I’m stuck on what to write about for the W&M supplemental essay prompt:
“Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extra curricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? We know nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us, or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude.”
I think I’m having a hard time because it’s almost too open ended, haha. Fellow applicants, what are you writing about?
Just write about something you do in your free time that you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be something like a resume that will make them want to accept you, they just want to get to know you better as a person.
In the interest of focus, I’d suggest you think “small” - think of an amusing anecdote or incident in your life, or maybe a piece of work you did - something whimsical, funny, and/or touching - but something your friends would say "that’s you - think of the reaction you want the reader to experience.
And while you might want to tell a story designed to impress, don’t go full-on-Hyacinth Bucket, like telling an amusing anecdote of that time you were in Africa working in an Ebola clinic, when a fire broke out at the orphanage, and you single-handedly rescued all the orphans, because you care! so deeply! about Things! (bursts into tears) …
My son wrote about music and its role in his life. Some humor , some life growth kind of stuff
I’m doing kind of what like @Squiddy said. Choose something simple and use it to paint a bigger picture. Go to essay hell’s website for awesome ideas and tips
This. I guess I failed to complete my thought - fortunately, I’m not applying to college, so can make mistakes like this … 
I think it’s a pretty good approach - pick an amusing anecdote or incident in your life, tell it well, and use the balance of the essay to explore its meaning to you, personally, and in the process expose a bit about who you are, and what’s important to you. Just remember, it’s a story, not a checklist of attributes you think they want you to have. So, be sincere, and don’t try to force interpretations that just aren’t there.
At first, just write - different ideas, different constructs, etc - editing comes later. You can play with different approaches and techniques, like telling the story in a non-linear way or what have you. Sort of cliche, but I think to “have fun with it” is pretty good advice.
Thank you all!