1. Woodrow Wilson reportedly said, “Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together.” Do you agree? Write your response, telling about a time that friendship pulled you through a tough situation.

2. Write what life might be like if you were to live with either a physical or mental disability. Reflect upon how you would cope with the realities of everyday life, educate others about your disability, and/or use your sense of humor to help others learn to accept your disability and treat you with dignity.

3. Write about a time when you felt as though you were being picked on or ridiculed for something over which you had little control. How were you treated? Did you try to convince others of your needs or feelings? How? What means did you employ (use) to try to persuade people that you were being unjustly victimized? What was the outcome?

4. Write about the characteristics of a good friend vs. a bad friend
Write about the characteristics of a good friend vs. a bad friend. What would be the ideal characteristics of a good friend, specifically, how would (s)he act, defend you, lead, follow, etc.? What warning signs might one look out for in a bad friend with respect to these characteristics?

5. Write about a time when you witnessed another person or an animal being placed in a dangerous situation beyond which (s)he had no control. Did you intervene and try to help? What did you do? What would you do differently next time in order to be more effective in your effort to make the situation better? Would you ever consider placing yourself in jeopardy to help another? Under what circumstances?

6. People often say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover
People often say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” What does this saying mean? Write about a time when you were judged or when you judged someone based on their outward appearance. How did your first impression of this person change after you got to know him/her? If you were the one who was misjudged, how did it make you feel? What did you do to try to change their feelings about you?

7. clique
: a small group of people who spend time together and who are not friendly to other people
gang
: group: as (1) : a group of persons working together (2) : a group of persons working to unlawful or antisocial ends; especially : a band of antisocial adolescents
Write three adjectives that describe a “clique,” then three adjectives that describe a “gang.” What do the two groups have in common? How are they different? How do you feel about their place in schools? Write an explanatory essay.

8. Write what it might be like to be a member of a gang or clique
Write what it might be like to be a member of a gang or clique. How would you manage to maintain your own individual thoughts and act in accordance with your own convictions, with all the pressure from the other members? Would you follow the crowd and its persuasion, even when you didn’t completely agree with the actions or leanings of the group? Could you be swayed to go against your own principles? Would you feel any internal conflict, and how would you manage to block out your own true feelings so that you wouldn’t look like an outsider?

9. Sometimes the course of our lives can be changed instantaneously
Sometimes the course of our lives can be changed instantaneously. Whether it is an unexpected challenge, loss of a loved one, or a devastating failure, sometimes things that are out of our control can change our lives. Write about an experience that changed the course of your life.

10. Write about what makes a person a hero
Write about what makes a person a hero. What heroes can you think of in our society today? What qualities make them heroic?

11. Write about what types of information you can learn about a person by the way (s)he speaks.

12. There is a popular saying: “opposites attract
There is a popular saying: “opposites attract.” Write about whether you agree or disagree. Give examples from your life experience, books you’ve read, and/or TV shows/movies you’ve seen.

13. Do you have friends whose social, ethnic, or economic backgrounds differ from yours? How do these conditions affect your relationship?

14. To what extent does a person’s environment determine their success and happiness? Is it possible to overcome your environment? If so, how?

15. Rodman Philbrick wrote, "The only real treasure is inside your head
Rodman Philbrick wrote, "The only real treasure is inside your head. Memories are better than diamonds, and nobody can steal them from you." Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

16. Rodman Philbrick wrote, “Remembering is just an invention of the mind
Rodman Philbrick wrote, “Remembering is just an invention of the mind." Draw or write about something you want to remember. Explain why.

17. A sobriquet is a nickname
A sobriquet is a nickname. Identify the sobriquets used in the novel we are reading. Write sobriquets for classmates reflecting a positive quality in them.

18. Do our opinions of ourselves affect what others think of us
Do our opinions of ourselves affect what others think of us? Do others' opinions of us affect how we feel about ourselves?

19. Even though it can sometimes feel like you have it tough, every student in your class has his or her own troubles. What are three things you could do to be nice to one of your peers to help them through a tough time of their own? What are the benefits of doing these kind things toward others?

20. If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

21. Many of us think of our lives as boringly normal, while others live the high life. Take a step back, and take a look at your life as an outsider might. Now, write at least six unique, exciting, or just plain odd things about yourself in paragraph form.

22. Write about the last disagreement you had with a friend or family member — from their perspective.

23. Who’s the most important person in your life — and how would your day-to- day existence be different without them?

24. Write about a time you did a 180 — changed your views on something, reversed a decision, or acted in a way you ordinarily don’t.

25. If you were to judge your favorite book by its cover, would you still read it?
Explain.

26. How are you more likely to make an important decision — by reasoning through it, or by going with your gut? Give examples.

27. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
Who would you like to have spend a day as you, and what do you hope they’d learn from the experience?

28. Write about something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail (and tell us why you haven’t tried it yet).

29. Write about your first name: Are you named after someone or something
Write about your first name: Are you named after someone or something? Are there any stories or associations attached to it? If you had the choice, would you rename yourself?

30. When the full moon happens, you turn into a person who’s the opposite of who you normally are. Describe this new you.

31. Is it easy for you to ask for help when you need it, or do you prefer to rely only on yourself? Why?

32. Write about a time when you should have helped someone…but didn’t.

33. How important are clothes to you
How important are clothes to you? Describe your style, if you have one, and tell us how appearance impacts how you feel about yourself.

34. Describe the last time you were surprised by the intensity of a feeling you had about something, or were surprised at how strongly you reacted to something you thought wouldn’t be a big deal.

35. What do you love most about yourself
What do you love most about yourself? What do you love most about your favorite person? Are the two connected?

36. Write about a time you performed a secret random act of kindness — where the recipient of your kindness never found out about your good deed.
If you haven’t, brainstorm secret random acts of kindness you can do this week. For whom would you perform these random acts?

37. Robert Kiyosaki said, “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” Explain what this means.