<p>This type of prompt seems like it's begging for cliche essays. Can you be creative with a prompt like this (make it funny, philosophical, etc.)? Has anyone done that before? Did you get the scholarships/college acceptances that you wrote the essay for?</p>
<p>Based on my the experience of my S, yes, you can be creative, funny and/or philosophical with this. He has suffered no obvious hardships in his life…yet we all go through difficult times, even if it’s “only” teen angst. It’s a chance to show your thinking and writing skills…not a contest to see who has had the most difficult life (although it does give those who have suffered legitimate hardship an opportunity to explain their circumstances).</p>
<p>It’s perfectly possible. The thing about a good essay is that they have a hook and a profoundness to it that belly it beyond simple fluff pieces. Hardships don’t have to be a tear fest. One can always pair it with something or draw parallelisms to make it a fact beyond emotion and produce a thoughtful essay with grace, humour and insight. Ever read The House on Mango Street? It ain’t so bad :D</p>