<p>okay i’ve debated this but its making me really nervous i’m just going to post my essay, i dont think anyone will copy it or anything, right? this is for Princeton but i sent smiliar essays to a bunch of other schools:</p>
<p>Crazy</p>
<p>“Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, usually do.”
-Steve Jobs</p>
<pre><code> Sitting here writing this, I think of you, the admissions officer, reading my application. I think of you looking at my grades, recommendations, extracurricular activities, race, gender, and location, and giving a half-hearted sigh as you turn to this essay as if to say, “another one of these.” If I had been applying a couple years ago, I would have absolutely agreed with you; I would have been a perfectly adequate candidate but nothing special, nothing different. Today, however, I can tell you with confidence that I am more than adequate, that I can offer your school, Princeton University, diversity in a way that goes beyond skin color and gender.
My high school career began just like any other, but by sophomore year, I wanted something more challenging that I could work on and excel at. Running for the track team answered the call. I threw myself wholly and completely into training and what started as a hobby, became an obsession. I began running at least ten miles a day, going for late night jogs after practice in the wind, freezing rain, and snow. No one could deter me from doing whatever it took to get my time down just a few more seconds, even though it was obviously wearing on me. I thrived on the test of running just one more mile, of pushing the pace, and myself, to the limit. Eating was an integral part of my training and just like everything else, it became an obsession. Somewhere in my extensive reading on running, I had seen that a person could improve their times by eating healthier and possibly even losing some weight, less to carry equating to a faster run. I took this to heart and started eating less and less while at the same time working out more and more. Somehow, I did not see how this could possibly develop into a problem. Only three months after I revamped my training regime, I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, a huge wakeup call, and though I am fine now, the experience has left me forever changed in how I look at the world and myself.
The prevalence of mental disorders is surprisingly high with one in four adults suffering from a diagnosable condition. Though this rate is huge, higher than cancer, the diseases are rarely even heard of, swept under the rug like a dirty little secret, something worthy of concealment and shame. This stems from an erroneous general attitude towards mental illness, that since the disorders usually manifest solely through behaviors, they are a choice rather than a disease, a mark of personal weakness and incompetence. This falsehood is especially frustrating because the ill tend to internalize these ideas that they are somehow less than because they were unlucky enough to develop a disorder and now cannot “just snap out of it.” The judgment is unnecessary as well as cruel, similar to the criticism faced by individuals enduring poverty, homelessness, and addiction. These people do not need condemnation, but rather empathy and kindness to help them through recovery.
Though my experience with mental illness was difficult to say the least, I know I would not take it back for anything if given the chance. It allowed me rare insight into a completely different world and helped me to realize that I wanted to study Psychology to become a therapist and help others to sift through the complexities of their minds and improve their lives. I know what it is like to feel crazy and to second-guess your own thoughts, and I plan to utilize this understanding to treat others with utmost respect and empathy. However while I have this foundation, I appreciate the fact that I will need a great deal of education and guidance before I can accomplish this dream. I believe Princeton University has the ideal atmosphere, commitment to academic excellence, and approach to learning to help me realize my potential to help others and change misconceptions about mental disorders. I am confident that I will achieve this goal with passion and humor, no matter what challenges I may face, because I have gone to the brink of insanity and back and am now just crazy enough to change the world… so watch out.
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Good luck in all your apps!</p>