essay about an event in your life

Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative, description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible, and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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An Important Event In Your Life (Essay Sample)

Table of Contents

Introduction

What experiences changed your life for the better (or worse)?

The sample paper below shares an author’s take on a memorable event (or two) that transpired in his own life. He describes how these experiences made him feel and what he took away from them. He emphasizes that even though these were brief moments from the past, he continues to apply the lessons he learned from them to this day.

Do you have a happy event from your own memory bank that you want to write about? Let us help you with your paper with our essay writing services .

An Important Event in Your Life Essay

We don’t really make it a point to remember every detail of our day. When the next day comes, the previous 24 hours become a blur. But if something unexpected or remarkable happens, it can be memorable for the rest of their lives.

I am sure that everyone has an event that is unforgettable, some so much so that they would rather forget the memory because it triggers old wounds. There are good memories that regularly make us happy when we talk about or share them with people. On a more positive note, there are events that teach a certain lesson and end up becoming a fundamental life conviction for someone.

Life has so many twists and turns. We don’t always know what’s around the corner. This paper seeks to narrate two important events that happened in my life, which continue to have a significant impact on me to this day.

Recalling a Significant Event in My Life

I remember spending 10 days in Missouri Relationship of Understudy Chamber’s late spring authority camp in 2005. I consider it one of my most life-shaping experiences. Those ten days were a series of the most helpful experiences of my journey.

The opportunity came through our Understudy Committee at school, which I joined during my senior year. When I first attended as a Level 1 camper, I was overpowered by other very dominant and outspoken campers. I didn’t know how I would fit in since I was slow to warm up around new individuals.

We were then assigned to one of 26 unique chambers. I was in Chamber ‘M’. That week transformed me from a new shy student board member to a person who was confident and assured, even in my first year in student council.

The most highly-awaited event that we mounted was the Olympics. Each chamber met up and took part in various recreations. This was the point at which our council first empowered me to step outside my comfort zone. I was able to discover, from that experience, how powerful collaboration can be, and how to best maximize people’s skill sets. A highlight of that day was also the show. Every committee performed their comedic version of a well-known song before the whole camp.

While I am, by nature, an intensely competitive person when motivated, I understood that night that it did not make a difference who won. All that mattered were the memories made and stories that would be told years from now.

Another Very Important Event

I also remember how I longed to ride a plane for the first time when I was in high school. I wanted to know how it felt to be suspended in mid-air and not have control over the trajectory. I also admired the structure of a plane. To me, it resembled an enormous hawk with its huge wings extended.

I finally got my chance one day. After entering the airport, purchasing a ticket, and checking in, I boarded the plane. The seats were very comfortable. We were taught how to put on our seatbelts and were instructed to do so before take-off. When the plane took off, several passengers shrieked in delight. A flight attendant distributed lemon juice to avoid nausea, which I eagerly accepted.

After an hour, it was announced that we were about the land. It was so exciting to see the landscape from up in the clouds. When we touched down, I was even more eager to tour my destination. I left the airport happy and grateful. It was indeed one of the most unforgettable firsts of my life.

I have many more cherished life experiences, but these two top the list. What’s in your top two?

Regardless of how long ago they happened, our fond moments will always be in our core memory bank. They will bring to mind joy, nostalgia, and happiness; and we’ll remember them as if they just happened yesterday. Take time to revisit the significant events in your life today. Such things will inspire you to make more beautiful memories that will make for grand anecdotes one day. May your memories bring you joy, life, and peace.

Interesting Event In My Life (Short Essay Sample)

While I can think of many events that I can remember and narrate by heart, one stands out to me as an experience that taught me a very crucial life lesson.

During my freshman year, I had to move to a new school. The thought of making new friends excited me, but the idea that some of the students may not find me likable also made me extremely nervous.

On my first day, I kept my head down and focused on my school work, out of fear that I might make a mistake. Surprisingly, over the next few days, several people from class made the effort to befriend me. It gave me the confidence boost I needed to be myself around them.

These people eventually became like family to me, and we spent our free time together all the way until senior year. Parting ways for college was heartbreaking because we didn’t know when we would see each other again.

I will always be grateful for the moment these people initiated a friendship with me. Most people wouldn’t spare the new kid a second glance, but they took the leap of faith.

What Are Examples Of Life-Changing Events?

An important event in your life can range from light and funny to deep and profound. It could be the day you meet your best friend or the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. It could also be the day you chose your university or when you figured out what you want to focus on for your future. It could also be that summer you finally learned how to bake or when your parents surprised you with a graduation trip as a gift. On the other end of the spectrum, it could also revolve around the death of someone you held dearly to your heart, or when you stopped talking to a close friend for two years after falling out.

What Are 3 Important Life Events?

• Getting that pivotal grade that will bring up your total average is a momentous occasion for students as it makes graduating a certainty. It also marks a valuable accomplishment in your season of being a learner.
• Finishing university is a feat that changes you for the better because it fuels you towards an exciting yet unknown future. The fact that you are about to enter the real world as a prepared person is thrilling and nerve-wracking.
• The death of a loved one is a bittersweet experience because it will make you miss the dearly departed terribly. It is a time of understanding and embracing grief.

Life Changing Events: Personal Experience

If you are about to write a short narrative essay about something that changed your life forever, you’ve come to the right place! Check out our “childhood experience that changed my life” essay sample to get some ideas and inspiration for your paper.

Life Changing Event: Essay Introduction

Life changing experience: essay main body, life changing event: essay conclusion.

In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments. 

Relationships, especially with family members, are the most important aspects of handling change. I have experienced life-changing events that turned me into a better person.

One such event occurred in my childhood, while the other occurred in adolescence. In both cases, my family was there to support and help me go through the tough times. Looking back at the influence of these events, I am always glad that my family was with me in overcoming the challenges. I am a better person because my family stood beside me and gave me strength and support in moments of weakness and helplessness.

The first event that had a remarkable impact on my life was the loss of a dear friend. This event changed my world and made me a better person. It taught me how to appreciate friends, family, and relationships. In childhood, I had a cousin who was my best friend.

Our friendship was so deep that we usually spent holidays and weekends visiting each other’s families. To my family, she was like one of the members. I was like one of her family members, too. We used to spend a lot of time together, playing, studying, traveling, and doing many other fun activities.

One day, while returning home from school, she got knocked down by a motorcyclist speeding off, trying to escape from a police officer. She was hit from behind and knocked her head on a large stone on the side of the road upon landing on the ground. When I received the news of the accident, I was devastated.

The morning after the accident, I visited her in the hospital and received the sad news that she was in a coma after suffering severe brain damage. I lost my appetite, could not sleep for weeks, and spent several nights crying and wishing she would be fine. She was in the hospital for six months. During that period, I became stressed and lost weight.

I missed school for many days, thus affecting my academics. Even though my family was also affected, the effect was greater on me because of our long-time friendship. Every day I woke up expecting to hear good news from my parents of her miraculous recovery, but that did not happen. As I became more depressed, I started to avoid social gatherings and experienced difficulty sleeping.

One morning, just after breakfast, we received news that she had passed away. At that moment, a hot flush of blood flowed into my head, and I fainted. The long period of endless waiting had come to an end. That morning was one of the lowest moments. I was rushed to the hospital, and the doctors said I had collapsed due to sudden shock. The grieving period was excruciating.

However, my family stood by me and offered consolation. My family members provided emotional and physical support and helped me overcome the incident. The event had severe emotional effects. My mum spent most of her time comforting me. I could cope with the situation because my family understood what I was going through, were patient, listened to me, and offered psychological help.

My parents were not angry at me for missing school. They allowed me to stay home until I was ready to go back. It took four months of grieving to get over the death of my cousin and best friend. This incident changed my life and brought me closer to my family. I now appreciate relationships and more. As a result, I am more loving, caring, compassionate, and appreciative of the people in my life.

The other defining moment that changed me involved a disagreement with my parents regarding joining high school. When the time came for me to enter high school, I was not prepared and wanted to stay home for a year before joining. My parents were concerned that I would lose a year of schooling since, at my age, I was not ready for a job. They feared I would have nothing to do for an entire year.

The reasons for delaying my entry to high school were fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. I was not ready to enter a stage of life where I was expected to be responsible for my life and actions. I refused to talk to my parents and other family members because I felt that they were imposing their principles on me. The truth is that I was afraid to enter a phase that would require me to be responsible for my decisions and actions.

I avoided my parents and always ensured they never got a chance to question me. My decision changed when my dad confronted me. Our discussion focused on the reasons that were informing my decision. At first, I was unwilling to tell my dad the truth, but as the debate progressed, I had no choice but to open up to him. I was afraid that he would be disappointed with me.

However, he assured me that it was normal to experience fear and anxiety, especially when making a life-changing decision. He narrated a story about how he had reacted the same way when his dad asked him to move out of their family house to find a place to live after joining college. Throughout the entire experience, my family was very understanding.

They helped me to overcome the fear and anxiety of embracing responsibilities. That incident changed my life, attitudes, and perspectives regarding life. My family has always supported me during tough times. That incident improved my relationship with my family and introduced me to adulthood. Whenever I face a challenge, I discuss it openly with my family because of the awareness that they are always ready and willing to listen and offer assistance. 

My elder brother introduced me to high school life and offered numerous tips on adjusting to the new environment. My family is my greatest source of joy and happiness. This incident taught me responsibility, trust, humility, and the importance of family. The aforementioned events changed my life tremendously because they played a crucial role in molding me into a responsible, caring, and compassionate person.

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Describe an Event that Changed Your Life (or, Changed You) in a Good Way - IELTS Speaking Cue Card Model Answer

Describe an event that changed your life (or, changed you) in a good way..

