<p>Hey, I just finished a draft of my personal essay for the common app, and for those who are willing to help, I'd greatly appreciate opinions on my essay. The essay is below. Thank you!!!</p>
<p>Sam looked up, giving me that same blank stare he had been giving me all summer. I did not have any idea how I was going to make this camper happy. As his camp counselor, it was my job to execute the camps motto and make sure he had the most fun and enriching summer of his life.
When I first received my camper roster, I did not know that this summer would be any different than the last. Normally, keeping a group of 9-year-olds happy does not require advanced science. Just making funny faces and playing games with the kids gets you through the average day. But that was not the case with Sam. He is a child with selective mutism; he can speak, but chooses not to under any circumstance. He never wanted to participate in any activities; joining the other campers was a very scary concept to him. As I did with all the other kids, I encouraged him with words and tried to make him laugh by acting like a buffoon. He did not even make eye contact; I never saw him smile or laugh.
Throughout the summer it was the same daily ritual. He continued to sit on the bench by the pool, staring down at his feet. I tried employing all the strategies I learned on training day prior to the start of camp. Nothing worked. But then one day, during the sixth week of camp, I decided to try something a little different. I lied down on the ground while he was looking down at his feet. Unavoidably, his eyes met mine. He then gazed upward in an effort to avoid eye contact. It was like my eyes were the glaring sun and he could not bear to look. So, I simply stood up on the bench so he would have to make eye contact with me. For the first time, I saw a hint of a smile on Sams pale face. It was his most positive response all summer. I smiled at him and asked him if he wanted to go swimming. After a brief hesitation, he ran straight for the pool.
I had no idea that a simple tactic presented in a different way could ease the problem. The older and more experienced counselors, who told me there was only one prescribed way to deal with all campers, were wrong. As it turned out, an unorthodox approach can provide the desired outcome. By taking a chance, I learned a lesson that will last me a lifetime. I now realize the importance of employing a creative approach to life. Every problem and situation is unique and cannot be solved by using a generic formula. Life does not always conform to standard operating procedure. Without saying a word, Sam changed my perspective on how to approach a seemingly hopeless situation.</p>