The Transition to "Better" TopicsAs we progressed through school, such topics were replaced with “better” and “more advanced” ones—essays on societal issues, scientific concepts, or historical events. These were deemed more intellectual and more worthy of our time. But what we lost in the process was the opportunity to refine the skill of personal expression. Writing became less about storytelling and more about meeting rigid academic criteria. This disconnection would come back to haunt me l...