You should say:

when it happened

where it happened

what the change was

and explain how you benefited from this change.

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Model Answer 1

A pivotal moment that redefined my life occurred during the summer of 2018, in the serene surroundings of a mountain retreat. This life-altering event was not marked by grand fanfare; instead, it was a quiet realization during a meditation retreat. The change was profound yet subtle – it was the embracement of mindfulness and a newfound appreciation for the present moment.

Before this experience, my life was in constant fast-forward, with my mind perpetually racing from one worry to the next. It was during a session of guided meditation, enveloped by the tranquil mountain air and the gentle rustling of leaves, that I experienced a profound sense of peace. This tranquility was not merely the absence of noise; it was an awakening to the beauty of the present.

This transformation has had lasting effects on my life. Embracing mindfulness has allowed me to approach daily challenges with calmness and clarity. Stressful situations, which previously overwhelmed me, now seem manageable as I have learned to maintain a composed and focused mind. This change has enhanced my interpersonal relationships as well; I listen more attentively, respond more thoughtfully, and appreciate the nuances of communication. Moreover, this shift has positively influenced my career, where the ability to remain present and composed under pressure is invaluable.

In essence, the change was not just in my actions, but in my perspective. The realization that living in the moment is not just a phrase, but a transformative practice, has been the cornerstone of this positive shift. This journey towards mindfulness has not only enriched my personal experiences but has also imbued me with a sense of serenity and purpose, attributes that have significantly enhanced the quality of my life.

Why this is a High Scoring Answer

This sample answer is an exemplary response to the question, "Describe an event that changed your life (or, changed you) in a good way," and serves as a model for those aiming to achieve high scores in the IELTS Speaking section. Here's a detailed breakdown of why this answer is effective:

1.    Comprehensive Coverage: The answer thoroughly addresses all aspects of the question. It clearly states the when (summer of 2018) and where (mountain retreat) of the event. The what (embracement of mindfulness and appreciation of the present moment) and the explanation of how the candidate benefited (improved handling of stress, enhanced interpersonal relationships, and positive career impact) are also well-articulated.

2.    Depth of Reflection and Personal Insight: The response demonstrates deep personal insight, reflecting on how the candidate's life was before the event and the transformative impact it had. The journey from a life in "constant fast-forward" to one of "mindfulness" shows a profound level of self-awareness, which is a key aspect of effective communication.

3.    Descriptive Language: The use of descriptive language, such as "tranquil mountain air" and "gentle rustling of leaves," paints a vivid picture for the listener, engaging them in the narrative. This ability to create imagery is a hallmark of advanced language skills.

4.    Cohesiveness and Fluency: The response flows smoothly from one point to the next, maintaining a clear and logical structure. This cohesiveness is essential for keeping the listener engaged and for conveying thoughts in an organized manner.

5.    Vocabulary and Grammar: The answer showcases a wide range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures, without compromising clarity. Phrases like "profound sense of peace" and "embracement of mindfulness" are indicative of a high level of language proficiency.

For those looking to further enhance their preparation, our exclusive IELTS books (pdf download) delve into these aspects in greater detail. These resources are crafted to guide you through mastering the nuances of the English language, ensuring you can confidently articulate experiences and ideas just as effectively.

This sample answer exemplifies what you can learn and replicate with our expert guidance. Remember, your journey to achieving a high IELTS score is not just about learning the language; it's about learning how to convey your unique experiences and insights in a way that resonates with others.

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Model Answer 2

One transformative event that significantly reshaped my life's trajectory occurred in the autumn of 2016, amidst the bustling streets of New York City. This defining moment was not one of dramatic revelation, but rather a gradual awakening sparked by volunteering at a local community center.

The change was a deep-seated shift in perspective, from a self-centered worldview to one marked by empathy and a commitment to service. Prior to this experience, my life revolved around personal ambitions and material success. However, engaging with diverse individuals from various walks of life, all converging at this hub of community activity, opened my eyes to the broader spectrum of human experience.

The transformation was multi-faceted. On a personal level, I developed a profound sense of gratitude for the privileges I had taken for granted. This shift in mindset led to a more fulfilling life, where happiness was not solely derived from personal achievements but also from the joy of contributing to the well-being of others. Professionally, this experience broadened my horizons, inspiring me to pursue a career in social work, a field I had never previously considered.

Moreover, this volunteering stint honed my interpersonal skills, teaching me the value of active listening, empathy, and effective communication. These skills have not only made me a more compassionate individual but also a more adept professional, capable of building meaningful relationships and understanding diverse viewpoints.

In essence, this experience redefined my life's purpose. It instilled in me the belief that true fulfillment comes from serving others and contributing to a greater good. This newfound purpose has guided my decisions and actions, leading to a more enriching and rewarding life journey.

This sample answer is an excellent illustration of how to effectively respond to the topic, "Describe an event that changed your life (or, changed you) in a good way." It stands out as a high-scoring answer for several reasons:

1.    Fulfilling the Question Requirements: The speaker vividly recounts an event - volunteering in New York City - that brought about a significant change in their life. This directly addresses the topic, detailing both the event and its transformative impact.

2.    Depth of Personal Growth and Insight: The answer showcases a profound personal transformation from a focus on self to a dedication to service and empathy. This level of introspection and reflection on personal growth demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject matter, which is essential in conveying a compelling narrative.

3.    Rich and Descriptive Language: The use of descriptive and emotive language, such as "gradual awakening" and "deep-seated shift in perspective," enhances the quality of the response. This not only engages the listener but also shows mastery of language, a critical component of the IELTS Speaking test.

4.    Cohesive Structure and Flow: The response is well-structured, with a clear beginning, development, and conclusion. This coherence in storytelling ensures that the listener can easily follow and understand the narrative.

5.    Variety in Vocabulary and Sentence Structure: The speaker employs a wide range of vocabulary and varied sentence structures, demonstrating linguistic proficiency. Phrases like "multi-faceted transformation" and "instilled in me the belief" are examples of advanced language use.

6.    Relevance and Relatability: The narrative is relatable and grounded in real-life experiences, making it more impactful and genuine. Discussing the impact of volunteering on both personal and professional levels makes the response more comprehensive and relevant.

For those eager to craft equally compelling responses and enhance their IELTS Speaking skills, our exclusive IELTS books (pdf download) are an invaluable resource. They provide you with insights and strategies to articulate your experiences and ideas with clarity and confidence, mirroring the high standards demonstrated in this answer.

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Model Answer 3

A pivotal moment that irrevocably transformed my life unfolded in the spring of 2019, against the backdrop of the historic city of Rome. This life-altering event was my first solo international travel experience, a journey that not only spanned continents but also expanded the horizons of my mind.

The change was profound and multifaceted. Embracing the unknown, navigating through the labyrinthine streets of a foreign land, and immersing myself in a culture vastly different from my own, instilled in me an unshakeable confidence and an insatiable curiosity. Prior to this expedition, my world view was limited, shaped largely by my immediate surroundings and second-hand narratives. However, this solo voyage introduced me to the rich tapestry of global cultures, languages, and perspectives.

The transformation was both personal and intellectual. Personally, the journey fostered a sense of independence and self-reliance that I had never experienced before. Each decision, from choosing the next destination to overcoming language barriers, was a step towards self-discovery and growth. Intellectually, it broadened my understanding of the world, teaching me the value of cultural diversity and the importance of global interconnectedness.

Moreover, this travel experience refined my problem-solving skills and adaptability, traits that have proven invaluable in both personal and professional realms. It taught me to approach challenges with a calm and open mind, turning obstacles into opportunities for learning and growth.

In summary, this solo journey was not just a physical traverse across countries; it was a voyage into the depths of my own potential. It reshaped my identity, turning me into a global citizen, eager to explore, learn, and connect with the diverse tapestry of humanity that makes our world so rich and fascinating.

This sample answer excellently addresses the topic "Describe an event that changed your life (or, changed you) in a good way," and here's a detailed analysis of its strengths:

1.    Directly Addresses the Topic: The speaker immediately engages with the topic by describing their solo travel to Rome. This direct approach ensures that the listener understands the relevance of the narrative to the topic.

2.    Depth and Insight: The response reflects a deep level of personal and intellectual growth. The speaker talks about gaining "an unshakeable confidence and an insatiable curiosity," showcasing significant self-awareness and development.

3.    Descriptive and Vivid Language: The use of descriptive phrases like "navigating through the labyrinthine streets" and "the rich tapestry of global cultures" not only demonstrates a high level of language proficiency but also keeps the listener engaged.

4.    Clear Structure and Cohesion: The answer has a well-organized structure, flowing logically from the introduction of the event to its personal and intellectual impact. This clear progression of ideas is crucial for coherence and listener comprehension.

5.    Demonstration of Key Skills: The narrative illustrates important qualities like independence, adaptability, and problem-solving, which are highly valued in both the IELTS criteria and real-world scenarios.

6.    Cultural Awareness and Global Perspective: The speaker's reflections on cultural diversity and global interconnectedness show a broadened worldview, a key aspect of a high-scoring IELTS response.

For those aiming to achieve similar depth and proficiency in their IELTS Speaking responses, our exclusive IELTS books (pdf download) provide you with the tools and insights necessary for success. These resources, designed with you in mind, offer strategies to enhance your speaking skills, enabling you to articulate your experiences and ideas with clarity and confidence, much like the response given here.

In an IELTS Speaking exam, it's crucial to present ideas in a manner that is not only articulate and well-structured but also personal and reflective. This sample demonstrates how you can successfully achieve this balance, making it an excellent model for high-scoring responses.

