Narrate an occasion when I made a mistake (skipping class, lying, not doing assignments,...)

Prompt: Narrate an occasion when I made a mistake (skipping class, lying, not doing assignments,...)

Narrate an instance when I made a mistake (skipping class, lying, not doing assignments,...)

I. Outline for Narrating an Instance of My Mistake (Standard)

1. Introduction

- Lead into the story of my wrongdoing either directly or indirectly.

2. Body of the Essay

- My family falls into the category of financial hardship, our life isn't abundant or lavish, lacking discretionary spending like my peers, which somewhat makes me feel inferior.
- Despite the difficulties, my mother still tries to send me to extra classes every month and provides me with money for tuition regularly.

>> See detailed outline for Narrating an Instance of My Mistake here.
 

II. Sample Essay Narrating an Instance of My Mistake (skipping class, lying, not doing assignments,...)
 

1. Narrate a time when I lied to my mother (Standard)

Childhood, filled with innocence and mischief, leaves us with numerous memories, some of which involve very innocent yet memorable mistakes. We often believe that adults are unaware, but a mere glance can reveal our errors. I, too, was once like that. Reflecting on it now, I realize how naive and childish I was.

Back then, in fourth grade, although my family wasn't affluent, my mother still managed to afford extra tutoring for me. For the first few months, I attended these classes diligently, never missing a day—three times a week, two hours each session. I had a reputation for being diligent, obedient, and academically successful, so I was beloved by teachers, peers, and even my tutor. Consequently, my mother placed even more trust in me, and I knew she took great pride in me. However, I betrayed both her and my tutor's trust.

My family's financial struggles meant I couldn't indulge in pleasures like my friends. I never had pocket money for snacks. Whenever I stayed at school to study all day, my mother would pack me a lunchbox to take along. Seeing my friends go out for snacks at noon, buying this and that, sometimes I felt sorry for myself, withdrawing further into myself. The tipping point was my love for reading, especially Doraemon comics, which all of us kids were crazy about. We would pass them around until they were tattered. Because I loved them so much, I secretly took the 150,000 dong my mother gave me for tutoring fees and used it to buy those comic books, longing to impress my friends just once. However, holding the new books in my hands, with leftover money and overwhelming regret, I felt terrified. Where would I find money to pay my tuition? What if my mother found out? These questions haunted me, leaving me feeling incredibly anxious and exhausted.

The Best Stories of My Mistakes

My change in attitude made my mother suspicious. One evening, as I was studying, my mother quietly approached and placed the comic book I had bought on the table. Startled, I braced myself for a scolding, burying my face in the table. But my mother didn't yell or say anything. I saw her eyes welling up, tears streaming down her weathered cheeks and rough hands from years of hard work. I knew I was truly in the wrong, I had hurt my mother deeply. I cried bitterly, feeling sorry for myself and for my mother, hating my own foolishness which caused her pain. Through sobs, I apologized profusely. My mother looked at me and said something I'll never forget: 'I always trust you like this. I only wish for you to study well, without considering your own interests and hobbies, but our family...' Then she fell silent.

Though this incident happened long ago, I still remember it vividly. It was a profound lesson that I'll never forget, motivating me to study harder to make up for my mistakes. I believe mistakes are meant to make us grow, not to make us live in guilt. The future lies ahead, and I hope that those who have made mistakes will live better lives, never making their parents cry. Because education is already challenging enough.

2. Narrate a time when I made a mistake: A Straight A Student Gets a D (Standard)

Facing low grades might not be terrifying for many, but for a student ranked top in the class, it's a tremendous embarrassment among friends, teachers, and the fear if parents find out. So, someone like me did something quite humorous and foolish.

It was during 5th grade, when kids began to grow up, form their own thoughts, and grasp the importance of appearance. Our class had a significant divide between individuals with the best academic performance, and I always stood at the top, also being the class monitor. My mother was very proud of me, and our homeroom teacher liked to talk about me at parent meetings. Then one day, during a regular test, somehow my mind wandered off, and I made mistakes on two out of three questions, resulting in a score of three. When the test papers were handed out, I was shocked beyond belief.

Narrate a time when I lied

I felt my face burning. I quickly hid my test paper, unable to be happy for the rest of the class. I kept thinking about my mother and tried to hide the test paper, fearing disappointment and sadness. Do you know where I hid it? I hid it in the innermost compartment of my bag, then simply locked it because I thought my mother would never check my bag. Little did I know, I was wrong. My mother found my test paper, but she didn't scold me. She just shook her head and laughed, saying to me, 'I've never seen anyone as foolish as you. Who hides a test paper in their bag? You thought I wouldn't check, at least in the past, I knew how to dispose of it. How did I give birth to someone who can't be as smart as me?' I stood there stunned by my mother's witty remark, suddenly feeling foolish indeed, as children often have trouble thinking ahead.

Afterward, my mother gently said to me, 'Let me tell you, humans make mistakes, and they fail at times. Look, your father and I didn't start growing coffee without some plants dying, but it's from those dead plants that we learned and eventually succeeded in growing a whole thriving coffee garden. Learning is similar; a low grade is there to motivate you, not to shame you. A person with character is someone who rises from failure to success, my child.'

Those words from my mother, I still remember to this day. I don't know which lesson it was that my mother taught, she spoke little but what she taught was invaluable. Thinking so, I love my mother even more. My childhood has another memory of a silly but precious mistake.

3. Narrate a time when I made a mistake - First time skipping school (Standard)

I've made plenty of mistakes, big and small, since I was young. Sometimes I don't even understand why I make a mistake once, thinking I won't repeat it again, but then I end up making a different mistake. That's how my childhood is filled with tons of mistakes, from innocent ones to intentional ones, and each time, it leaves a lasting impression on me.

Students can further enhance their storytelling skills by learning how to organize and creatively embellish story details. This can be achieved through studying selected exemplary essays that we have curated and synthesized: Tell about an inspiring academic or helpful deed example from your own life or that of a friend; Recount the storyline of a poem with various narrative perspectives; Retell a known legend or fairytale in your own words; Recollect memories from your first days of schooling.