Admissions Essay

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Start by writing a list of adjectives or character traits that make you YOU. I don't care if they seem basic. I don't care if you don't have a story to go with them. Just keep adding to the list (maybe set a 5-10 min timer as you do this) and don't be afraid to write ANYTHING that pops into your head, no matter how little or insignificant it seems. Try to really dig deep, even ask others what words they might use to describe you, but don't think too hard about it either. Introspect.

Now set this aside, forget about it, and pull out a new piece of paper. This time you'll write a list of experiences--they can be big and life-altering if you want, but what I really want you to do is to just think back on the little things. How? Well, think of the last thing that you told someone in a conversation, think of those stories you pull out of your pocket every once in a while (yes we've all got those stories that we tell over and over again to different people ;)), even think back on what's happened to you in just the past week. If it's worth telling someone in a casual conversation, it's worth writing down. Again, don't worry about it being something profound, because colleges want to see authenticity, and they understand that not all of us can travel to a third world country to help impoverished orphans while discovering the cure for cancer. The little things are much more likely to be unique to you anyways (This girl got into Stanford with an expertly written essay about Costco, a completely ordinary and dare I say boring topic!~https://www.businessinsider.com/high-school-senior-who-got-into-5-ivy-league-schools-shares-her-admissions-essay-2016-4 ) Now, think of the last time you were mad, maybe the last time you were scared, or the last time you felt truly exhilarated. Write those experiences down, too. If you still feel like your list is lacking, ask a parent or sibling to tell a story about when you were growing up, or ask a friend about something that reminds them of you. Look at that big long list you just wrote and pat yourself on the back. You're not as boring as you thought, huh!

Now blow the dust off of that adjectives list you wrote earlier. Scan through it, refresh your memory, maybe add a few new things you just thought of, and then put a star by the character traits that make you look like an especially decent person. The most important part: connect EVERY SINGLE EXPERIENCE you wrote to one of these personality traits, and then add any more stories you thought of that directly correlate with them. Of course this will take some brainstorming, probably some more effort on your part, but soon enough, you'll have a theme and topic for your essay that is entirely unique and has some great narrative opportunities!

main takeaway: focus on the little things