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Personal Narrative Essay: The Event That Changed My Life

If I had to choose an event that has completely altered my life, it wouldn't necessarily be one key event. It would be a series of events strung out over the past two years. I feel that too often I am getting held up by things in this world that no matter how hard you try to fix it, you have absolutely no control over the outcome. There is no need to worry about tomorrow when today is not even over. The key lesson that these events have taught me is to not worry about what you cannot control. 

Two years ago I had just gotten back from a field trip to some army museum. When I got in the car I was very surprised to see my mom driving because normally she is still at work. That is when she told me that my great-uncle had died. I have a pretty big family and we all do everything together, so we were all very sad to hear that he had passed. Shortly after, I found out that my mother may lose her job because one of her employees had stolen some medicine from the company. This employee was a part of our life group so I knew her, but more importantly she was super close to my mom. Finding out that this had happened broke her because not only had she lost a close friend, but she was scared she would no longer be able to save other people's lives. My mom has always been the brightest light to the world that I have ever known so when that changed it started to change me as well. Shortly thereafter, my cousins had just let a senior in high school move in with them because he was kicked out of his family. In the next year, he had grown to be more than just a friend; he was family. After knowing him for a year one day I found myself in the car with my mom heading out to our farm. On that car ride, she told me and my brother that Marquez's (the kid that moved in with our cousins) mom found him unconscious on the floor of the shower with no heartbeat. The EMTs got there and were able to resuscitate him and take him back to the hospital. There he was in a coma and put on a ventilator. I distinctly remember my mom saying in the car that she thought he was not going to make it. This was devastating to me because I and him had such a tight bond and when my mom said that I truly thought he was about to die. He ended up waking up and is now the first person in his family to go to college. Right after that, I found out that my great-aunt had died. To this day that was the worst day of my life. Her name was Thelma Music, but I always called her a Babe. When I was little, she was my Mom. My Mom had residency and was barely ever home and my dad was always working on houses and my brother was at school. So it was just me and the babe all day every day. She was my person and when I found out she had died, I was devastated. To this day that whole month was a blur because of how emotional things got. I miss her every day and I have never really been the same. Then my cousin's boyfriend got sick and was put in the hospital. There he was put in a coma, and then again my mom told us that she thought he was going to die. He was in a coma for eight days and woke up. He was starting his senior year of college and needed to have a colostomy bag, so a few more things happened and he ended up moving in with us. He still lives with us today. Last, but probably just, for now, my uncle ran away because he has a mixture of hypoglycemia and OCD. He would pretty much have a panic attack about his sweating and could not make any logical decisions. This was so hard for me because of how close I am to him and he is the last person you would ever have this problem with. 

Throughout the last two and a half years of my life, the number one takeaway has been to never try and change things you cannot control. In this short period of my life my entire viewpoint has changed. I used to go all-in on things that were impossible to change and I would end up hurting myself even more. Whereas now I believe that it is important to enjoy life because it is short and should not be taken for granted. In the Bible it says to not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. There is no reason to trouble yourself over something that is destined to happen.

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Essay Samples on Life Changing Experience

Speaking of topics that you may consider as a student, there is a lot to choose from. It can be your college experience or volunteering work that you have done that became a life-changing experience or something that you have seen or understood as a child. In either case, see our free life changing experience essay example to see how you can shape your thoughts correctly and follow the structure of academic writing. It must have a strong introduction with a hook, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion part that sums up all the ideas and thoughts that you have outlined in your paper. Just be yourself and think about what has inspired you in life or what events have helped to shape who you are.

What Experiences Have Shaped My Life

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The Moment That Changed Everything: an Unpredictable Nature of Life

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An Important Event in My Life: a Reflection

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My Memorable Experience and How It Has Shaped My Perspective

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Best topics on Life Changing Experience

1. What Experiences Have Shaped My Life

2. The Moment That Changed Everything: an Unpredictable Nature of Life

3. An Unforgettable Day: A Chapter Etched in the Tapestry of My Life

4. An Important Event in My Life: a Reflection

5. A Turning Point: An Event That Changed My Life Forever

6. My Memorable Experience and How It Has Shaped My Perspective

7. A Life Lesson I Have Learned and How It Continues to Shape Me

8. A Life Changing Experience: The Transformative Power of Challenges

9. A Life-Changing Experience About Respect and Being Respectful

10. “A Whisper Of AIDS” By Mary Fisher: The Life-Changing Experience

11. Our Life Experiences: Who We Are

12. The Potential Father Figures in Stevenson’s Treasure Island

13. The Fictional Recreation of Vasco Da Gama’s Trip

14. The Lessons Applied to Experiences Learned from Rich Dad, Poor Dad

15. My Life Changing Experience of Losing My Old Job and Changing Careers

• Personality
• Career Goals
• Bucket List
• Car Accident
• Self Defence
• Benefits of Volunteering

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Module 4: Writing in College

Writing a personal essay, learning objectives.

• Describe techniques for writing an effective personal essay

How to Write a Personal Essay

One particular and common kind of narrative essay is the personal narrative essay. Maybe you have already written one of these in order to get to college or for a scholarship. The personal essay is a narrative essay focused on you. Typically, you write about events or people in your life that taught you important life lessons. These events should have changed you somehow. From this choice will emerge the theme (the main point) of your story. Then you can follow these steps:

Figure 1 . Brainstorming the details of a personal experience can help you to write a more complete story with elements like vivid details, dialogue, and sufficient character development.

• Once you identify the event, you will write down what happened. Just brainstorm (also called freewriting). Focus on the actual event. You do not need to provide a complete build-up to it. For example, if you are telling a story about an experience at camp, you do not need to provide readers with a history of your camp experiences, nor do you need to explain how you got there, what you ate each day, how long it lasted, etc. Readers need enough information to understand the event.
• Use descriptions/vivid details.
• “Nothing moved but a pair of squirrels chasing each other back and forth on the telephone wires. I followed one in my sight. Finally, it stopped for a moment and I fired.”
• Passive voice uses the verb “to be” along with an action verb: had been aiming, was exhausted.
• Even though the “characters” in your story are real people, your readers won’t get to know them unless you describe them, present their personalities, and give them physical presence.
• Dialogue helps readers get to know the characters in your story, infuses the story with life, and offers a variation from description and explanation. When writing dialogue, you may not remember exactly what was said in the past, so be true to the person being represented and come as close to the actual language the person uses as possible. Dialogue is indented with each person speaking as its own paragraph. The paragraph ends when that person is done speaking and any following explanation or continuing action ends. (If your characters speak a language other than English, feel free to include that in your narrative, but provide a translation for your English-speaking readers.)
• Remember, if it is a personal narrative, you are telling the story, so it should be in first person. Students often worry about whether or not they are allowed to use “I.” It is impossible to write a personal essay without using “I”!
• Write the story in a consistent verb tense (almost always past tense). It doesn’t work to try to write it in the present tense since it already happened. Make sure you stay in the past tense.

Sample Personal Statement

One type of narrative essay you may have reason to write is a Personal Statement.

Many colleges and universities ask for a Personal Statement Essay for students who are applying for admission, to transfer, or for scholarships. Generally, a Personal Statement asks you to respond to a specific prompt, most often asking you to describe a significant life event, a personality trait, or a goal or principle that motivates or inspires you. Personal Statements are essentially narrative essays with a particular focus on the writer’s personal life.

The following essay was responding to the prompt: “Write about an experience that made you aware of a skill or strength you possess.” As you read, pay attention to the way the writer gets your attention with a strong opening, how he uses vivid details and a chronological narrative to tell his story, and how he links back to the prompt in the conclusion.

Sample Student Essay

Alen Abramyan Professor X English 1101-209 2/5/2022

In the Middle of Nowhere Fighting Adversity

A three-punch combination had me seeing stars. Blood started to rush down my nose. The Russian trainers quietly whispered to one another. I knew right away that my nose was broken. Was this the end of my journey; or was I about to face adversity?

Ever since I was seven years old, I trained myself in, “The Art of Boxing.”  While most of the kids were out playing fun games and hanging out with their friends, I was in a damp, sweat-filled gym. My path was set to be a difficult one. Blood, sweat, and tears were going to be an everyday occurrence.

At a very young age I learned the meaning of hard work and dedication. Most kids jumped from one activity to the next. Some quit because it was too hard; others quit because they were too bored. My father pointed this out to me on many occasions. Adults would ask my father, ” why do you let your son box? It’s such a dangerous sport, he could get hurt. My father always replied, “Everyone is going to get hurt in their lives, physically, mentally and emotionally. I’m making sure he’s ready for the challenges he’s going to face as a man. I always felt strong after hearing my father speak that way about me. I was a boy being shaped into a man, what a great feeling it was.

Year after year, I participated in boxing tournaments across the U.S. As the years went by, the work ethic and strength of character my father and coaches instilled in me, were starting to take shape. I began applying the hard work and dedication I learned in boxing, to my everyday life. I realized that when times were tough and challenges presented themselves, I wouldn’t back down, I would become stronger. This confidence I had in myself, gave me the strength to pursue my boxing career in Russia.

I traveled to Russia to compete in Amateur Boxing. Tournament after tournament I came closer to my goal of making the Russian Olympic Boxing team. After successfully winning the Kaliningrad regional tournament, I began training for the Northwest Championships. This would include boxers from St. Petersburg, Pskov, Kursk and many other powerful boxing cities.

