Me, Myself & I

Most people try not to use the word “I” frequently, not even the most egocentric or egotistical. If your assignment is to write about yourself, however, you’ll need to find a solution to the problem of writing a paper filled with the ubiquitous word “I.” You might ask yourself, “How am I to refer to myself without using the previously mentioned one-letter word?”

One way to manage the difficulty is to discuss events or ideas with the events or ideas as the subjects. For instance, instead of saying “I surfed at Mustang Island, and I had a great day,” or saying “I think my day of surfing at Mustang Island was great,” you can say “Surfing at Mustang Island that day was great” or “The day of surfing at Mustang Island was great.”

By changing the subject, you minimize the number of times you use the word “I,” but there is no reason to take it completely out of a paper when the paper is all about you. You should not even try to totally eradicate the word “I.” It is sometimes best to just limit how often it appears.

One note of caution is that it is better by far to go ahead and use the word “I” than to wind up with an awkward or stilted sentence. Using your own judgment and being aware that there is a way to get around repeatedly saying the word “I” should give you at least an idea of how to write about yourself, your own experiences or thoughts, without the one-letter word being the subject of all your sentences.

I like the idea, even if I do say so myself.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!