my worst fears.
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Examples of Personal Essay #5
My Parents
My parents are very dear to me. I owe my life to them. They give a fig for their personal comforts to take care of me, to make me happy, and above all, to make me a man in the true sense of the term. Their love and affection are immeasurable. They value my life above theirs, and will not hesitate to sacrifice them for my sake.
So I love and respect them. I admire such qualities of my parents as truthfulness, honesty, sincerity, sympathy, and fellow feeling. They always speak the truth, stand by the right, and oppose evils and injustices. Father’s sympathy for the poor is unbounded. He also volunteers services for men and women in trouble. I propose to give them all the amenities of life, as I grow up.
However, I would like to be a doctor /teacher /good farmer, if chances permit me when I grow up. Of course, I have no hankering after money as I know ‘money is not the only ‘honey’ in life and excess greed will bring about my own downfall. I would like to earn as much money as I can through my humble and honest labour to provide for myself and my parents in a joint family.
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Examples of Personal Essay #6
My Native Place
My parents hail from a small village in Kerala which is nestled among mountains in a scenic district of the state. Every year, I visit my native place with my family. It is a trip that I look forward to all year. My father books the ticket two months in advance as it is difficult to procure reservations on short notice. Although I have lived in the city all my life, I feel that I never belonged to it. I have always felt at home in the quaint mountain village that is far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life.
It takes us 18 hours by train to reach the railway station that is closest to my village. The journey is usually gruelling in the summers but very pleasant in the winters and the monsoons. We plan our trip in the summer months since we get a two-month vacation in April. To beat the heat, we travel by air-conditioned coaches every year. We board the train at noon and we reach our destination at 6 am the next day.
The morning air is heavy with the scent of flowers and wet foliage. The temple bells start ringing at 6:30 am and the sound of bhajans fills the air. The village is only a 20-minute rickshaw ride away from the station. When we enter my grandmother‘s house, we are welcomed by her diminutive figure holding a lamp. According to her, it is auspicious to welcome loved ones by lighting the lamp at the altar of God. The moment we set foot into the house, we are filled with a sense of nostalgia and love. After a sumptuous yet simple breakfast, we relax with our family in the courtyard.
The cool mountain air is laden with scents of the rustic countryside. From afar, we hear the sounds of birds. My sister and I make paper boats and run to the little babbling brook that flows southwards. We set the boats on the water and watch them bob up and down. Far away from the world of video games and television, we seek fun in a world of simplicity.
The house itself has a personality. Simple, two-storeyed, made of stone walls and a thatched roof, the house is an old friend who warmly embraces you every time you meet. The rooms are small but well-maintained. On the ground floor is a room that my grandmother uses for storing condiments and grains. It is illuminated with a single light bulb and an old-fashioned
lock-and-key style door. In its corner is a small bed. The calming silence of the room soothes my ears and transports me into a magical place. I feel weightless. The smell of spices envelops me.
On many occasions, I have spent hours sprawled on that bed reading a book or listening to music. If I ever have to pick a favourite place, then I have no doubt this would be it. When twilight descends on the little hamlet, large clusters of stars start appearing in the sky. Such a sight is never seen in the city as the lights obscure the stars that appear in the sky. My grandmother lights the lamp again and we all gather around her to say our evening prayers. After enjoying her simple, rustic yet delicious meal, we retire for the night.
Sometimes when I am upset, I think of my quaint little house in the village, my grandmother‘s warm embrace, and the small room that smells of spices. They immediately help me put my worries away and bring a smile to my face.
Examples of Personal Essay #7
My Ambition in Life
Ambition is a goal or objective to achieve in life. In order to succeed in life, one must have a goal. An aimless man is like a ship without a compass. So, I have to select an ambition in my life. Very soon I shall be a citizen of my country. I shall have some duties to society and my country. I must perform them. I think no country can prosper without education. So, my ambition in life is to spread education. Any noble work needs money.
So, after completing my graduation I shall join my father’s business. Business is the best source of earning money. I shall spend a large part of my profit on spreading education and treatment for the poor and sick villagers. I shall set up. schools for children. I shall start night schools for the adults to make them literate. I shall set up a library. Books on various subjects will be issued without any subscription. I shall open training centres for young boys and girls to provide them with jobs. I do not know how far my ambition will be successful. But I shall try my best.
Examples of Personal Essay #8
My Family
Family is the place where you learn your first lesson in life. Your family members are the only assets that will remain with you forever. Whatever the circumstances, family members are always there for each other to support us. Good values and good morals are always taught in a family.
In the family, we are prepared to respect our elders and love younger ones. We learn lessons consistently from our family, about honesty, dependability, kindness and so on. Although I am a student in my final year, my family always treats me like a child but always provides me with a sensation of so much love and care.
My family is the best family for me. I live in a nuclear family of five members. My father is a teacher. He is the man who heads and leads our family. He brings the family into reality. My father is my hero as he predicts the need of the time and raises his family by bearing all the responsibilities and discharging all the duties for giving a required shape. I respect him for his great deeds.
My father does not force me to go for a career his choice. He does not want that his son should follow only his profession. He wants that his son should go according to his own choice, suitability, and capability. But my father desires his son should go for a better future.
My mother is a housewife as well as a beautician. She is a lovely woman. My mother is everything to me. She is the one who understands me best and most closely. My mother is my co-partner in everyday work and different issues.