We had to prepare for a tough tournament, and that’s what we did. While sparring one week before the tournament, I was caught by a strong punch combination to the nose. I knew right away it was serious. Blood began rushing down my face, as I noticed the coaches whispering to each other. They walked into my corner and examined my nose,” yeah, it’s broken,” Yuri Ivonovich yelled out. I was asked to clean up and to meet them in their office. I walked into the Boxing Federation office after a quick shower. I knew right away, they wanted to replace me for the upcoming tournament. “We’re investing a lot of money on you boxers and we expect good results. Why should we risk taking you with a broken nose?” Yuri Ivonovich asked me. I replied, “I traveled half-way around the world to be here, this injury isn’t a problem for me.” And by the look on my face they were convinced, they handed me my train ticket and wished me luck.

The train came to a screeching halt, shaking all the passengers awake. I glanced out my window, “Welcome to Cherepovets,” the sign read. In the background I saw a horrific skyline of smokestacks, coughing out thick black smoke. Arriving in the city, we went straight to the weigh ins. Hundreds of boxers, all from many cities were there. The brackets were set up shortly after the weigh ins. In the Super Heavyweight division, I found out I had 4 fights to compete in, each increasing in difficulty. My first match, I made sure not a punch would land; this was true for the next two fights. Winning all three 6-0, 8-0 and 7-0 respectively. It looked like I was close to winning the whole tournament. For the finals I was to fight the National Olympic Hope Champion.

The night before the finals was coincidentally the 200th anniversary of the city. All night by my hotel, I heard screams of laughter and partying. I couldn’t sleep a wink. The morning of the fight I was exhausted but anxious. I stepped into the ring knowing that I was tired. I fell behind in points quickly in the first round. I felt as if I were dreaming, with no control of the situation. I was going along for the ride and it wasn’t pleasant. At the end of the second round, the coach informed me that I was far behind. “?You’re asleep in there,” he yelled out to me, confirming how I felt. I knew this was my last chance; I had to give it my all. I mustered up enough strength to have an amazing round. It was as if I stepped out and a fresh boxer stepped in. I glanced at my coaches and see a look of approval. No matter the outcome, I felt that I had defeated adversity. My opponent’s hand was raised , he won a close decision, 6-5. After I got back to my hotel, I remembered Yuri Ivonovich telling me they expected good results. “How were my results,” I asked myself. In my mind, the results were great, with a broken nose and with no sleep, I came one point shy of defeating the National Olympic Hope Champion.

Even from a very young age, I knew that when my back was against the wall and adversity was knocking on my door, I would never back down. I became a stronger person, a trait my family made sure I would carry into my adult years. No matter what I’m striving for; getting into a University; receiving a scholarship; or applying for a job, I can proudly say to myself, I am Alen Abramyan and adversity is no match for me.

Link to Learning

Sandra Cisneros offers an example of a narrative essay in “Only Daughter”  that captures her sense of her Chicana-Mexican heritage as the only daughter in a family of seven children.

Do Personal Essays have Thesis Statements?

While many personal essays include a direct statement of the thesis, in some personal essays the thesis may be implied, or suggested, rather than stated outright.

Imagine, for example, that in your personal essay you decide to write about the way someone influenced you. The influential individual could be a relative, a friend or classmate, an employer or a teacher. As you shape your essay, you would not simply assemble a collection of miscellaneous observations about the person; instead, you would be selective and focus on details about this person that show his or her impact upon you.

Let us say that the person who influenced you is a grandparent. You may know a lot about this individual: personality traits, family and marital history, medical history, educational background, work experience, military experience, political and religious beliefs, hobbies, tastes in music, etc. As you shape your essay, you wouldn’t try to catalog all that you know. Instead, you would try to create a dominant impression by including details that guide your reader toward the idea that is central to the essay.

For example, if you developed certain habits and attitudes as you and your grandparent worked together on a project, that experience might provide the focus for the essay. If you chose details consistent with that focus, then you wouldn’t need to state that this was the point of the essay. Your readers would understand that that was the governing idea based on the details you had so carefully chosen.

Whether the thesis is stated outright or implied, then, the personal essay will have a governing idea—an idea that is “in charge” of what you decide to include in the essay in terms of content, vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone. In short, the personal essay may not have a thesis statement, but it  will  have a thesis.

Consider a personal essay in which a student was asked to write about a person she admired, and she wrote about her cousin. She wrote:

• I admired my cousin’s decision to enlist because she had to withstand criticism from people who thought women shouldn’t be in the army and because in basic training she had to stand up to physical and mental challenges that I don’t think I could face.

The thesis statement provides guidance for both writing and reading the essay. Writer and reader alike are able to see what the subject of the essay is and what is being stated about the subject and how the essay should be organized. No matter how many body paragraphs there are, this thesis implies that the paper will be divided into two sections. One section will group together the paragraphs on this topic: cousin “had to withstand criticism from people who thought women shouldn’t be in the army.” Another section will group together the paragraphs on this second topic: “in basic training she had to stand up to physical and mental challenges.”

Are Narratives Persuasive?

In a personal essay, you may not think of your thesis as “arguable” in the same way as a claim in a persuasive essay would be arguable, but in fact, you can think of it as something that should need to be demonstrated—backed up through explanations and illustrations. Usually, the idea that should be demonstrated is that you are a thoughtful, reflective person who has learned from the events and people in your life.

If the thesis does  not   need to be demonstrated, then there may not be much purpose in writing the essay. For, example, a statement that “George W. Bush was the forty-third president” or the statement that “Senior proms are exciting” would not be considered arguable by most people and likely would not spark a reader’s interest to make them want to keep reading.

On the other hand, the thesis statements below would need to be explained and illustrated. In that sense, these personal essay thesis statements are equivalent to claims that are “arguable.”

• The evening was nearly ruined because parents acting as dress-code vigilantes threw several people out of the prom.
• My team spent hours planning the prom and managed to head off a repeat of the after-prom drinking that caused some parents to question whether the prom should be held this year.
• Everyone was able to attend the prom proudly because our prom committee got several stores to loan outfits to make certain everyone would feel like they fit in.
• I opted to attend an alternative prom because the principal refused to allow a same-sex couple to attend.

Keep in mind that the actions or events in your essay do not have to make you look heroic. You could write a convincing and powerful essay about how you attended the school-sponsored prom, even though the principal refused to allow a same-sex couple to attend. Your essay, in this case, might, for example, focus on your regret over your decision and your subsequent understanding of how you think you can best challenge the status quo in the future. In other words, you can write an effective personal essay about a moment of regret.

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An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life Essay

Introduction.

A mother’s love has been proven throughout history and has been immortalized by sayings like “Nothing beats a mother’s love” and “No matter what a child does, a mother will always be a mother.” My mother is the epitome of these sayings and as I live and breathe, I will continue to attest to this. You see, I have not only felt my mother’s love but also seen it in action. I can remember everything that happened just this past June — June 18, 2003, to be exact, as if everything only happened a few hours ago.

That year, I was a carefree 11-year-old who had all the time in the world to enjoy the life ahead of me. Little did I know that everything in my life would change that night. The night that my 15-year-old brother was killed by a drowsy school bus driver as he stood outside my parent’s outdoor equipment business. That night, I came home from school to receive the bad news. News that changed my life literally from that very morning.

I had 15 special years with my brother and being in the 5th grade, he was my role model in everything that I did. He was my protector and guardian angel who was always there when I needed him. But now, I am 17 and 2 years older than him. I often find myself wondering as to how my night has turned out and what our relationship might be like at this point in our lives. Would we still be best friends and have each other’s backs? 6 years later my family and I have changed a lot and are still on the road towards a long and lonely grieving process.

Consequences of the accident

We were devastated by the accident. Our sense of security was crushed and we could barely function as individuals and as a family for the next couple of years after the accident. We each dealt with death in different ways. My father had to go back to work 2 weeks after my brother’s untimely demise. He had to go back to the place where my brother died to pay the bills. While my mother threw herself into investigative work trying to figure out how a drowsy bus driver from our school would have been allowing to drive a bus in his condition. She needed to understand why and how the accident happened to have some sort of closure. She refused to let my brother’s death be in vain. Something good had to come out of it and that she would make sure of that.

Everybody tried to dissuade my mother from finding out the truth. Everyone but me. You see, I know my mother, I knew she would not stop until she got some answers. Her investigation was not for naught. It may have taken her 4 years but, she discovered that the driver suffered from sleep apnea and would often sleep in the bus garage, was taking 5 different medications, had uncontrolled diabetes, and most importantly, was not certified to drive a bus due to his existing physical conditions.

Armed with this knowledge, she ran for the school board and won. Under her guidance, she revamped the entire transportation of our school district and started a chapter of the non – profit organization Victims of Irresponsible Drowsy Drivers (VOIDD). She has traveled extensively throughout New York to educate the public about the dangers of drowsy driving and what countermeasures can be implemented. Watching my mother’s determination and strength that pulled her through the most devastating experience of our lives was an experience for me. Although she had taught me never to give up on my passions and beliefs, I only took it to heart when I saw her practice what she preached.

My family crisis taught me how to be selfless and be there for others who need help and support. through my mother’s actions, I have learned that she will always be my mother no matter what mistakes I make and what changes happen in the family. She will forever be, the strongest lady I know.

I have come to learn that lives can change at the drop of a hat. Life has no guarantees and needs to be flexible. I learned how to accept things that I could not change, no matter how hard and painful it might be because of my brother’s death. His death taught me how to live and my family was eventually reborn after all the events that took place. We learned to laugh and be a family again even without my brother’s presence.

All my experiences in life have changed me as a person. I may only be in high school but I have been a long-term member of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and a soccer player for 12 years. I also take part in 4-H Community Service projects in honor of my brother’s memory and to show my mother that I too can be as strong as she is and that I respect everything she has accomplished in life with or without the support of her friends and family.

