Personal Reflective Essay Examples that will Serve you Right
Reflective Essay: Have you ever logged in to your class to check your grades and sat there staring blankly in amazement because you failed a test or got a big fat “F” on an essay?
In this post, I’ll give you a short tutorial on what makes a personal reflective essay, well, reflective. I’ll also point out the strengths of two reflective essay examples to help you get started.
Reflective writing helps us to think more about ourselves, who we are, and how we have changed. Read on in order to find out more about what a reflective essay is and how reflective essays are written! Points to note before I proceed;
Format of a Reflective Essay
While anticipating to read about some reflective essay examples, note. A reflective essay is a form of writing that examines and observes the progress of the writer’s individual experience.
Also, while reflective essays explain and analyze the development of the writer, note. They also discuss future goals. They’re often associated with academic portfolios. And especially writing portfolios.
Furthermore, as part of a writing portfolio, reflective essays critically analyze your development as a student. And this includes a discussion of the strengths you have developed as a writer. As well as your weaknesses.
Structure of Personal Reflective Essay
Personal Reflective Essay always has an introduction, where the speaker shares, either directly or indirectly, what the overall focus of the reflection will be. Many popular essay writers might be a bit indirect about their main topic, or about what part of their lives they will focus on.
However, an academic writer should be more direct in explaining what aspect of his or her experiences that he or she will talk about.
The body of the reflective essay explains how the writer has changed or what the writer has learned. It also explains what things caused the writer to change.
For example, many academic writers are asked to reflect on how they improved as writers over the semester or quarter. Those writers often share how different assignments and lessons made them stronger writers.
A strong reflective writer will not only share the change but also give examples as supporting details. For example, if a writer discusses becoming more optimistic in life, then examples should be given of what made this change, such as sharing an incident in which the writer took a positive approach to resolve the incident.
In the conclusion of a reflective essay, the writer sums up how he or she has changed or the effect of those changes. The writer also might look ahead or look backward. If looking ahead, the writer shares how he or she thinks the experiences in the essay will change him or her in the future.
If looking backward, the writer will note how different he or she was in the past. Often, the writer will compare past and future selves to emphasize the difference.
Personal Reflective Essay: Examples of Reflective Essays
Now that you have an understanding of what it takes to write a reflective essay, check out a few examples for inspiration.
My Little Brother
This essay example is written at a middle or high school level, reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling.
In my short life, there are many experiences that could qualify as life-changing. Every new experience was, at one time or another, the first experience. For good or bad, each instance changed the course that my life has taken. But, the most transformative experience was the birth of my youngest brother.
Joel is someone my parents often call a happy accident. At the time that my mother became pregnant, I was 13, and my other brother, Jake, was 10. We were what you would call a well-rounded, perfect family of four.
We neatly fit into the perfect classification in nearly every way. We didn’t realize what we were missing until the moment that my youngest brother first opened his striking blue eyes.
In truth, I resented the fact that I would be having another sibling. Nothing needed to be added to our family, and my mother, already 38 at the time, was considered high risk because of her age.
The pregnancy itself was full of complications that sent the straight course of my life into rollercoaster-like loops that my 13-year-old mind had a hard time comprehending. But now, I can see how forging through those loops helped me to roll with the punches that life inevitably brings
The day Joel was born, my mother took me with her to the hospital rather than my father. It wasn’t a planned move, but Jake and my father were both feverish; I was the next best alternative.
Sitting with her through every contraction, I gained a new respect for just how powerful and strong a woman could be in what might be considered their weakest moment. Holding her hand and feeding her ice chips, I gained a connection with my mother that I didn’t realize we were lacking.
The moment my new baby brother came into this world, I realized two things nearly simultaneously. First, you don’t realize how much you need something until it’s sitting in your lap. Second, my life after this moment would never be the same. The moment he curled his chubby little finger around mine, I understood the words “happy accident” completely.
There are many different experiences in life that have changed a part of me as a person. But, nothing so profoundly changed my views and outlook on life like the birth of my youngest brother. Joel’s arrival was a life-altering event that caused me to see the world through new eyes.
Reading My Favorite Book
This reflective essay example of a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level.
When it comes to books, I didn’t understand the appeal. I’d read one after another for each assignment not understanding what all the fuss was about. However, the moment I read Pride and Prejudice, it was like my literary eyes opened for the first time. It stirred love within me for classics I didn’t realize could exist.
When I was first given the assignment of reading Pride and Prejudice, like many of my friends, I scoffed. With an eye roll, I internally calculated how much time I would have to read the book and write a report. I sighed at the loss of time with my friends for a stupid classic.
Cracking open the cover, I was determined to hate it before even reading the first words. By the time I reached page 3, I nearly called it quits. But there was something about Elizabeth Bennet that quietly piqued my interest. I can’t say where, but somewhere along the way, my eyes devoured the pages instead of trudging along.
The moment I reached the end, I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. Their ending had been perfect, but I realized I would miss them. Not only them, but I would also miss being part of their world.
It was the first time characters of a story had affected me this way, so I tried to shake it off. However, after several days, that sadness carried me to the classics section of the school library. The moment I cracked open my next classic, my soul instantly felt more at ease, and I’ve never looked back.
I never thought I’d say a book changed me, but in this case, it’s true. The love I found in Pride and Prejudice introduced me to a beautiful world of classic literature I can’t imagine living without. Despite not reading Pride and Prejudice for a while, it will always be my favorite book.
Creative Communication
This reflective essay example about the topic of creative writing is what you might expect to see at the college level.
I’ve always felt I excel in written communication. The skill of effectively communicating my thoughts and feelings through words and expressions seemed to come easily to me. However, I didn’t realize how much my writing was lacking until my thoughts and feelings on writing were pushed nearly to their breaking point through my creative writing course.
Learning the best way to manage time was a huge hurdle for me. I’ve always been a procrastinator. However, after the first day of class, I realized I would need to modify my thinking and approach to homework.
I wasn’t able to completely kill the procrastination habit I developed in high school, but I did learn some much-needed time management skills. I also learned how writing without the looming cloud of a deadline could open a creative door.
A natural thinker and writer at heart, I thought I understood creative expression and wordplay… until my professor handed me my first grade. Upon looking at that striking “D” on the paper, I realized I would have to push myself harder and explore the depths my writing could reach.
Not only did I learn to sharpen my technical writing chops, but I have found out how to dig into my creative soul to view my emotions and experiences in a whole new way.
Going beyond the five-paragraph essay and fully exploring my feelings about a situation or action was challenging. This creative writing class pushed me to realize there isn’t a limit on words when it comes to expressing something.
I can convey a simple action in a million different ways, and I mastered how to explore each one to find perfection in my written words. I also picked up new flexibility in my writing by opening my mind to different scopes of expression.
Expressing all the changes that this class wrought in my writing is truly difficult. But, over the course of the eight weeks we spent together, I became a more competent writer.
Not only do my words contain more depth and soul, but my writing itself has entered a whole new arena I didn’t realize was possible. By studying new techniques and researching other approaches, I now have a sturdy foundation and a robust writing arsenal for future endeavors.
Reflecting on a personal experience might seem like an easy essay to write. However, to ace, your reflection paper, dive deeply into your feelings and choose a topic that triggers a strong emotional response.
If a Personal Reflective Essay doesn’t fit you, try exploring more about argumentative essays, including tips for making a compelling argument.
Are you good now? If you still have any hitches that make it difficult for you, feel free to drop a comment below. You can also share this article with your friends.
CSN Team.
