Is this an okay draft - UC prompt 1?

College Essays
1

<p>I know this is kinda rough, but is the topic and direction im going okay? </p>

<p>"Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations."</p>

<pre><code>My family is a road trip family. Ever since I was a little kid, we’ve been traipsing all over the country in my mother’s white minivan, and for so long I hated it. I was rather boredom-prone as a child, and no matter how many toys and games I piled into that tiny backseat I always ended up nagging “Are we there yet?” when we had barely pulled out of the driveway. I couldn’t read or watch movies either due to carsickness, and it was quite the ordeal during my childhood. What this meant, though, was that I was forced to look up instead of at my Gameboy. Little did I know that those quiet moments of gazing out the window and trying not to throw up were the origins of my love of travel.
I really love traveling. I love the way it yanks me out of my own little world of petty worries and gives me a healthy dose of perspective. The view out the window is my favorite one in the world, because its always changing/something different. It taps you on the shoulder and says “this is the world, don’t hide from it” what even. Whether it be stunning beach cliffs or a plain desert for miles and miles, I couldn’t care less. It’s that realization that the world is so much bigger than just me that is so stimulating.
The reason why travel is so intriguing to me is more than just the simple desire to escape the familiar. That’s part of it, yes, but what I’m most drawn to are the stories behind these places and the people that live there. I’ll drive by a picturesque cabin in big bear or a beat-up shack in Joshua Tree and think: Who lives there? What is it like? How did they end up there? What do they do? Places have this mystery factor too; when I walk through Disneyland, I like to imagine all the millions of people who’ve walked the pavement before me. The thought is almost to overwhelming to handle.
I thought I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I wanted to tell stories. My ultimate career goal is to become a journalist, primarily because I believe it is so important. The only things that cannot be taken away from us as humans are our knowledge and our experiences, and journalism plays a role in both of those. I want to make people aware of what our world holds, but I also want to listen to people and give them a voice. Everyone has something to say, and I want to hear it.
</code></pre>

2

<p>and sorry about that last sentence I know its so cheesy and awful it makes me gag</p>

3

<p>When you recognize that, cut it. You don’t need that sentence, it adds nothing. Cut.</p>

<p>See Vonnegut’s seven rules:</p>

<pre><code> Find a subject you care about.
Do not ramble, though.
Keep it simple.
Have the guts to cut.
Sound like yourself.
Say what you mean to say.
Pity the readers.
</code></pre>

<p>This is just okay for me. I don’t find it particularly interesting. Nothing surprising or insightful here. Just okay. Not terrible. Makes no impression.</p>