<p>For my essay, I'm doing the "key background story" prompt, and I felt the best essay I could write would be on my depression. I'm trying to make my essay more concise (it's over 1000 words right now), but don't know what to focus on. It's currently about what depression was like, how I was able to "overcome it" (meaning how my love of math/science/logic and thinking enabled me to understand what caused depression and at least manage it when it struck), and how that led me to be more understanding of others and led to a desire to go into the medical field (I'm seriously considering surgery or psychiatry). Is it best to focus on how my depression influenced me or how I overcame it? (I only really have room for one, and can write best about how I overcame it, the "how it influenced me" comes off as pretentious and, well, phony, just because of the nature of the topic).</p>
<p>Actions. Tell what you did. </p>
<p>What do you mean? I did a lot of things because of depression (most notably feel depressed), but none are essay worthy. Can you be a bit more specific?</p>
<p>what you did to overcome it.</p>
<p>Focus on one specific moment. Your tone needs to be positive, and your essay needs to show your strength and accomplishment. </p>
<p>I’m talking about the “way” you tell this story about what steps you took. It can help the reader to be able to “see” you in action — perhaps by using a vignette, for example. Try a draft and see how you like it. </p>
<p>^ that would help. Essays about depression is a common topic - just don’t make your essay a common essay. Make sure that it’s one that only you can tell - unique vignettes/anecdotes are some of the easiest ways to ensure this.</p>