• Chicago (A-D)
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IvyPanda. (2023, November 1). An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-event-that-had-a-significant-influence-on-my-life/

"An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life." IvyPanda , 1 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/an-event-that-had-a-significant-influence-on-my-life/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life'. 1 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-event-that-had-a-significant-influence-on-my-life/.

1. IvyPanda . "An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-event-that-had-a-significant-influence-on-my-life/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "An Event That Had a Significant Influence on My Life." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-event-that-had-a-significant-influence-on-my-life/.

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Describe an important event in your life that you celebrated.

You should say:

• What the event was
• When it happened
• Who attended the event

And explain how you feel about the event

Step 1: Choose quickly any event in your life (Note: don’t spend too much time choosing).

Step 2: Make a basic outline for the answer (just abbreviated, write briefly). Think about the direction in which each idea will develop and good vocabulary to include.

Step 3: Speak at a moderate speed, paying attention to the conjugation of verbs, nouns, grammar, and pronunciation.

Basic outline

Sample Answer

I would love to tell you about one of the most important events in my life, which is my 18th birthday. 

By that time, I had just graduated from high school and was a freshman. This was such a  turning point  in my life – I had to leave my hometown behind to move to a new city where I knew almost no one. I was kinda  clueless  about my future without family and closest friends  by my side . 

And there came my birthday. Luckily it was on weekends so I decided to return home to celebrate it with people I loved. That event indeed  refreshed  me. Once again, I was surrounded by my family and friends whom I had always missed from far away. 

What happened was that we  had meaningful conversations . In these conversations, I  had a chance to  express all my feelings, like how homesick I was, and how lonely I felt when I was in a new environment. My parents and friends encouraged me a lot by saying that I  got their back  anywhere anytime. They would always  be there for me . 

From that moment on, I realized that I had grown up with much love and support. I felt bigger and stronger. Thanks to that, it can be difficult to stay away from them, but I feel like I can  stand on my own feet .

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Event — Significant Life Event

Significant Life Events: My Experience

• Categories: Event Personal Experience

About this sample

Words: 1074 |

Published: Mar 28, 2019

Words: 1074 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

An extraordinary life event (essay)

Works cited:.

• Gibbons, B. (2014). Romeo and Juliet. Cambridge University Press.
• Holland, P. (2002). Shakespeare Survey: Volume 49, Romeo and Juliet and its Afterlife. Cambridge University Press.
• Lerer, S. (2009). Shakespeare's Letters. Yale University Press.
• Shakespeare, W. (2004). Romeo and Juliet. Oxford University Press.
• Simpson, C. (2010). Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Greenwood Publishing Group.
• Smith, D. W. (1995). Friar Laurence's rashness in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare Quarterly, 46(2), 174-187.
• Stone, G. R. (1963). Friar Laurence and the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare Quarterly, 14(3), 331-344.
• Wells, S., & Orlin, L. (2014). Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide. Oxford University Press.
• Wilson, K. (2002). The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Film. Cambridge University Press.
• Zender, K. (2015). Interpretive choices and consequences in productions of Romeo and Juliet. The Routledge Companion to Shakespeare and Philosophy, 249-260.

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Great Examples to Describe Important Life Events

Table of Contents

There may be times when you’ll be asked to  describe a significant event in your life . It could be for a school writing assignment or a college application essay. But some life moments can be so precious and overwhelming that it’s difficult to put them into words. If you find yourself stuck on what to write, don’t worry. This article is here to help you out.

Today we’ll share some tips with you on how to describe important life experiences. We’ll also review some great examples that you can refer to. Let’s get into it!

What Life Events Can You Talk About?

There are so many life-changing moments that you can talk about in your essay. If you haven’t been given a topic, here are some event examples you can consider discussing:

• Your first day at work
• An event that you love celebrating (e.g., a birthday, Independence Day, Christmas, an anniversary)
• The day you met the love of your life.
• A happy or memorable family event. (Wedding of a sibling, death of a family member, family birthday party, parents’ wedding anniversary, buying a house)
• The time you had an intense argument with a person
• A fight you had with a close friend
• The day of your graduation from high school or college.
• A memorable childhood event (e.g., a special birthday, starting school, moving home, a special trip, the birth of a sibling)
• When your first child was born

How Do You Describe a Significant Event in Your Life?

Answer the 5ws (what, who, when, where, why).

Before you start telling your story, it’s essential to get your facts in order. In order to do that, it can be helpful to answer the 5Ws:

• What happened?
• Who were the people involved?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it occur?
• Why was the event special?

By answering these questions, you can better organize your thoughts and structure the narrative you want to tell in your essay or text.

Get into the details.

Describing an event is all about going into the details. You want to help readers to visualize it as clearly as possible . Do your best to remember details like what the place looked like, the weather, what people were wearing, the atmosphere, and so on.

Choose the right descriptive words.

Words can go a long way to evoke emotions that can lead to memories. Do your best to choose appropriate and powerful words to describe events in your content.

Use an online writing tool.

If you’re still stuck on how to describe your topic, you can always get the help of online writing tools. The INK Event Description Generator is one of the best tools you can use to provide vivid and well-thought-out descriptions. It’s powered by AI technology, and it can generate text for you in a matter of seconds. There’s even an option for you to pick the tone of writing. You should definitely give it a try!

Example 1: When I Got Into My Dream University

I still remember it like it was yesterday. My nerves were all over the place, my hands were sweating, and I felt my heart beating so fast. It was Friday, and the college admission results were scheduled to be posted. My sister and I sat on the sofa, constantly refreshing the web page. She kept encouraging me every second, smiling with love on her face. My anxiety was not calming down any time soon.

Finally, my name popped on the page. A feeling of relief and tremendous joy washed over me. We were jumping up and down the coach, screaming like little girls. It was a life-changing moment I will never forget. That was the day I got one step close to my dreams and studying the course I wanted.

Example 2: Wedding of My Little Sister

It was three years ago when I saw my little sister walking down the aisle. The church was filled with daisies, her favorite flower. My mom sat beside me, and she couldn’t stop crying.

The church doors opened, and she walked through wearing the most beautiful white dress with a trail as long as the day. I couldn’t help but shed a river of tears when I saw her walk in. My little sister has always been my best friend, my partner in crime. And seeing her all grown up and ready to start her own family made my heart melt. I felt joyful and sad at the same time. But I knew she was embarking on her new journey, and my only wish was that she lived a long and happy life. 

Example 3: A camping trip with the family

My family and I first began going on camping trips when I was five years old. We would usually do it over the summer. My favorite part about camping was building a fire and roasting marshmallows. My dad once made french fries on the fire in a frying pan. It was so cool! I remember the feeling of being surrounded by my family and the smell of roasting hot fries on the fire. Every night before bed, I would lie awake and stare up at the stars. Those were simpler times. Now I’m 21, and I miss those days so much. I would often come to our old camping spot just to reminisce. I will forever hold those fun camping memories close to my heart.

To describe a significant event in your life, you need to take a trip down memory lane. Think about as many details as you can about a particular memory. It needs to be descriptive and interesting . This is no easy feat, so take your time and think of that moment in detail.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how should i describe a life event in my essay that prepared me for college.

So I'm drafting my college essay and I've got this life event that really impacted me and I think it shows I'm ready for college. But how do I describe it in a way that's compelling and not just telling a story? Any advice from those who tackled something similar?

When you're describing a life event in your college essay, it's important to focus on reflection, rather than merely recounting the event. Think about how this experience has shaped your perspective, influenced your goals, or contributed to your character development.

Start by setting the scene to engage the reader, then swiftly move to express how this event was pivotal in your personal growth. Show rather than tell; for example, if you're writing about how you overcame a challenge, detail the steps you took and the resourcefulness or resilience you displayed with active descriptions and action rather than a passive explanation. You want to make it clear why this event makes you a strong candidate for college by connecting it to attributes like determination, leadership, or a passion for learning. Remember to close your essay by looking forward; explain how the event has prepared you for the challenges of college and beyond, and how it will inform your contributions to the college community.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Describe an important event in your life

You should say:

• How old you were then
• What happened

and explain why this was an important event in your life

Sample Answer:

Well, I have so many important events in my life and I can remember many of them. However, I would like to talk about the most auspicious ceremony of my life, my marriage, which happened in December 2012

When I got married, I was 26 years old. Since I belong to a traditional and orthodox Hindu family, it’s more or less like a religious and family festival. We invited most of our friends and relatives and the celebrations started three days prior to the event. We had to arrange all the amenities to the guests who came by; such as hotels to stay, food and drinking arrangements and we had to make sure all of them were pretty satisfied. However, another biggest challenge I faced was the raising of the fund for the occasion. Fortunately, everything went well and the day is still a wonderful experience to think about

On the flip side, the greatest reason why that day is rather important is because, ever since then, I witnessed a dramatic change in the way I live. I had to become more responsible and after all, I got someone to share my life together. I gradually realised, the biggest part in life is to become shoulders and shade, to someone who is important to us, especially at the time of crisis. I would like to conclude by saying that now I am happily living with my parents, wife and son, and my marriage was the first significant step towards this journey.

• speaking part 2

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Describe an Important Event in Your Life

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Updated on 01 March, 2024

upGrad Abroad Team

Upgrad abroad editorial team.

Sample Answer 1: Graduating from University

Introduction:

An important event in my life that stands out is the day I graduated from university. It was not just the culmination of years of hard work, but also a stepping stone into the next phase of my life, filled with hopes and dreams.

