<p>In grade ten, I had a freak injury...long story short, the doctors took a year to figure out what was wrong and for a while, I was wheelchair bound. My marks were terrible that year because I was tired all the time, plus I kept missing class to see specialists. In grade 11, even though I was out of the wheelchair, my marks rose but still weren't great as I struggled with psychological effects of the injury. </p>
<p>I'm writing about how joining a mostly-male hockey league (I'm female) helped me get over my mental problems. I'm almost done the essay, but I just realized that the whole recovering-from-a-sport-injury thing is possibly the ultimate cliche. Do you think I'm fine with this essay, or should I change it to something more original?</p>
<p>This doesn't strike me as cliched (as a sprained ankle might be). More important, the essay provides information that's crucial for the adcoms to have as they evaluate your application. Good luck!</p>
<p>It's not the topic, it's what you do with the topic.</p>
<p>If you make the essay personal, detailed, honest and revealing, then the essay won't be cliched.</p>
<p>If you put together a number of platitudes, generally known thoughts that don't apply (ideally) uniquely to you, then the essay will be cliched.</p>
<p>Write your unique personality and your essay won't be cliched.</p>
<p>I don't think it would be cliched at all. Just make sure the essay reveals who you are, and make it so that the essay doesn't apply to every other individual but is uniquely yours.</p>
<p>Just make sure it's not one of those "Oh I was so depressed and my soul struggled in the depths of despair, but a glorious light somehow suddenly made me this optimistic individual that really deserves to go to your school." THAT is cliche. Write what nobody who hasn't been wheelchair-bound like you were can write about.</p>