<p>The prompt is: How has your family history, culture or environment influenced who you are?
This is perfect for me because I'm American with a Nigerian family. I just don't know how to start the essay and which direction to go in. Should I setting a Nigerian party, a church scene, a Nigerian convention? Either way, I'm going to talk about how I used to be embarrassed because I never learned my family's language. I just need some guidance as you can probably tell, so help me?</p>
<p>Im lost too… Idk where to begin.</p>
<p>This may be a cliched answer, but pick the setting that you feel you can write about the best. In the end, the admissions officer could care less whether or not the setting for your essay is a “Nigerian party, church scene, or convention,” as long as the setting/action contributes to the essay’s greater theme.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Here is the best approach: Think back through your memories and pick one moment which is most memorable in terms of being unsure, awkward, embarrassed, fearful, or whatever that had to do with being from a Nigerian family. Describing that MOMENT is your first paragraph. For example:</p>
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Then you go on to describe that it was a family gathering and that your lack of knowing the family language made you feel isolated. And it was not a good feeling.</p>
<p>But the important part of any essay is your “character arc,” you changing to overcome (or working to overcome) your embarrassment/fear/etc… Talk about not wanting to feel isolated from those you love most and wanting to embrace your Nigerian heritage in a more intense way… etc etc.</p>
<p>At the very end, in a separate paragraph, drop a bit of Nigerian (Yoruba). [also include the English translation]:
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<p>I think it will be memorable to an essay reader.</p>