Choosing what to write about in your college application essay can feel overwhelming. Where do you even start? Sometimes, you might ask yourself, “With so many choices, what’s the best one?” Then, a moment later, you might think, “I’m totally stuck!”

Here are some exercises to help you brainstorm ideas for your college essay and figure out what topics really matter to you. By taking a moment to reflect, you can get a better sense of what parts of your life are most important.

Determining a College Essay Topic — Strategy #1: Daily Journaling

Daily writing can help you become more aware of your thoughts and keep track of your ideas. Over time, you’ll notice patterns in your thinking that you might want to explore further. To start journaling daily, spend at least five minutes each day answering these questions:

• How do you feel today?
• What made you happy, proud, or excited today?
• What would you have done differently today?
• Who did you spend time with today? In what situations?
• What new thing did you learn today?

Strategy #2: Free-Writing

Journaling isn’t for everyone. If you struggle to keep up with a journaling routine, free-writing might help you reflect and generate ideas for a college essay. Instead of—or in addition to—writing every day, set aside a few minutes each week to think about and answer the questions below. Give yourself at least an hour to jot down everything that comes to mind, without worrying about how your sentences sound, their grammar, or if you’re making sense.

Here are three sets of broad prompts that you might find helpful. Remember, these activities are meant to spark your creativity and bring up potential topics. It’s important to note that the first set of questions asks you to think about your past experiences and how they’ve shaped your current beliefs and perspectives.

• Describe the challenges you have faced throughout your life.
• Recall your favorite and least favorite memories.
• Identify your biggest role model, past or present.
• Share your childhood aspirations and how they have evolved over time.
• Discuss a recent talent you have developed, whether personal or professional.
• Explain what factors have contributed to your accomplishments in life.
• Write a letter to a childhood friend.
• Reflect on your favorite childhood activity and how you enjoyed it.
• State your proudest achievement.
• Describe the person who has had the greatest impact on your life and how your relationship has evolved.

In this next batch of questions, you’ll get to think more about yourself right now. These questions help you explore your current interests, likes, thoughts, and qualities. They’re a good way to start thinking about who you are today and how you’ve changed over time.

• If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you ask them?
• How do you think someone else would describe you?
• If you had five minutes to speak to the entire world, what would you say?
• What’s an activity you could do for hours and still be interested in?
• How do you handle conflicts?
• What do you think are the most important qualities you bring to the world?
• If you could teach a class on any subject, what would it be?
• What are you most grateful for in your life?
• What do you consider the most important quality in a friend?
• What artists, types of music, and people who influence you are your favorites?

Moving on to the third set of questions. These ask you to think about the future. They’re meant to help you consider what you want college to do for you and how you plan to grow during your time there.

• Where do you think you’ll be in five years? How about in ten years?
• What’s the biggest thing stopping you right now, and how do you plan to deal with it?
• If you could pick anything, what would you want to be or do?
• When you’re chatting with your grandkids about your life, what stories do you want to share?
• If you scored big in the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d do?

Strategy #3: Investigating Your Environment and Surroundings

Besides writing in a journal, simply exploring your home and its surroundings can inspire you to write a meaningful essay.

Try this simple exercise: Take a walk around your home, and look for old documents or items in different areas, like your childhood bedroom or the garage. What memories do these items bring back, and why are they important to you?

Things in our immediate surroundings often bring back memories of past experiences and spark creativity. For example, finding a box of old crayons might remind you of your love for drawing as a child, the times you spent doodling in the kitchen with your grandmother, or how you enjoyed making personalized cards for friends and family during the holidays.

Strategy #4: Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness can help you come up with essay ideas.

If you’re new to meditation or unsure what mindfulness is, here’s a simple way to start: Take short breaks from your devices each day and give yourself time to think. Maybe sit quietly for five minutes or take a ten-minute walk without any distractions.

During these breaks, pay attention to your thoughts. For example, when you’re walking, notice what catches your eye and what thoughts come to mind. Think about what interests you and what that says about you.

Our everyday experiences can teach us a lot about ourselves and our values. Take a moment to notice the thoughts you have. You might notice some interesting patterns.

Final Thoughts

Brainstorming for essays can be different for everyone. Some strategies work better for some people than others. So, when you’re trying to come up with ideas or get inspired, give these activities a shot! They’ll help get your creative juices flowing and might take you in new directions you hadn’t thought of before.