Picking an essay topic is overwhelming. With 17 or 18 years of stories, how can a student narrow it down to just one? One fun way is for the student to imagine their life like a movie. What scenes stand out? And what personal qualities and values are expressed through those scenes? Once they jot down a rough draft of a few short scenes, they can have someone else read them and tell them which they find most compelling. And that's their topic.