To better train students on how to present their personal opinions on subjective matters, teachers will assign what is known as an “I Believe” or “This I Believe” essay writing assignment.
Designed to provide the reader with insight into the writer’s character, these essays are typically written in first-person point of view. The writer shares their beliefs on a particular topic – ranging from religion and politics to more personal subjects such as love and happiness – and offers supporting arguments for why they hold these beliefs.
The Challenges of Writing “I Believe” Essays
This type of essay prompt is a welcome break from more detail-oriented or researched-based writing assignments for many students. However, “I believe” essay writing assignments aren’t always easy.
It can be challenging for students to articulate their beliefs in a clear and concise way that isn’t argumentative or offensive to the reader. Students may also struggle to explain their reasoning behind these beliefs in a thorough and not overly simplistic way.
Despite these challenges, “I believe” essays can be an excellent opportunity for students to share their thoughts and feelings on important topics and learn more about themselves in the process.
Tips for Writing “I Believe” Essays
If you’re given an “I believe” essay assignment, here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Start by defining what it is that you believe. This may seem like a simple task, but it can be challenging to identify your core beliefs. If you’re struggling, start by jotting down a list of topics that are important to you – from politics and religion to family and friendship.
- Reflect on why each topic is important to you. Think about the reasoning behind your choices and how these reasons evolved over time. After all, your core beliefs are likely to have changed or grown since you reached adolescence.
- Determine which of your beliefs are the most important. Focusing on developing thought processes that support your beliefs. For extra help, consider sharing these thoughts with a trusted friend or family member for advice.
By reflecting upon your core beliefs and developing clear arguments to support them, you can craft a powerful “I believe” essay that will truly reflect your thoughts and feelings.
How to Write an “I Believe” Essay
To craft a well-written “I Believe” essay, students must forgo the typical essay structure of introduction, body, and conclusion.
Instead, the essay should be organized around a series of specific beliefs that the writer wishes to share. Each thought should be introduced with a clear thesis statement, followed by supporting arguments and examples.
The conclusion of the essay should wrap up the main points that have been made and leave the reader with a final thought to ponder.
Here is an example of how an “I Believe” essay might be structured:
Thesis: I believe that everyone has the right to love and be loved.
Argument: Everyone deserves to find love and experience happiness in their lives. This should not be limited by race, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other factor.
Example: I saw a video of a man proposing to his girlfriend at Fenway Park. She said yes and the crowd went wild! Now that is love. If they can find it, then so can we all!
Conclusion: Society should not stand in the way of love. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and we should all embrace it.
As you can see, the “I Believe” essay structure allows for a great deal of flexibility. Students can choose to focus on a variety of topics and can organize their essays in different ways. An “I Believe” essay can be an excellent opportunity for students to present their thoughts on important issues under a few simple guidelines. With a bit of planning and organization, this type of essay writing assignment can be a breeze!
What You Shouldn’t Do When Writing an “I Believe” Essay
To ensure that you are writing an “I Believe” essay and not another form of an argumentative or persuasive essay, avoid doing the following:
- Don’t provide evidence or use statistics to support your position – this is not an essay that calls for research.
- Don’t attack or criticize the beliefs of others – your goal is to share your own opinions, not to tear down those of others.
- Don’t go off on tangents – stay focused on the main points you want to make.
- Don’t speak objectively or in the third person – for example, don’t say “people believe that” or “studies show.”
- Don’t use filler words and phrases such as “I think,” “I feel,” and “it seems like.”
50 I Believe Essay Topics
Use any of these 50 “I Believe” essay topics to help you brainstorm ideas for your essay!
I Believe Essay Topics About Life
- I believe that life is too short to spend time with people who bring you down.
- I believe that laughter is the best medicine
- I believe that we should make time for quiet reflection every day.
- I believe that the only thing that matters in life is love.
- I believe that we are all capable of change.
- I believe that it is never too late to learn and grow.
- I believe in the power of positive thinking.
- I believe that we should always be kind, even when it is difficult.
- I believe that there is no such thing as a coincidence.
- I believe in the saying “what goes around, comes around.”
- I believe that we are all responsible for our own happiness.
- I believe that the best things in life are free.
- I believe that it is essential to be grateful for what we have.
- I believe that it is never too late to achieve our dreams.
- I believe that we should surround ourselves with people who make us better.
- I believe that you can either love or hate something; there is no in-between.
I Believe Essay Topics About Education & School
- I believe that education is the key to a bright future
- I believe that children are our future and should be treasured as such.
- I believe that there is no such thing as a dumb question.
- I believe that schools should do more to celebrate diversity.
- I believe that homework is essential, but it should not be excessive.
- I believe in the importance of having a strong support system while attending school.
- I believe that standardized tests are not an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge.
- I believe that it is vital to find a balance between work and play while in school.
- I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn how to swim.
- I believe in the importance of recess and physical activity in students’ lives.
- I believe that there is no such thing as a bad grade.
- I believe that teachers deserve more respect and better pay.
- I believe that it is never too early to learn a foreign language.
- I believe that education should be free for everyone.
I Believe Essay Topics About Friends & Family
- I believe that family is the most important thing in life.
- I believe that friends are the family we choose for ourselves.
- I believe that it is essential to maintain close relationships with friends and family.
- I believe that there is no substitute for quality time spent with loved ones.
- I believe that family is not defined by blood but by love and commitment.
- I believe that we should spend more time with the people we care about and less time worrying about material things.
- I believe that it is better to have a few close friends than many superficial ones.
- I believe that it is healthy for friends to grow apart.
- I believe that competition between friends is healthy.
I Believe Essay Topics About Money
- I believe that money cannot buy happiness.
- I believe that it is essential to be happy with what you have, not what you want.
- I believe that people are more important than things.
- I believe that it is okay to splurge on something even if it means going into debt.
- I believe that it is better to give than to receive.
- I believe that money can’t buy everything.
- I believe that the love of money is the root of all evil.
- I believe in saving for a rainy day.
- I believe in investing in oneself.
- I believe in the saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees.”
- I believe that rich people should be forced to pay more taxes.
These 50 I Believe essay topics are sure to inspire your own original beliefs and help you create a powerful and unique essay. When writing your I Believe essay, be sure to focus on the beliefs that are most important to you and that you feel passionate about discussing. The best I Believe essays are the ones that are personal and reflective, so don’t be afraid to share your own thoughts and experiences.
