Playing on Stereotypes in the Personal Statement?

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

I’m writing an essay about how I’m mixed race, half white and half Asian. I live in a small, rural, heavily white town, that’s upper-middle class. My school is mainly white, and affluent (compared to the surrounding area since the other schools in our region are mainly schools full of farmers children-- they draw from a much bigger radius, my school is the school that’s in the “city”). Everyone in my grade has had an iPhone more or less since they came out, and for a long time I wasn’t allowed to go to any parties/get-togethers since my parents didn’t see that as being a priority. I was planning on including the fact that I don’t have any social media and that I didn’t have a phone (or any other form of communication) until my junior year. The point of including this would be to show that despite social activities being looked down upon in my family (one of my mother’s favorite lines is “You think that asian kid who just won the math counts championship wastes time playing on his phone?”), I still have a blossoming social life (mainly via sports), and unlike some asian people in the grade below me, I don’t spend my days studying. Would saying how I never had a phone or social media just make me sound needy or over privileged/expectant, or would it help illustrate my point that I am still social despite not being connected 24/7?

This essay (I haven’t written it yet) would mainly play on stereotypes, and I’m unsure where the line is drawn between an “acceptable” stereotype and casual racism. For example, I’d be playing off the stereotype that all Asian are good at math, and many lack exceeding social aptitude. This is personal to me since I was bullied in middle school for being asian (I have asian eyes but other than that I look white and I would self-identify as white if not given the option for mixed), and I remember I’ve been told by classmates, “You can’t be a genius, you’re asian!”

The point of this essay would be self-discovery or finding my identity between two races. Would this be a good idea, or is it too cliche? And would the section about not having a phone be unnecessary add?

2

I feel like even you are a bit unsure about what exactly this essay would entail. Perhaps give making an outline a shot, but I feel that you may struggle with doing so. Your idea wanders a bit, and would need a clearer focus. However, I think you need to pick a few specific and positive things about yourself you’d like to highlight, and see how this topic can show that. You seem to have a lack of connection between highlighting how you’ve become social and how you are biracial. While I’m not going to completely discourage you from writing this essay, I will say that it needs to be done very carefully and with a sensitive touch. If done incorrectly, you may seem to be putting down other Asians or those who are more affluent.
Best of luck!