It is important that students pursue experiences outside of school. Work, volunteer and club activities give us valuable experiences. This helps us understand the actions of people around us. It also helps us write better – essays at high school in Canada are often about human behavior. 

International students typically focus on the study part and neglect the experience part. As a result, I often hear them say “I have no idea” about how to start an essay on human experience. What can they do? Unfortunately, they are unable to work legally here in Canada. They may volunteer and join clubs. There is another great way to gain experience: read stories. 

Stories introduce us to the experiences of others. We learn how characters get into trouble, and how they may get out of it again. What behavior gets us in trouble? What characteristic is responsible for that behavior? Can we control this characteristic? Storytellers show us this, and more. 

Take this example from a final exam in Canada: analyze how characters [in a story] find their place within their local, regional, national, or global communities. This is difficult to write unless you know your place in the community. To do this, it helps to read stories about others struggling to find their place. 

To be successful in Canadian schools, you need to do more than study. Be prepared by reading stories.

If you are interested in learning how to write an essay in English, give me a shout!