things i don't tell to colleges
I’ve been nonstop writing for the past two weeks, finishing up college essays answering some deep introspective questions. I’ve thought a lot about the parts of myself that I want to “impress” colleges with, but I realized how much there is about me that I don’t share with colleges -- thoughts that go beyond a 350-word limit that admissions officers might not care about, but are valuable to me. So, I’m taking a brief moment to appreciate these moments, as it’s important to reflect on the little things.
I find peace in the way the breeze hits my face in the early spring, walking from Uni to Kenney amidst the pink buds preparing to bloom on the trees that line my path. I don’t, however, enjoy when I accidentally miss the first step on the way up the Kenney building, tripping on dirt but inevitably reacting the same way every time: laughing it off and saying, “Nice.” I feel achieved when I refill my water bottle three (3!) times in one school day. I haven’t fixed the cracked sole of my white Converse because I think it’s funny that they squeak every time I step. I am really proud that I have gotten better about my fear of bugs from taking bug bio, although I did squeal when Mr. Bergandine showed us an electronic Hexbug (a vibrating, 2-inch device that looks like a robot bug and is used for board games). I spend hours making Spotify playlists based on a fleeting emotion that lasts for literally 2 seconds. I worry about things that I shouldn’t worry about, such as a tsunami happening in Champaign or the possibility that I might wake up in the middle of a lake, Parent-Trap style. I sometimes sit on my laptop and look through adoption sites for maltipoo puppies when I truly am so allergic to dog fur (it’s nice to dream, though). Some nights, I give up on homework and proceed to dance around my room like a 5 year old, blasting my favorite music and singing into the mirror as if I didn’t have a sleep schedule to tend to. Other nights, I spend hours crying because of a single lyric from a song that reminded me how real it is to be alive.
I think it’s important to find the little quirks in life. A lot of times we are asked to extrapolate our activities and academic vigor, when sometimes we find the most value in moments we spend simply breathing and appreciating our simplest human emotions that make us who we are. Yes, I’m proud of my growth as a student, but also as an individual that lives in our world of wonder and curiosity. No matter where I go for college, I’ll always have these little quirky memories to find my sense of home.
I totally agree with this. I'm personally so sick of college essays, because what I feel obligated to write about based on the certain prompts seem to all be such two-dimensional aspects of me. Though I have one essay where I feel I really convey who I am, the rest of my essays seem dumb and superficial. I feel like if I get admitted, it will be just for a certain academic part of me, instead of who I actually am. I wish I could write about smaller things in life, but way more important things, like you mention in this post.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. Honestly if I was an admissions officer and I read this essay I would definitely accept you. All the prompts that the schools make you right are BS and like Catalin said, only show a small glimpse of who you are inside. Also I love the part about you tripping on your way to kenney and your what-used-to-be-white converse squeaking because I see that everyday lol
ReplyDeleteWhat a refreshing post. I think all seniors should read this post lol. Before I started actually writing the college apps, I had this very naive idea that I'd be able to fit who I was adequately within the plentiful space the apps provided me. Boy was I wrong... I wish we were given the extra space to convey the little things as you so wonderfully describe and have them be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful post! In the stress of essay writing, it's so easy to forget that we're more than our common apps and we're more than the people we have to reduce ourselves to to fit into that small world limit. I've struggled a lot this year with feeling like I'm not being true to my identity in order to be what schools want, so this post is a refreshing reminder that we have value and quirks that colleges cannot measure.
ReplyDeleteUgh I agree with you so much here. It really is these little things that make us who we are, because the bigger things are often shared by a lot of people. I wonder if what you wrote here is the kind of thing that colleges actually are looking for, whatever that means. But then, they definitely also want to hear about your academics and activities and identities and world views and all of the big things (for good reason), so finding that balance between big ideas and personal flair in a limited word count seems close to impossible. Anyway, this is a wonderful post and I love your descriptions!
ReplyDeleteI'm such a big fan of your spotify playlists first of all. But also I totally agree that the college process is super draining, and at times it makes me feel like more of an application than a person.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard not to like this post. It's so refreshing to all the seniors. And with some college decisions coming out, your post shines brighter. Honestly, you should submit this blog post in your application. With the ambiguity in college results, who knows what colleges look for now? Maybe every student needs to take a step back and reflect on the little moments in their lives instead of trying to exaggerate and refine their accomplishments. Great blog post.
ReplyDelete