<p>Well, I know that everyone's supposed to have ECs and volunteer hours but I'm in somewhat of a pickle, unfortunately. I'm not exactly passionate about my hobbies but I have worked at them for a long time; I play the violin, sing, draw and write. I've been doing all these for a few years, but I don't have anything tangible to show for it. I have no certificates, only a single trophy, no art portfolios or anything. How do I make these things work for me when applying to colleges?</p>
<p>I'll be honest; I'm not the most dedicated in what I do (which is why I don't have many trophies), and when I was younger I hated to practice ECs and my parents had to make me. But I have finally found the interest on my own. It's not like I've wasted my whole life sitting on the couch, but how do I show that I have a strong interest in these things to colleges? </p>
<p>On the same note, let me ask something hypothetically. If you were really interested in something like mythology for a while and you didn't do necessarily hours of research on it but spent lots of your time looking it up, is it something you can use? I'd appreciate any info, personal experience, or advice. Thanks!</p>
<p>To show your interest in violin, singing, do you do recitals? And drawing/writing, start a portfolio of your work that you saved in the past and work that you will do until app. deadline. If you're interested in mythology, you should perhaps take a class? I'm interested in science (I'm not like an exceptional USABO, USACO national winner, Siemens finalist type great person) but I do take extra science classes and volunteered. I think you should perhaps do something like that as well. Enter an art show or take classes...</p>
<p>Write your essay about how you're using your art to find out who you are. You haven't found out yet but the journey's fun.</p>
<p>for me I couldn't really do anything for art. I could have made slides on stuff from class but my schools weren't interested. I never got a whole portfolio and I never won any art awards. I just really enjoy art, and it has to be just for me.</p>
<p>I did however write down the fact that I take piano lessons even though I never competed or did hardcore stuff. I just participated in the studio's years recital all through high school and practiced (and I didn't even write that anywhere in the app). I put this in the "extra information" part of the Common App.</p>