Hi, I am writing my college essay and I’d like to include this sentence:
“Of course, there wasn’t anything wrong with my current toaster. In fact, my current toaster was, and still is, a d a m n good toaster.” (Word spaced out for forum reasons, not in the actual essay)
I don’t see a problem with it, and I think it adds a bit of character and passion about such a straightforward and unassuming item, which connects to the main idea of the essay: my love for understanding things that most people would gloss over. I am applying to engineering schools and I think that this theme lends itself very well to the entire essence of being an engineer. I am just not 100% certain if this would hurt my chances at most colleges.
I don’t like profanity in essays unless there’s a very good reason, like quoting somebody, for example. In your case, it’s doesn’t add anything. I’d use a different word.
There is no need to use a word that some might find offensive.
You can say “a perfectly fine toaster” or “a very fine toaster” or even “a darn good toaster.” The use of d**m is gratuitous and potentially offensive.
As an FYI, “damn” is allowed on this site. However, if you were to try that spacing trick for a non-allowed word, you would be warned for violating ToS.
As for the essay, whether or not the word is an issue, it’s use in your example is gratuitous. Rephrase.
I’m a naysayer here, but honestly, that is such a tame word. If you are applying to a very conservative college, maybe not, but I say use it if you like. I can see why the OP wants to add emphasis by using that word. More punch than darn. Damn can be used in quite a few different ways, unlike a lot of swear words commonly referred to be a single letter. One can say “damning evidence” or “his soul was damned” or “fire and damnation.” Would the OP ask the same question about those words? Much of a muchness, IMO.
Addressing the point @Publisher makes, I don’t entirely agree. One should show creative intelligence if that is who one is. It’s most important to show who the writer is within his/her ability. Trying to write “creatively” can definitely backfire for some people.
It all, IMO, depends upon context. For example, Emory has a question “What is your favorite fiction or non-fiction work (film, book, TV show, album, poem, or play)? Why?” I have no issue answering Tom Petty (RIP) & the Heartbreakers’ *Damn the Torpedoes/i. For the OP’s question though, it seems, as I said before, gratuitous. Yes, I would say “damn” before I said “darn” or “dang,” but I would also just try to find another illustrative way to convey the message.
I’m avoiding altogether the question if s/he should write about a toaster.
@skieurope this could evolve (or devolve) into a very interesting conversation about how we use words in all kinds of contexts. I remember hearing God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols at the age of fourteen and being really, really shocked that it was even legal to play a song like that over the radio. I suspect most people would think the Sex Pistol’s usage of the word God in that song was pretty offensive. Given that OP is complimenting his toaster with his usage of the word damn, I am fairly sure most won’t find it offensive. And if someone finds it offensive, is OP sure he wants to attend a college like that anyway? I say toaster be damned! :))
No need to use the word damn but if you include it, it will not hurt your application (except maybe to a Christian college like Liberty or Messiah).
@skieurope I suspect the essay is something along the lines of it was a perfectly fine toaster but that didn’t stop me from taking it apart and then rebuilding it (or trying to rebuild it) and doing a b or c funky upgrade…all culminating in the lesson learned about engineering…possibly with an angry mom and a funny ending. That would explain why someone would write about a toaster - especially someone applying to an engineering program.
