The best essays are written when the writer reflects on a specific experience. This realization doesn't need to be a huge epiphany - it could have been years later. For example, Michael's realization of surfing happens 10 years after he first hit the waves writing essays for money. Anita's realization occurs when she reads poetry two years later and realizes that these writers were engaged with the same experience . As such, the best essays are written by students who have taken the time to reflect on their personal experiences and why they matter.