My mother was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She is my mother, who shapes me, to become a nobleman through her great, insightful, and elegant activities. My mother motivates me to learn by consenting to the activities which are important for character building and improvement. My mother creates an environment for me to learn enough in a natural manner.
My grandmother is the cutest person of all. In light of her, everybody has to get up early in the morning. She is fond of making sweet dishes and we love what she does. She is a focused woman and because of her everything needs to be in order.
My brother, who is elder than me, is the tallest. He is a Youtuber and is fond of cooking. He loves to play cricket and is a gadget freak. He doesn’t study much but is very sweet and gentlemanly.
I love my family because they are the jewels of my life. They work hard so that we can get anything we desire makes me love and respect my parents considerably more. We play games every night and discuss various topics to spend some quality time together.
I give deep respect and pay the highest regard to my family not just because they are my family, but for their unmatched and incredible sacrifices for me.
Examples of Personal Essay #9
My Father
My father is the man who heads and leads our family. He brings the family into reality. But in a real sense, my father predicts the need of the time and raises his family by bearing all the responsibilities and discharging all the duties for giving a required shape. I respect him for his great deeds.
My father is financially weak but fulfils my genuine requirements and guarantees that I should not be a survivor of feelings of inadequacy. My poor father does not hesitate to sweat heavily to enhance his earnings for my sake. He eats a little less but does not think twice about taking care of mine.
My father does not force me to go for a career of my papa’s choice. He does not want that his son should follow only his profession. He wants that his son should go according to his own choice, suitability, and capability. The tradition of specific jobs running in the family is literally dying. A doctor is not wanting his son to be a doctor, a professor is avoiding his profession for his children, an army officer is not forcing his son to join the defence forces, and so on. But my father desires his son should go for a better future.
My Father is a mature and agreeable individual who assists me make important decisions. Like most doting fathers, he plays a very important role in my life helping me build my career as well as resolve my everyday issues too. When I am looking for help and guidance against the odds, I, first of all, approached my father who comes forward leaving all his personal priorities and doing the needful. My father is a person who works tirelessly and makes countless penances to figure out my issues.
My father goes with me in all the activities ensuring my correct moves. He really looks at my problem and moulds me by giving lectures in the series in order to form a lovely sense in my mind. His concern is for my better career. My father is mature enough, knowledgeable, and very much aware of my cutting-edge needs, evaluates my inclination as well as decision, and does all-out efforts to develop me for accomplishing my objective.
My father is educated and has a logical vision. Today, my father has transformed into a trendy dad. His thinking is new which suits the time. He takes full advantage of his knowledge and modernization in raising me suitably and making me capable and confident to confront the competitive life that is prevailing today.
My father as an ideal father makes all efforts to meet my necessities. He would rather not leave any lacuna which may affect my development and career-building process.
We celebrate Father’s Day every year on 19 June to strengthen the relationship and remind a father of the sacrifices he endured towards his kids when they were in need.
It is very important that we should give deep respect and pay the highest regard to our fathers.
Examples of Personal Essay #10
My Mother
The moment a child is born, the mother is born as well. When a child gets a sense, it looks up at its mother and starts to follow the mother’s movements. The mind of a child is generally very sharp. It copies the activities of the mother eagerly. Mother takes all the care of her kid from all points like health, dress, diet, entertainment, education, sports, and development of competitive aptitude. The mother attracts the kid through love and affection.
We can describe motherhood in terms of sacrifice. My mother ignores her comforts and works hard for good food, wear, and education for me. It is a natural and noteworthy quality that is wholly found in a mother. My mother bears the responsibility of motherhood not only from a young age, but she remains a trusted adviser throughout my life. It is very important that we should give deep respect and pay the highest regard to our mothers not just because they are mothers, but for their unmatched motherhood and incredible sacrifices towards us.
My mother is everything to me. She is the one who understands me best and most closely. My mother is my co-partner in everyday work and different issues. Sometimes my mother takes on a tremendous amount of responsibility and works under tension, when I need her, to take up its battle, both personally and professionally, to accomplish the troublesome objective in my work or business. We should owe our mothers for their everything.
There is an extraordinary job of the mother in influencing the kid. The foundation made by my mother through affection, persistence, discipline, direction, and tears permits me to cruise upon my ocean. It is my mother, who shapes me, to become a nobleman through her great, insightful, and elegant activities. My mother motivates me to learn by consenting to the activities which are important for character building and improvement. My mother creates an environment for me to learn enough in a natural manner.
Sometimes my mother uses specific hard measures to discipline me and teach me valuable lessons. She denounces me by denying me food. She forbids me to indulge in undesirable activities. Sometimes, she makes the dreaded beating with the rod. She shows her dismay. She warns of the carefulness. But I know, she is very soft from the inside. She is a well-wisher of mine. Her only point is that she needs her child free from inadequacies.
There are some cases when the children especially the individuals who are not depending on their parents and are working away, have forgotten their mothers. They don’t go home for quite a long time but their mothers still pray with all their hearts that they stay blissful and happy. She will ever remain a well-wisher of her children regardless of the circumstances.
It is very important that we should give deep respect and pay the highest regard to our mothers not just because they are mothers, but for their unmatched motherhood and incredible sacrifices towards us.
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