<p>So I'm filling out one of those anal teacher recommendation letter request forms (not for college, but a summer program), and the last question is asking for "important information that describes the 'real me'." What does that even mean? Shouldn't a teacher's recommendation be based on how they see you, not how you see yourself? I'm stressing over this form (two pages which basically ask for the 'real me' but in specifics) more than the actual essays I'm writing for my application. I don't really know what's appropriate to write here ... I've already written about my problems, my accomplishments, my career goals, my best qualities, and academic stuff. What else does a teacher need to really know?</p>
<p>I always start with my personality. Then I segue into how it influences my personal leadership style, why I happen to have the qualities I possess, and how it affects my view of (relevant) topics. Then just go on from there.</p>
<p>Basically, these “Describe yourself” questions are asking you for why you are the way you are. If the application asks for a list of your awards and qualities, the essay asks you to explain why you have them. It’s about assessing the duality of professional competence and your self as an actual, feeling, reasoning human being. No one wants to work alone with a robot, even if it’s incredibly efficient.</p>
<p>Don’t forget to include experiences that helped shape your personality.</p>
<p>I suggest the use of adjectives.</p>
<p>@AeroEngineer3141 Well … I tried writing (and rewriting) something like that, but it’s 7 lines (this isn’t an essay for my application, this is just a question on a request form for a rec letter). Trying to compress my entire personality and how it influences my decisions into one little block makes me sound like a tool, no matter how casually I tried to word it. And I really don’t want my teacher to think I’m stuck up or having a personality crisis - I still have 2 semesters with him. For example, I tried to rationalize my usually quiet demeanor in class with the way my parents raised me, and the tiny paragraph I wrote made it sound like I was being abused. 
This is so frustrating…</p>
<p>@FunStuff Sounds like a plan.</p>
<p>I find that it is easier if you pick one letter and make all your adjectives start with that letter.</p>
<p>Fabulous, fashionable, fantastic, freaky, fine… haha</p>
<p>I need a less tooly way of saying ‘intellectual curiosity’ … help?</p>
<p>Intellectual, investigative, interested, involved, intrigued, inspired, internally driven…</p>
<p>hahaha that question sucks. Sorry you have to answer it.</p>
<p>intellectually curious = inquisitive?</p>
<p>Don’t stress. It’s your teacher, hopefully (s)he has some idea of the type of person you are.</p>