<p>I want to get a head start on the college essay process, but I don't know if these are good topics to write about.</p>
<p>Possible Topics:
- My dad helped out with a Search and Rescue team during 9/11. He risked his life to help others, just because he thought it was right. I want to write about how that inspired me to do volunteer work and just help out others (i.e. my friends, family, etc..)
- I'm not really a picky eater, but I do have this sort of fetish with Jello/Jelly. I believe it is an unnatural consistency and is just not something that should be eaten! I could write about that.
- This is a more recent topic, but currently I am having surgery on my tongue to test for cancer (this is happening within the next week). But, I want to write about how I never take anything for granted, etc.. no matter how the test results come out. But, i don't know if that is too soon.
- One of my favorite Disney movies is Peter Pan. The main theme of that movie is growing up and how I'm kind of like Peter Pan. </p>
<p>Please critique them and tell me which ones you like the best!</p>
<p>I would go with the Jello essay, you seem to be passionate about it and i think if you played it right it could be a really hilarious/interesting topic. Take my words with a grain of salt though because doing a quirky topic like that <em>might</em> not be the best. Write about the one that you can feel you could write the best, with a genuine stream of consciousness.</p>
<p>If you do:
- Make sure it’s not mostly about your dad. The pitfall of this type of essay is talking about the person who inspires you too much and skimping on details of what you’ve done with the inspiration, how it’s affected you, etc.
- Again, write more about you than the Jello.
- It’s not too soon, and personally I think this would be a great idea for an essay. You could discuss things like how you feel, how it’s affected your personality, how it has affected your actions, etc. The pitfall here would be generalizing (I think that’s the right word) too much. In my opinion, you should make the essay entirely about the event, and sprinkle in the changes and “new person” stuff as they are relevant. Also make sure to tailor the story to highlight your personality.
- Sounds like a bad idea to me, but you could make it work. Like maybe if you wrote about a specific scene in the movie, a specific time you watched the movie, or a specific character in the movie, or someone you always watched the movie with, or something you always did while watching the movie (make a blanket fort? haha). Do not make it about the entire movie. You will end up generalizing way too much.</p>
<p>Anyway if it’s not already apparent my favorite one is the third. You are lucky to have this kind of event that you can write about! But in the end your decision should rest on whichever topic you feel is easiest for you to make a good essay out of.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily lucky… I mean who really wants to be dealing with possible cancer at such a young age. Like, I don’t think an essay topic justifies it as good. But thanks for the advice!</p>