Random Autobiography Instructions

Begin by making some lists:

• Make a list of the towns and states you have visited or lived in. Put a note about what you saw or did there.
• List animals you’ve touched or petted. When? Where? What did it feel like?
• List the historic events you have witnessed. These can be neighborhood, city, state, national or international.
• List things you’ve lost.
• List some odd things you have experienced.
• List places you have shopped and things you have bought.
• List memorable things you have seen happen in your classroom, or with particular students.
• List a few favorites, whatever comes to mind.
• List places that are special to you and a few details about each.

Complete the following sentence starts:

• I was expected to
• I’ve held
• I lost
• I tell you sincerely
• Once
• Twice
• I bought
• I love
• I‘ve been scared
• I’ve seen
• I’m
• I learned
• I’ve heard
• I’ve had some
• I witnessed
• I will testify
• I have stories
• I found

Remember… if you don’t apply for scholarships, you won’t get them. Your college has resources to help you perfect your essays. At Lane Community College students can visit the Scholarship office for help with essays. There are experienced people to help you. If you can’t make it to campus, there are also websites like Scholarship Junkies that can help with essays online. Chances are, you have a story to tell that will inspire someone.

If you need inspiration, read the student examples below.

Random Autobiography
By Quinn B.

I was the expected guest
I’ve held the trust and compassion of many
I lost the negativity in my heart
I tell you sincerely, I am not as I was
Once I have loved
Twice I have traveled
I bought affection and admiration
I love to offer all that I have
I’ve been scared to find myself among others who have lost
I’ve seen happiness in the faces of man
I am eager to further live out my life through exploration and discovery
I learned to never take for granted the compassion of others
I’ve heard songs that tell stories
I’ve had some time to ponder
I once took a ride from a mysterious man
And only one person believes themselves to be the lesser of the two evils
I have been drowned in desperation and resuscitated by a profound acceptance
I witnessed art in a foreign city
I will testify to the beauty of my home
I have stories to tell strangers who will become my friends
I found myself in Damascus

Random Autobiography
By Brady H.

I was expected to drop-out
I’ve held myself to a higher standard
I lost respect from my family
I tell you sincerely that I’m serious about changing my life
Once I’ve been criticized
Twice I’ve been shaped into the man I am now
I bought things that further my passions
I love striving for greatness
I’ve been scared of failure
I’ve seen said failure first hand
I’m not giving up
I learned this isn’t easy
I’ve heard it’s impossible
I’ve had set backs in my life
I once thought about giving up
And only one person can truly hold me accountable, that’s me
I have been upset with some choices I’ve made
I witnessed that with a little time you can work your way back from anything
I will testify that you can literally do anything as long as you believe whole heartedly that you can
I have stories about times that I’ve had no hope
I found hope in the midst of those stories

Random Autobiography
By Crysta R.

My teachers in the K-12 system expected me to fail.
I’ve held all 3 of my friends’ kids when they were born.
I lost all of my teeth except for the top canine tooth, my friends called me a vampire.
I tell you sincerely that even though I look mad all the time I’m not.
Once I hated reading.
Twice I bought books on learning Korean.
I love K-pop.
I’ve always been afraid of the dark.
I’ve seen discrimination towards my mom .
I’m shy
I self taught myself some Korean, Japanese and Chinese.
I’ve heard 4 languages in my house at one time.
I’ve had to get a restraining order on my dad on my 15th birthday.
I almost died more than once.
And only one time have I been late on returning a movie.
I have always loved photography, it started because I didn’t want my picture taken.
I witnessed first hand what drugs and alcohol do to a family.
I will testify that have stories only my friends know.
I found that there more to life than staying stuck.

Random Autobiography
By Kelly G.

I’ve held microphones, one job for 20 years and a friends hand while she had an abortion
I tell you sincerely how I feel if you really want to know
I’ve lost friends to car wrecks, alcoholism, drug abuse and sometimes all of the above
Once you make it into my inner circle, you’re there for life
I have played music in front of hundreds of people at one time
I found a friend of mine passed out in a bush on the side of the road while I was driving home one night, I recognized him by his butt
I have witnessed domestic violence, frat boy riots (yes, more than one) and a homeless man
wearing pink, leopard print spandex head to toe and a feather boa smoking crack in the street and then dancing to Prince

Random Autobiography
By Asher L.

I’ve been scared
I’ve been scared, scarred, and torn down to my basic parts
But I am re-building myself
No longer spaz, tweak, or the class clown
No longer running from my problems, because I can’t run from the things inside
No longer am I escaping reality through drugs or anger
I’m doing what’s best for me
And honoring my friends lost lives
I will not let myself be defined by my past choices
But instead by my aspirations
The scars on my back are no longer referred to as such
They are my stripes
My tiger stripes, each one from a battle won
In school, my abuse was of a different kind
It came from me
I listened to all the teachers, who told me to sit down
To be quite
To pay attention
After years, it wore me down
Like the mighty mountain
Eroding away under the torrent of abuse
Falling like rain
I lived this self-destructive life for years
Preferring an intact family with no bed
Or roof over our heads
To the dysfunctional one
Connected only by blood, and tears shed
But I was given a chance that not many others could receive
Now I have a new family
One I chose myself
That I earned
The same ones who support me
And helped me understand college isn’t something to dream about
Fantasize about
And put on the highest shelf by myself
Like a parent hiding a cookie jar from a toddler’s grubby hands
No
I can do this
Because I AM scared
But I’m NOT scarred

Licenses and Attributions

Student work on this page used with permission.