Description:

The graduation ceremony was held on a sunny day, with the campus bustling with excitement. As I walked across the stage to receive my diploma, a wave of emotions washed over me. I remembered the late nights spent studying, the friendships formed, and the challenges overcome. It was a moment of pride for me and my family, who had supported me throughout my journey. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter, where I was ready to face the world with the knowledge and skills I had acquired.

Follow-up Questions & Answers:

Q1: How did you feel on your graduation day?

A1: I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and gratitude. It was a mix of excitement for the future and nostalgia for the university years that were coming to an end.

Q2: Who was the most influential person during your university years?

A2: My mentor, a professor in my department, was incredibly influential. He not only guided me academically but also provided invaluable advice on life and career choices.

Q3: What was the biggest challenge you faced in university?

A3: Balancing academic responsibilities with personal development was my biggest challenge. Learning time management and prioritization was crucial.

Q4: How has your university experience shaped your goals?

A4: It has broadened my perspective, instilling in me a love for lifelong learning and a desire to contribute positively to society. My goals are now more aligned with my passions and values.

Q5: What advice would you give to current university students?

A5: Embrace every opportunity for growth, both inside and outside the classroom. University is not just about academics; it's about discovering who you are and what you want to achieve in life.

Conclusion:

Graduating from university was a defining moment in my life, symbolizing the end of one journey and the beginning of another. It taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of pursuing one's passions. This event has shaped my approach to life and career, instilling in me the confidence to embrace future challenges with optimism and determination.

Sample Answer 2: The Day I Moved Abroad

Another pivotal event in my life was the day I moved abroad for the first time. It was a leap into the unknown, filled with aspirations and the promise of new beginnings.

Leaving my home country to live in a foreign land was both daunting and exciting. The process involved meticulous planning, from securing a visa to finding accommodation. The initial days were challenging, with language barriers and cultural differences. However, it was also a period of immense personal growth. I learned to be independent, adaptable, and open-minded. This experience broadened my horizons, allowing me to understand and appreciate the diversity of the world around me.

Q1: What motivated you to move abroad?

A1: A desire for personal and professional growth. I sought to experience a different culture, enhance my language skills, and pursue career opportunities that were not available in my home country.

Q2: How did you adapt to the new culture?

A2: It involved a lot of observation, learning, and engagement with the local community. I also took language classes to improve communication and understand cultural nuances better.

Q3: What was the hardest part about moving abroad?

A3: Being away from family and friends was the hardest part. Overcoming feelings of homesickness and building a new support network took time.

Q4: What is the most valuable lesson you learned from living abroad?

A4: The most valuable lesson was learning to be resilient and self-reliant. It taught me that stepping out of your comfort zone is where growth happens.

Q5: Would you recommend others to live abroad? Why or why not?

A5: Yes, I would highly recommend it. Living abroad challenges you in unexpected ways, leading to personal development and a deeper understanding of the world.

Moving abroad was a transformative experience that reshaped my worldview and personal identity. It was a journey of self-discovery, adaptation, and learning to appreciate the beauty of diversity. This event has made me more resilient, open-minded, and eager to explore the world. It underscores the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone to uncover new perspectives and opportunities.

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What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions.

In a  Center survey  conducted nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that  ended the constitutional right to abortion , 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue .

Find answers to common questions about abortion in America, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which have tracked these patterns for several decades:

How many abortions are there in the U.S. each year?

How has the number of abortions in the u.s. changed over time, what is the abortion rate among women in the u.s. how has it changed over time, what are the most common types of abortion, how many abortion providers are there in the u.s., and how has that number changed, what percentage of abortions are for women who live in a different state from the abortion provider, what are the demographics of women who have had abortions, when during pregnancy do most abortions occur, how often are there medical complications from abortion.

This compilation of data on abortion in the United States draws mainly from two sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, both of which have regularly compiled national abortion data for approximately half a century, and which collect their data in different ways.

The CDC data that is highlighted in this post comes from the agency’s “abortion surveillance” reports, which have been published annually since 1974 (and which have included data from 1969). Its figures from 1973 through 1996 include data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City – 52 “reporting areas” in all. Since 1997, the CDC’s totals have lacked data from some states (most notably California) for the years that those states did not report data to the agency. The four reporting areas that did not submit data to the CDC in 2021 – California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey – accounted for approximately 25% of all legal induced abortions in the U.S. in 2020, according to Guttmacher’s data. Most states, though,  do  have data in the reports, and the figures for the vast majority of them came from each state’s central health agency, while for some states, the figures came from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Discussion of CDC abortion data involving women’s state of residence, marital status, race, ethnicity, age, abortion history and the number of previous live births excludes the low share of abortions where that information was not supplied. Read the methodology for the CDC’s latest abortion surveillance report , which includes data from 2021, for more details. Previous reports can be found at  stacks.cdc.gov  by entering “abortion surveillance” into the search box.

For the numbers of deaths caused by induced abortions in 1963 and 1965, this analysis looks at reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. In computing those figures, we excluded abortions listed in the report under the categories “spontaneous or unspecified” or as “other.” (“Spontaneous abortion” is another way of referring to miscarriages.)

Guttmacher data in this post comes from national surveys of abortion providers that Guttmacher has conducted 19 times since 1973. Guttmacher compiles its figures after contacting every known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its inquiries. (In 2020, the last year for which it has released data on the number of abortions in the U.S., it used estimates for 12% of abortions.) For most of the 2000s, Guttmacher has conducted these national surveys every three years, each time getting abortion data for the prior two years. For each interim year, Guttmacher has calculated estimates based on trends from its own figures and from other data.

The latest full summary of Guttmacher data came in the institute’s report titled “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2020.” It includes figures for 2020 and 2019 and estimates for 2018. The report includes a methods section.

In addition, this post uses data from StatPearls, an online health care resource, on complications from abortion.

An exact answer is hard to come by. The CDC and the Guttmacher Institute have each tried to measure this for around half a century, but they use different methods and publish different figures.

The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for abortions is 2021. It found there were 625,978 abortions in the District of Columbia and the 46 states with available data that year, up from 597,355 in those states and D.C. in 2020. The corresponding figure for 2019 was 607,720.

The last year for which Guttmacher reported a yearly national total was 2020. It said there were 930,160 abortions that year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared with 916,460 in 2019.

• How the CDC gets its data: It compiles figures that are voluntarily reported by states’ central health agencies, including separate figures for New York City and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include figures from California, Maryland, New Hampshire or New Jersey, which did not report data to the CDC. ( Read the methodology from the latest CDC report .)
• How Guttmacher gets its data: It compiles its figures after contacting every known abortion provider – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, then provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond. Guttmacher’s figures are higher than the CDC’s in part because they include data (and in some instances, estimates) from all 50 states. ( Read the institute’s latest full report and methodology .)

While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its empirical data on abortions in the U.S. has been widely cited by  groups  and  publications  across the political spectrum, including by a  number of those  that  disagree with its positions .

These estimates from Guttmacher and the CDC are results of multiyear efforts to collect data on abortion across the U.S. Last year, Guttmacher also began publishing less precise estimates every few months , based on a much smaller sample of providers.

The figures reported by these organizations include only legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or physicians’ offices, or those that make use of abortion pills dispensed from certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained  outside of clinical settings .

(Back to top)

The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then, abortions have generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called  “a slow yet steady pace.”

Guttmacher says the number of abortions occurring in the U.S. in 2020 was 40% lower than it was in 1991. According to the CDC, the number was 36% lower in 2021 than in 1991, looking just at the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported both of those years.

(The corresponding line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the CDC figure for 2021 is 622,108 legal abortions.)

There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions in 2018 and 2019, and then, after a 2% decrease in 2020, a 5% increase in 2021. Guttmacher reported an 8% increase over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020.

As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills obtained outside of clinical settings.

Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range.

The CDC says that in 2021, there were 11.6 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes data from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In 1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and then rising again to 11.6 in 2021. (The CDC’s figures for those years exclude data from California, D.C., Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.)

The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical abortions and medication abortions, which involve pills. Since the Food and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has increased over time as a share of abortions nationally, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. now involve pills, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. The CDC says 56% of U.S. abortions in 2021 involved pills, up from 53% in 2020 and 44% in 2019. Its figures for 2021 include the District of Columbia and 44 states that provided this data; its figures for 2020 include D.C. and 44 states (though not all of the same states as in 2021), and its figures for 2019 include D.C. and 45 states.

Guttmacher, which measures this every three years, says 53% of U.S. abortions involved pills in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy, and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, medication abortions are safe  until 10 weeks into pregnancy.

Surgical abortions conducted  during the first trimester  of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the relatively few surgical abortions that occur  during the second trimester  of a pregnancy typically use a process called dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine.

In 2020, there were 1,603 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions,  according to Guttmacher . This included 807 clinics, 530 hospitals and 266 physicians’ offices.

While clinics make up half of the facilities that provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (96%) of abortions are administered, either through procedures or the distribution of pills, according to Guttmacher’s 2020 data. (This includes 54% of abortions that are administered at specialized abortion clinics and 43% at nonspecialized clinics.) Hospitals made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions in 2020 but accounted for only 3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by physicians’ offices.

Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found the total virtually unchanged between 2017 (808 clinics) and 2020 (807 clinics). However, there were regional differences. In the Midwest, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by 11% during those years, and in the West by 6%. The number of clinics  decreased  during those years by 9% in the Northeast and 3% in the South.

The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908 facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices.

