I'm pretty sure we all have a mutual agreement that having to define ourselves and our lives in an essay is something we are uncomfortable with, not particularly for actually typing up the essay, but we aren't exactly sure of what to say.
For those attending a university, a personal statement is usually required with admission--unless you are applying to a Cal State. As of last night, Sunday, October 19, 2014 at around 10 p.m., I completed my first college application to San Diego State University. The application didn't require a personal statement, so I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. After pressing submit, that weight returned when I realized that I would have to type up the personal statement anyways for my UC applications. I've contemplated and sat in front of my laptop with a blank mind on what exactly to write about myself. I don't want to sound egotistical in anyway nor do I want to give off the vibe that I'm unappreciative of myself. Considering that what we turn in tomorrow is nothing more than a draft, I guess I feel less anxious.
How do you sum up your life in under 1,000 words? I'm positive that all the memories and moments that I've experienced can't be limited to a word count. I know what I want to say, but I'm not sure how to put it down into words. Ms. Fletcher made a comment in class on how the admissions officers who are reading our essays don't love us. They don't know us. How am I supposed to impress them with who I am or what I do? How am I positive that what I have to offer is good enough?
I haven't blogged since last year in AP English with Fletcher, so I'm a little rusty with my words. But this is a reassurance post to everyone in my class and to all my peers: you're worth so much more than you really think. We're not all the same people; we've all encountered different obstacles. Just free-write to your heart's extent with the hope that your fingers trust your mind with what you want to say. We all have about 16-18 years of experience on this planet to talk about, so pick one moment. Pick one particular time and talk about how it shaped you into the person that you are and who you've become. Be vulnerable. Take a risk.
And good luck.
Yeah! Keaulani, you made me so happy!
ReplyDeletenice keaulani!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly where you're coming from Keaulani. I didn't think that I would be able to write a solid personal statement because I was afraid that I would come off looking like some "cocky a-hole" ,so to speak. Also, the 1000 word limit is another aspect of the personal statement that's intimidating. Each of us have done enough in our lives to the point where we could write an autobiography if we wanted to. But i guess that's part of the challenge. Moreover, its obvious that all these prestigious universities think that being able to write a personal statement is important enough to make it mandatory to write one when you apply, so we might as well put in work to write the best one possible.
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