<p>Now every single essay is making me tear my hair out, simply because I want so dearly to be accepted and don't want to screw anything up. So I thought that this one was a good one to approach first. </p>
<p>Anyway, the examples I've seen on the Essay thread are so . . . sophisticated for favorite things. Sure, there I times when i enjoy esoteric intellectual stimulations, but those "favorite things" that are most near and dear to me are those books and movies and shows and sub-par musical groups and of course corny musicals that make me smile.</p>
<p>So right now I have reached my own conclusion that I shouldn't try to impress Chicago with flaunting perhaps the most "intelligent" of my favorite things (maybe sprinkling a few in there though), but also to be myself and admit to loving 'Boy Meets World' as much as 'Sophie's World'.</p>
<p>It's amazing how sometimes you can fix your own problems while typing your own thread.</p>
<p>My advice: stop worrying about your essays, don't read the essay thread (I just found the thread for the first time, and IMO many people come off as too proud and even condescending), take a few days or a week off from essay planning, and then make some time to sit down and try to write cold. See what happens. Don't try to write anything in particular, and don't stress out about it. You really have to write according to your own personality, though. If you want, treat it as a journaling experience. Try to write a little of something everyday, and eventually something will really catch you, and you'll want to develop it further.</p>
<p>Remember. It's not even September yet. I wrote my essays for RD in December. You have time to screw around for a while.</p>
<p>corranged is, as usual, sooo right. Just write what is real for you-- don't worry about impressing admissions. When my older son and I visited (4 years ago) the info session was tiny, just 8 of us around a table. The admissions officer kept saying, "just tell us what you are thinking", "tell us what you are thinking about". I don't believe that idea has changed. Write whatever pleases you, I'm sure that your genuine self will be wonderful to read.</p>