The CDC does not track the number of abortion providers.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that provided abortion and residency information to the CDC in 2021, 10.9% of all abortions were performed on women known to live outside the state where the abortion occurred – slightly higher than the percentage in 2020 (9.7%). That year, D.C. and 46 states (though not the same ones as in 2021) reported abortion and residency data. (The total number of abortions used in these calculations included figures for women with both known and unknown residential status.)

The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. and the 20 states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was 21% in the District of Columbia and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported age data to  the CDC in 2021, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women ages 40 to 44 accounted for about 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2021 were unmarried (87%), while married women accounted for 13%, according to  the CDC , which had data on this from 37 states.

In the District of Columbia, New York City (but not the rest of New York) and the 31 states that reported racial and ethnic data on abortion to  the CDC , 42% of all women who had abortions in 2021 were non-Hispanic Black, while 30% were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic and 6% were of other races.

Looking at abortion rates among those ages 15 to 44, there were 28.6 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic Black women in 2021; 12.3 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.4 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 9.2 abortions per 1,000 women of other races, the  CDC reported  from those same 31 states, D.C. and New York City.

For 57% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2021, it was the first time they had ever had one,  according to the CDC.  For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For 11% of women who had an abortion that year, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or more. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

Nearly four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2021 (39%) had no previous live births at the time they had an abortion,  according to the CDC . Almost a quarter (24%) of women who had abortions in 2021 had one previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 10% had three, and 7% had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2021, 93% of abortions occurred during the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation,  according to the CDC . An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, and about 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC figures include data from 40 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of complication for the woman , according to an article in StatPearls, an online health care resource. “Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection and post-anesthesia complications,” according to the article.

The CDC calculates  case-fatality rates for women from induced abortions – that is, how many women die from abortion-related complications, for every 100,000 legal abortions that occur in the U.S .  The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in between, the figure ranged from 0.52 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.78 (from 1978 to 1982).

The CDC calculates death rates by five-year and seven-year periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the relatively low number of women who die from legal induced abortions.

In 2020, the last year for which the CDC has information , six women in the U.S. died due to complications from induced abortions. Four women died in this way in 2019, two in 2018, and three in 2017. (These deaths all followed legal abortions.) Since 1990, the annual number of deaths among women due to legal induced abortion has ranged from two to 12.

The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions (legal and illegal) tended to be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to 1979, when it ranged from 13 to 63. One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths from illegal abortions. There were 39 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.)

The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 119 deaths from induced abortions in  1963  and 99 in  1965 , according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is a division of Health and Human Services.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 27, 2022, and first updated June 24, 2022.

Support for legal abortion is widespread in many countries, especially in Europe

Nearly a year after roe’s demise, americans’ views of abortion access increasingly vary by where they live, by more than two-to-one, americans say medication abortion should be legal in their state, most latinos say democrats care about them and work hard for their vote, far fewer say so of gop, positive views of supreme court decline sharply following abortion ruling, most popular.

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Guernica’s founder defends retracting Israeli coexistence essay that caused firestorm

( JTA ) — The founder of Guernica, the progressive literary magazine that published and then retracted an essay by an Israeli writer last month , says he never wanted to publish the piece in the first place.

In a seven-paragraph statement published on Guernica’s website Friday , Michael Archer writes that he thought from the start that the essay, “From the Edges of a Broken World” by Joanna Chen, was a departure from the journal’s values.

“When Jina [Moore, the editor in chief and publisher of the magazine] called my attention to this piece, I disagreed that it was a fit for the magazine,” Archer wrote, explaining, “Rather than mine the personal to expose the political, individual angst was elevated above the collective suffering laid bare in the extensive body of work Guernica has published from the region.”

The statement, titled “Moving Forward,” appears to be the “more fulsome explanation” the publication promised in early March when it removed the essay, opening a new frontline in a broad battle over the Israel-Hamas war in the literary world . More than a dozen members of Guernica’s volunteer staff resigned to protest Chen’s essay, and Moore, who advocated for Chen’s essay, resigned earlier this month.

Chen, a British-Israeli leftist, wrote in the piece how, despite the massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7, she was trying to stay committed to her belief in Israeli-Arab coexistence. Madhuri Sastry, a co-publisher of the magazine, called the essay “a hand-wringing apologia for Zionism and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”

In his statement, Archer says he and other members of Guernica’s volunteer staff had engaged in fierce discussions about the essay and the questions it posed both before and after its publication.

He also said he had appointed a new publisher, Magogodi aoMphela Makhene, a South African fiction writer and antiracist educator. In her own statement , Makhene wrote, “Especially in this season, I look forward to helping build a Guernica that’s alive with the messy and electric charge that is our shared humanity; a publication courageous enough to see our full complexity and offer a lighthouse illuminating our highest possibilities.”

In her first interview since the firestorm, Moore told Semafor’s Ben Smith in an interview published Monday that Chen’s essay had undergone the same editorial process as other pieces Guernica published during her tenure and rejected Archer’s suggestion that she had overridden his objections to publish it.

Moore said she found Archer’s portrayal of the essay as focusing on “personal angst” to be “dismissive.” She said she thought Chen had presented an important perspective, even though she said that in retrospect and given the feedback she had received, she might have edited it differently.

“I understood it to be asking an important question. I understood it not to necessarily find a particularly great answer,” Moore said about Chen’s essay, which has since been republished by Washington Monthly . “The sort of baseline question I understood it to be asking is: How can you operate from a position of empathy in such a moment? One of my takeaways from the piece was [that] it’s very difficult and it might not be possible.”

Smith asked Moore, who has reported from conflict zones around the world and lived extensively in East Africa, whether she saw what is happening in Gaza as “such an out-of-scale crazy set of atrocities by the Israelis” that it should not be subject to normal rules of debate and discourse. “I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that question,” she answered.

Smith also asked whether she thought the firestorm over Chen’s essay was “driven by antisemitism.” Critics of the decision to retract it said the episode was further evidence of antisemitic discourse in progressive and literary spaces .

Moore’s answer: “I’m not going to speculate about what’s inside people’s heads.”

She said she thought it was Guernica, and not Chen’s essay, that marked a departure from the 15-year-old literary magazine’s values.

“It’s not uncommon for smart people to disagree about how they interpret a piece. And I think that … in publishing, that’s a virtue and not a threat,” Moore said. “I don’t really know how to do a publication in a different way, which is one reason I knew I didn’t belong there anymore.”

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Corals are bleaching in every corner of the ocean, threatening its web of life

It’s possible the overall percentage of reefs experiencing heat stress may soon pass a record.

First around Fiji, then the Florida Keys, then Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and now in the Indian Ocean. In the past year, anomalous ocean temperatures have left a trail of devastation for the world’s corals, bleaching entire reefs and threatening widespread coral mortality — and now, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and International Coral Reef Initiative say the world is experiencing its fourth global bleaching event, the second in the last decade.

At least 53 countries and local regions have experienced mass bleaching across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Bleaching — which occurs when stressed coral turn white after expelling symbiotic algae that provide food and color — must be confirmed within each ocean basin to be declared a global bleaching event.

Derek Manzello, an ecologist and head of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program, said the frequency and severity of bleaching events has increased since the early 1980s. That intensity and regularity has also ramped up in the last two decades.

“Now we’re just reaching a point in this warming cycle where these events are becoming so extreme and they’re just getting worse and worse and worse,” Manzello said.

According to the Global Bleaching Event Index, which is based on sea surface temperatures data, more than 54 percent of all the reef areas on the planet have experienced bleaching-level heat stress in the past 365 days. And that number is increasing by 1 percent each week, Manzello said. For context, during the worst global coral bleaching event on record between 2014 and 2017, the Global Bleaching Event Index peaked at 56 percent.

“Right now, we’re almost equal with the worst global bleaching event on record in terms of spatial extent,” Manzello said. It’s possible the overall percentage of reefs experiencing heat stress will surpass the previous record in the next few weeks.

“This should be a global wake-up call. The fact that corals are bleaching in each ocean basin essentially simultaneously,” Manzello said. “And more than half the reefs on the planet have basically experienced bleaching-level heat stress in the last year.”

A bleached coral doesn’t mean the coral is dead, but that the coral is starting to starve. If conditions return to more comfortable, favorable conditions, corals can recover. But corals, like any other species, can only survive such circumstances for so long before they die.

Many corals experienced blistering temperatures for prolonged periods of time, as temperatures spiked earlier and lingered longer. The Atlantic Ocean appears to be experiencing the brunt of the heat stress, Manzello said.

“Heat stress has been very consistent across huge areas, in terms of this huge blanket of very, very hot water in the Atlantic Ocean,” Manzello said.

Scientists worldwide had been bracing for unprecedented ocean temperatures since marine heat waves sent temperatures soaring into triple digits in shallow waters off Florida’s coast, leaving coral restoration groups scrambling to evacuate corals from the ocean.

Corals in the Florida Keys endured the hottest ocean temperatures on record, and the longest-lasting marine heat wave recorded in three decades during the summer of 2023.

For coral experts in the Florida Keys, into the Caribbean and down to the Great Barrier Reef, the sentiment was the same last summer when looking at the havoc wrought by warm water temperatures.

The harrowing sights bewildered even the most seasoned experts at the Coral Restoration Foundation, a nonprofit coral restoration group in the Florida Keys.

“This has been the most challenging year of my professional life, it’s just too much to handle,” Phanor Montoya-Maya, a restoration program manager at CRF, told The Washington Post in October, describing the year of bleaching off Florida. Montoya-Maya had lost a lot of corals due to various events throughout his 20 years in coral research. But, no event was as severe as this.

Beyond Florida’s shores, bleaching also gripped islands in the Caribbean.

