There isn’t really a set prompt, but I wrote this based off of Common Application’s guidelines.
Thank you to whoever reads and replies!
Being a Rainbow in a World of Gray
When I was 2, my parents moved me to a small town in Pennsylvania. A few years later, I would begin with my peers a 13 year period of growth.
Some of the teachers assumed we were all the same. We were fed a ‘one size fits all’ lesson, then off we were to the next one. Slurs and curses were dodgeballs in my grade school’s tournaments. I had to withhold my contrasting thoughts from even my closest friends, as we acted like sheep in a flock.
Then slowly, things changed.
The posts on my first social media account showed those slurs painted over in color. Smiles were everywhere on youth Instagram accounts as they displayed their true selves. The young girl who was slowly becoming myself, regardless of judgmental eyes watching, gave that 8th grade class speech for what she believed in. The role model since childhood, who, despite the possible danger, told the world she believed the same. Now 15, that young girl had tears in her eyes. The teachers at the secondary school had stickers outside their doors, telling us that being ourselves was ok. They accepted each and every troubled student that came inside.
Being a rainbow in a world of gray is hard for an adolescent digital native. The changes I’ve witnessed over the past few years have made me realize, while cliche, the little things count. Watching heroes through my young eyes has given me hope for the future. A future where peace, love, and kindness prevail. For now, I’ll let my hopelessness wash away, as my generation steps in to paint the world more vibrantly.