I’m thinking about #5 (Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. ). Is middle school too far in the past? Can I avoid talking about a specific timeframe, as this is an event that could have happened in any year?.
You can talk about middle school but you need to find a way to tie into who you are today.
Sorry, maybe I should clarify. The event happened while I was attending middle school, but isn’t related to school in any way. I am just wondering if such an event would carry any weight because it occurred so long ago.
And yes, I would plan on tying this into the present/who I am today.
You can talk about anything as long it is pertinent to you now. It is more important for your essay be well-written overall and clearly connects you to the theme.