<p>I'm going to be using the Common Application to apply to some New York state schools. Some SUNYs, a private school or two, and Cornell. Right now, I'm brainstorming on some essays. Which do you think would be good to write?</p>
<ol>
<li>How having a twin sister has helped me and hurt me. I think it's an intersting topic, but I don't know what specific moments I can focus on. A lot of my feelings about being a twin are general, and it's hard for me to focus on one memorable event.</li>
<li>On a vacation, I went zip lining in the dark and it opened my eyes (no pun intended) to a new side myself. This also has the potential of great details without focusing on sight.</li>
<li>Being an editor of my school newspaper has made me deal with leadership, although I'm a typically quiet person. I've also found an outlet for creative thought, writing, brainstorming ideas, etc. Plus, I've been able to depend on myself much more, which I normally favor, while still working with others.</li>
<li>I'm an introverted person, and it's made me much more observant and aware of myself and my surroundings than my peers. An exampe I want to use is when people were trying to make friends at one of those teen things on a cruise, and how it's made some friendship almost shallow and superficial.</li>
<li>My Nana's death has influenced the way I (don't) show my emotions. This might be interesting because this essay would mention that I wasn't close to my Nana, while others are normally close to a deceased family member. Yet, I've still realized that it's made me not open to people, and I avoid my problems by staying busy.</li>
<li>I always assumed that tragic things haven't happened to me, but they have. I just haven't seen it. A number of my family members have mental illness, and a couple of my friends have similar problems with mental health and family life. It's opened my awareness to people, and influenced how I'm leaning towards majoring in psychology because I want to help.</li>
<li>How I've changed from being a kid. As a kid, teachers noticed I was quiet, and almost held me back from working with others because I didn't have the "social ability." But in high school, being quiet has made me work harder and focus. It's made me really deliver academicaly, and I've realized that I am happy with having a few close friends.</li>
</ol>
<p>So what do you guys think? Any stand out that you think I should focus on? I have a number of the same themes down, but don't know which one I should try out first. Also, are these good topics to write about?</p>
<p>Oh, and I already wrote two essays. One started with me saying that I hate it when people say LOL, and it turned into a rant about technology. The other I liked much more. Basically, I described me bedroom. In doing so, I mentioned things I liked (reading, music, writing) as well as more personal things, like how my mom took care of me in this room or how I had long discussion with my sister in this room. It’s a little long though. It’s supposed to be around 500 words I believe. Mine was maybe 700.</p>
<p>Hi,
I encounter very often such dilemmas of choosing the right topic. It’s a mass in my head and I don’t know where to begin from. What I do is write down the different topics on different sheets of paper, fold them and make a little lottery. When I pull up one and that quiet voice in my head says “Yes, this is the one!” I write first on it. If, however, I do not like it at first sight, I pick up another and another till I get the one that works fine.
Unfortunately, this is not always a working method. So, in such cases I do something else, think of something else, and let my subconsciousness to deal with the topics. After some time ( through which I don’t strenuously seek The One Topic nor I worry about not getting the idea) I go back to the blank sheet of paper when I have come up with what I have been waiting.
For me the second works 80-95% of the time but remember: let your subconsciousness deal with the problem. You know what they say, “It comes out only when you stop looking for it”.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Don’t pick a topic and be so concrete on using it. Let the ideas flow, and use an idea that is “easy” to write about. It will sound the best. The topic is not important, just how you treat it. However, I would advise against dead relative essays.</p>
<p>Engineerjw gave some great advice. The easier it is to write about, the better the essay will be.</p>
<p>How do I know if an idea is “easy” to write about?</p>
<p>3 or 6. PM me if you want more comments/suggestions etc… i’m also in a similar dilema… too sleepy now to elaborate…</p>
<p>I’m thinking the zip lining essay would be strong because it’s a smaller idea that can have a bigger impact. </p>
<p>Does it seem like all my other topics kind of have the theme come first and then the topic? That doesn’t strike me as the right criteria for an essay. Shouldn’t I focus more on the memory than the theme of my discussion? </p>
<p>I also keep thinking that topics 3 and 6 were the predictable essays. Shouldn’t I avoid that?</p>
<p>Which of my topics do you feel would be the most strong for me to write about?</p>
<p>The ziplining one initially grabs my attention, but the effect of a one-line tag is often very different from the piece itself. </p>
<p>My recommendation? Pick a topic–any topic–and freewrite about it for 10-20 minutes. Don’t let pen leave paper; just keep writing. Write down any images or thoughts that come to mind, and let yourself freely associate. You may very well end up with some vivid opening lines.</p>