<p>So I was thinking that I should write my essay this summer because I’m busy in the fall and whatnot, but I’m having issues coming up with a topic. I’m thinking I have 3 options right now, but I don’t know how good any of them are.
1- I was sick a lot during highschool and missed tons of class because I had to be hospitalized and all that garbage. My family thinks that I should write my essay about that, but I feel like it would just be one of those “Blah, blah, blah, I overcame adversity, look at me” type deals.
2- This is the one I initially wanted to write until my sister told me it was stupid: All of my life I’ve been little and it’s been a hindrance (i.e. you can’t ride this roller coaster, you can’t give blood, you can’t be a runway model, you know the drill), but my soph. year of high school I joined a crew team and because of my size was able to become a coxswain. This is now my passion, etc.
3- I’m interning at a newspaper this summer serving as a reporter, and I figured I would be able to come up with something about that because it is an interesting job and I want to be a journalist and such.</p>
<p>I like number 2 the best. 1 sounds really not good. My advice is to just write spontaneously for a few pages and somewhere in there you'll find something to angle your essay on.</p>
<p>Whatever you feel best represents you. Remember that this is your one chance to speak to the admissions people. If you wanted to make a good impression on someone and could only say one honest thing, what might it be? This can take other tacks as well, but this is a good starting point. It's your application.</p>
<p>Another essay thought came to me. We'll call it number 4:
So, I've been a pretty passive kid most of my life, but the past couple of years I've gotten a touch more aggressive (as in I'm not scared to make phone calls anymore). The gist would be losing my passive voice via crew, reporting (newspaper style), and a crazy english teacher who taught me how to publicly speak.</p>
<p>You don't have to have it done so early. Just wait off and put it in the back of your mind and when you suddenly brew up a strong idea, sit down right away and write for a couple of pages. File that away in some folder and don't look at it for awhile. Repeat this until the last week you have left, and go through every essay, choose the best and touch it up a little. You can't manufacture that type of immediacy or raw energy in a 4 month english assignment.</p>
<p>Well anyway that's how I work and how it worked for me. Only, my folder was empty until about three days before the deadline.</p>
<p>Completely new essay idea:
I've been working as a reporter this summer, and everyday I'm enjoying it more. I thought I could write about the interesting people I met, the opportunity to convey my thoughts to a diverse audience while adhering to a certain format, how reporting helped me get over my passivity, and how I got all these prominent, prissy middle-aged people to take a teenager seriously. I feel like my personality would really shine through with this? Thoughts? I may write a first draft tomorrow (when I'm being a slacker at work).</p>
<p>The essay topic is always the same: an open-ended essay that is essentially whatever you want to write about. </p>
<h1>2, #4, and the new newspaper topic could all work. Here's an idea: write all three! See how each one works out and then choose which one you want to revise and perfect. You should always make sure that the essay shows personality and is personal (not detached) and shows as opposed to tells (give specific examples and anecdotes). Also, don't be afraid to exceed the word limit by a bit. My essay was about 550 words long and I got in. Also, don't think of the word limit much when you write your first draft. Just let it flow; you can edit later.</h1>