“The bleaching was more devastating this year. It was really every coral on the reef that was bleached,” said Francesca Virdis, a chief operating officer at Reef Renewal Bonaire. The nonprofit organization operates on the island of Bonaire, an overseas territory of the Netherlands off the coast of Venezuela. “There were no species that were spared.”

Even corals that had a history of being more resilient against higher temperatures bleached, she said.

“As predicted, the situation is getting critical globally,” Virdis said. “It’s hard to find a silver lining or a positive note with everything happening.”

Scientists hope that with the projected transition from El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, to La Niña, characterized by cooler surface waters, there will be some relief to the corals. But it’s not clear how temperatures will respond in the Atlantic Ocean where temperatures have been the harshest.

“We may be getting to a place where temperatures are so high that large-scale mass bleaching events are occurring during any phase of ENSO, including La Niña,” Manzello said.

More on climate change

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What can be done? The Post is tracking a variety of climate solutions , as well as the Biden administration’s actions on environmental issues . It can feel overwhelming facing the impacts of climate change, but there are ways to cope with climate anxiety .

Inventive solutions: Some people have built off-the-grid homes from trash to stand up to a changing climate. As seas rise, others are exploring how to harness marine energy .

What about your role in climate change? Our climate coach Michael J. Coren is answering questions about environmental choices in our everyday lives. Submit yours here. You can also sign up for our Climate Coach newsletter .

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Flashback: Your Weekly History Quiz, April 20, 2024

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Flashback: Your Weekly History Quiz

April 20, 2024, can you place 8 notable events in chronological order, from the upshot: what the data says, analysis that explains politics, policy and everyday life..

Employment Discrimination: Researchers sent 80,000 fake résumés to some of the largest companies in the United States. They found that some discriminated against Black applicants much more than others .

Pandemic School Closures: ​A variety of data about children’s academic outcomes and about the spread of Covid-19 has accumulated since the start of the pandemic. Here is what we learned from it .

Affirmative Action: The Supreme Court effectively ended race-based preferences in admissions. But will selective schools still be able to achieve diverse student bodies? Here is how they might try .

N.Y.C. Neighborhoods: We asked New Yorkers to map their neighborhoods and to tell us what they call them . The result, while imperfect, is an extremely detailed map of the city .

Dialect Quiz:  What does the way you speak say about where you’re from? Answer these questions to find out .

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Dive into the battle-royale-inspired Plunderstorm event now to double the reputation earned (including the winner's bonus) from all sources of Plunder during the Plundersurge! This booty ful opportunity lasts until Plunderstorm ends on April 30, helping scallywags catch up on rewards.

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Plunge into a challenging battle that earns excellent rewards for World of Warcraft® Modern and Classic progression realms. All you have to do is survive…and plunder. Can't seem to stay in the realm of the living? No problem. Plunderers still gain progression that helps unlock new rewards.

Each match is 10-15 minutes long and has 60 players per match, with the winner being the last one standing. Level up and acquire new abilities and spells by killing creatures and enemies, looting chests, and avoiding the encroaching storm.

A Pirate's Life for You

The Arathi Highlands is the backdrop for this pirating adventure, and you'll have plenty of challenges to keep you busy.

Prepare to Plunder

Plunderstorm is perfect for pick-up and play! No expansion purchase is required, but a World of Warcraft Subscription or Game Time is needed to participate in a high-stakes, play-by-the-seat-your-pants match. This means that Classic players can also participate in a plethora of plundering fun by simply installing the modern (Live) World of Warcraft client:

• Launch the Battle.net desktop app.
• Click the World of Warcraft icon at the top. If the icon is missing, click on  All Games  and select the game from the list.
• On top of the Install button is a drop-down menu. Confirm that you wish to install World of Warcraft .
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Once you’re in modern WoW:

• Select Plunderstorm 2 from the World of Warcraft game menu to get into the action.
• Create a new, ready-to-play character—player characters are unique to this event. You don't need previous knowledge of races and classes to chart your course for mayhem.
• Choose between Solo or—to play with your Battle.net friends—make a group from the Plunderstorm character screen and select Duo . If queued for a Duo without a partner, you'll be automatically matched with one. You can also access chat, customize characters, and see the queue from the Character Select Screen.

Action Bar and Abilities, Worthy Mates

Discover lootable spells, abilities, and upgrades as you plunder treasure chests and defeat enemies. Upon picking up, spells and abilities are automatically added to your Action Bar, with two slots dedicated to offensive skills and two for utilities such as leaps, speed boosts, and crowd-control.

Some abilities are more action-based and require good positioning and player targeting. Have fun discovering and experimenting with different combinations to find what works for you.

Upgrades to Your Spells and Abilities

Your spells and abilities can be upgraded by discovering higher-quality versions from treasure chests or finding the same ability elsewhere and stacking it to Rank 3 (epic). There are also plenty of plundering opportunities—various treasure chests with different rarities that harbor all types of abilities are stashed around the map. Always stay on the lookout for better loot and upgrades.

Spectating Spectre

Upon death, keep watching the match from the perspective of your teammates (if they're still alive) or other players, including their loadout.

Rewards A-Plenty for Plundering Pirates

Players can earn cosmetics, pets, titles, and mounts as they progress through the reward track. These include the majestic Polly Roger parrot mount , Bubbles the crab pet , swashbuckling cosmetics, 750 Trader's Tender from "Keg Leg's Crew" for use on the Trading Post, and more. 3 A victory is not required to claim the spoils of a well-fought fight.

To view Renown and apply the Plunderstorm weapon and transmog customizations, change titles, or summon pets, swabbies can click on Da'kash Grimledger standing directly in front of the spawn point in the Plunderstorm lobby.

Customization unlocks are simultaneously unlocked for Dragonflight characters and can be found in your Collection. Each Renown level unlock is noted in colored text under the reward name, whether the reward is for Dragonflight, Plunderstorm, or Classic.

Plunderstorm Content Update Notes

Learn more details about Plunderstorm in our update notes .

We look forward to seeing you drop from the skies to engage in pirate-themed mayhem. We'll see you in Azeroth and wherever the adventure takes you!

1 Requires World of Warcraft®  Subscription or Game Time. 2 Plunderstorm is accessed from the World of Warcraft® game menu but exists outside of player progression in World of Warcraft® and Wrath of the Lich King Classic™. 3 Plunderstorm offers rewards for both World of Warcraft® and Wrath of the Lich King Classic™.

Most student loan borrowers have delayed major life events due to debt, recent poll says

Student loan debt has caused most borrowers to put off major life events such as buying a home or getting married, a recent study found.

According to the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2024 State of Higher Education study, which was released Wednesday, 71% of all currently enrolled college students or previously enrolled students who stopped out of their program before completing it say they have delayed at least one major life event because of their student loans.

The study found that among previously enrolled students, 35% say their loans have kept them from re-enrolling in a postsecondary program and finishing their degree.

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Graphic explainer: How are college costs adding up these days and how much has tuition risen?

Purchasing a home tops list of delayed events

Purchasing a home is the most commonly delayed event, named by 29% of borrowers, while buying a car, moving out of their parents' home and starting their own business followed closely behind. Fifteen percent of those borrowers also report they have delayed having children because of student loans and another 13% have delayed getting married, the study found.

Demographics of those delaying life events

According to the study, male borrowers are slightly more likely than female borrowers (76% vs. 64%, respectively) to report they have delayed a major life event due to loans.

Delay rates are also slightly higher for 26- to 35-year-old borrowers (77%), "likely because they have entered a life stage in which these events are more relevant than for younger borrowers and because they generally have higher amounts of student loans than their older peers," the study found.

The amount of student loan debt is also a factor in the delaying of major life events. The study found that "borrowers with higher amounts of student loan debt are far more likely than those borrowing lesser amounts to say they have delayed purchasing a home, buying a car, moving out of their parents' home or another major life event."

More than nine in 10 of those who have borrowed at least $60,000 in student loans say they have delayed one or more major life event, according to the study.

However, even relatively modest student loan amounts were found to have an impact, as 63% of those who have borrowed less than $10,000 say they have delayed major live events.

How the study was conducted

The study was conducted from Oct. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023, via a web survey with over 14,000 current and prospective college students. Included among those were over 6,000 students enrolled in a post-high school education program, over 5,000 adults not currently enrolled with some college but no degree, and over 3,000 adults who had never been enrolled in a postsecondary school or program.

Student loan relief: Biden announced $7.4 billion in student loan relief. Here's how that looks in your state

President Biden announced $7.4 billion in student loan relief last week

President Joe Biden announced another batch of student loan forgiveness last Friday for 277,000 borrowers. The canceled debt adds up to $7.4 billion. 

Most of those borrowers signed up for the president’s  signature income-driven repayment plan  – Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE. Through SAVE, people who originally borrowed a small amount ($12,000 or less) and have been paying it off for at least a decade are eligible for relief. 

Others affected are 65,700 borrowers participating through other income-driven plans who  should have qualified for relief but did not  because their loan servicers wrongfully put them into forbearance. Fixes to those plans account for nearly half of the loans forgiven in the announcement Friday.

The final bucket includes a few thousand borrowers  participating in Public Service Loan Forgiveness , which relieves the loans for people working in government jobs or positions that give back to the community. Biden has been working to fix various administrative problems that have long plagued the program, and the discharges announced Friday are the result of one such adjustment.  

The latest batch of student loan debt relief brings the total amount forgiven under Biden to $153 billion. In all, the administration says nearly 4.3 million Americans have had their student loans relieved thanks to its actions. That works out to about 1 in 10 federal borrowers who’ve been approved for relief.  

Contributing: Alia Wong & Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Most student loan borrowers have delayed major life events due to debt, recent poll says