INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most personal narratives use a first person narrator, the “I.” Using the first person will make it easier for you to write the essay from your perspective and your personal experiences. Tell the personal narrative in your voice using “I” so the reader gets a sense of your point of view. You may need to use a mixture of tenses throughout the narrative. For instance, the answer to the prompt or the narrative you discuss may be written in the present tense, while an anecdote or narration of a story may be written in the past tense, as it has already happened. Even though your essay is personal, it should still have a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should appear after the hook in the final sentence of the introduction (though there may be sentences between the hook and the thesis).  The thesis statement in a narrative essay can explore the events of the story in a brief way. Or it can tell the reader about the moral or lesson learned through the personal experience. You can also present the main theme in the essay in the thesis statement. For example, if you are writing an essay about your personal experience as a refugee, you may have a thesis statement that presents the theme of freedom. You may write, “My journey is just one of many. We all came to a new country carrying nothing more than hope and memories of the past.” Your personal essay should include a body section where you present supporting evidence for your thesis statement. The supporting evidence can be in the form of commentary that address the prompt as well as in the events of the story you are telling. Do this chronologically so it is easy for the reader to follow. Or use terms to frame time, such as “now,” “later,” or “then” if you decide to jump around in time when telling the story. For example, you may have three supporting body paragraphs where you tell your personal narrative based on the theme of your essay. You may start with your experience of “freedom” in your home country in the first paragraph, followed by your experience of the same theme in your new country in the second paragraph. Most personal narratives end with a moral or lesson stated in the concluding paragraph. This paragraph should include a reflection on how the personal experience shifted or changed you in the present. Consider why the personal event is significant and meaningful to you. For example, you may end the essay by stating the lesson or moral you learned from the personal experience. Or you may note how the experience has positively affected your life now.

SUMMARY: Use the first person voice. Have a thesis statement. Include supporting body paragraphs. End with the moral of the narrative.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Some people say "you are what you eat." Even more so, you are what you think. Positive thinking has the power to transform a mundane or even unpleasant experience into a wonderful one. Thinking positively will give you the foundation for a happier life, regardless of what happens to you.  If you catch yourself having a negative thought, take a step back, identify the thought, and label it as a "negative" thought. Learning to isolate negative thoughts will help you put your worries and insecurities to rest.  Begin a regular meditation practice. Meditation is the practice of developing mindful awareness. Meditation not only trains you to silence negative thoughts, it helps you calm all thoughts, good or bad, so that you can learn to enjoy the present moment. Remember that other peoples' energy will rub off on you, especially if you spend a great deal of time with them. Make a point to spend time with friends and loved ones who make you feel better, not worse.  Before distancing yourself from friends or family members who you consider to be "toxic," try to be a positive influence in their attitudes rather than succumbing to their negativity. Terminate any physically or emotionally abusive relationships immediately. No matter how forgiving a person you may be, there is no excuse for violence and abuse. Many of us define ourselves in terms of what we want to do or what we want to own. In other words, we define ourselves in terms of what we don't have. This in essence suggests that we are somehow incomplete. Take some time to be thankful for the things you do have, whether they are physical objects or not, on a daily basis.  Remember positive memories. While it seems impossible to forget embarrassing or sad memories, many of us overlook all of the great memories that have taken place in our lives. Think of the best day(s) you have had in the past month or year. Remember special parties, vacations, and holidays. Appreciate the wonderful people you have in your life. If you are depressed because you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, dwelling on this missing element will only make you more unhappy. Take some time to appreciate all the great friends and family members you have in your life.

SUMMARY: Learn to silence negative thoughts. Surround yourself with positive people. Be thankful.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: About a week after you plant the carrots, you can gently rake soil so that weeds do not grow. This will disrupt any weeds that may have already taken root. Be very gentle as you do this, and rake perpendicular to your rows. This will not disturb the carrot seeds.

SUMMARY: Rake the soil.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Try to pick a variation of your own name, like your first initial and your last name ("jsmith" for John Smith) or your first and last name joined with an underscore (john_smith). You can also try eliminating the vowels (JHNSMTH) or replacing them with V's (jvhnsmvth).  Use your nickname, or pair your name with a passion or hobby. If you love to bake and plan to post lot's of food pictures, something like "SmithBaker" will work. Choose a name that rhymes or uses alliteration so it sticks in people's minds. Avoid overly cutesy or childish names, like "unicorn_xoxoxo". Try to describe yourself or your account in just a few words. List a few things that are important to you. For example: "Coffee/Photography/My Dog Charlie" or "Explorer, Dreamer, and Writer." Add a link if you have a blog, Twitter, Tumblr, or other website you want people to check out.  Many Instagram hipsters identify their city or country in their bio: "Ceramic artist based in Austin, TX." You may simply wish to state where you're from and nothing more. Try to think of a quote that inspires you or sums up your personality. It can be funny or insightful. Think about a line from a movie, book, or song that you relate to, or post a silly pun. Choose either a portrait-style picture or one that shows you in your element or a beautiful location. If you have a photo of yourself standing in front of a lake in the mountains, that's the one you want to use. Desaturate the picture to give it a vintage feel.  If you're a girl, style yourself wearing a beanie or a floppy hat. Wear your regular glasses or sunglasses (bonus if the frames are round). You want your hair to be loose and wavy if possible, or opt for a popular top-knot and forget the hats. Makes sure your makeup is on point — consider a bold lip color. If you're a guy, you may want to rock the beanie look as well. Glasses and a beard are a must. Wear a flannel or a vintage t-shirt.

SUMMARY:
Choose a username. Write a bio. Choose your profile picture.