Help me decide which of these essay ideas I should write about! (veganism)

College Essays
1

Hello!

My last post was also discussing veganism as an essay topic and I’m very grateful for everyone’s insights/opinions! I have 2 new essay topic ideas and if you have the time, please help me decide which would be better!

  1. I struggled in my AP Calc class but didn't reach out for help bc I didn't want to appear 'weak'. I also happened to create a social media account at the time for showcasing my vegan food, and this showed me the power to community and support (my dietary choices were not supported by my family). Impacted my approach to my math class and ultimately got an A. However, I am not sure how to link the 2 events in my narrative if I were to choose this one.
  2. This is more of what I initially planned to write. I was very judgemental of people who have differing beliefs than me. I realized that I was not practicing the compassion that veganism stands for when __ (too long to elaborate haha).

I really appreciate everyone’s responses!

2

I’d probably go with 2. More potential to show your personality. But downplay the negativity and emphasize your positive qualities.

3

I know you were told this in the other thread, but I would be cautious. Those of us who are not vegan have all been cornered more than once by a vegan who can’t stop talking about how great it is. If I was reading the essay, I would probably think “great, here we go again” after the first couple sentences.

That may not be the direction you are planning on going with it, but I may or may not give it a fair read based on that bias, even if it is a good essay.

4

Essay #2 seems to have the most potential as long as the subject of the essay is how you recognized your negativity and judgmental attitude and worked to correct it. The emphasis shouldn’t be on the veganism but on how you strive to be compassionate. Think about how you might recognize compassion in others even when they aren’t vegan. Showing that you can navigate shades of gray with an essay full of thought and nuance (and compassion rather than condescension) would produce a much stronger essay than if you only argued one side of an issue or demonstrated that your thinking is stuck in black/white, good/bad dichotomies.