Young writers often feel as if they have nothing to say to the world. But they do.
You do, too.
In your short 17 or so years on Planet Earth you have already experienced people and events that have molded your image, touched you to the core, or have changed your life.
If you try to deny this, then answer this question--are you anything remotely like the helpless, crawling, bawling, slobbering infant that lay in the crib? Someone encouraged you to walk, talk, and close your mouth when you ate your food. Someone, and some key events in your life, that undoubtedly involved other people, helped you to become the miracle merging of body and soul that is you.
Bet you never thought about it that way. After completing this assignment, maybe you'll understand this idea a little bit better.
Choose one of the five Common App essay prompts and respond in 250 words or more here at Schoolsville. Consider your response a warm-up to your final 650 word essay that you'll hand in to me and maybe even submit to the Common App people:
*Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
*Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
*Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
* Discuss a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
*Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, which marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
In sharing your experience here, you'll be participating in bettering the human race. That's right. You'll be educating the entire world community here at Schoolsville, a world that could stand to learn that no two people, let alone races, religions, or nations, are exactly alike. The world can learn from your story, or at least begin to develop some much needed emotions of empathy or sympathy. Wouldn't you be interested in reading about how some Iraqi teen, his country ravaged by foreign and civil wars, responds to the same writing prompt that you've just been given? Would his paper help you to understand his hopelessness, his fear, his distrust of foreigners?
OK, I'm only pretending that the existence of Schoolsville, or the completion of your personal essay paper, is vital to the future of the human race. But the point of my exaggeration is this: reading what others have to say is important, whether they live on the other side of the globe or in the neighboring cul-de-sac. Understanding them might help us to decide if we want to invade their country or invite them to our Labor Day barbecue.
Communication with others is the first "baby step" in learning how to get along. If we can't "walk in someone's shoes," then at least we should be willing to slip on someone's sandals and wiggle our toes for a spell. We just might learn that everyone in the world is not wearing the same 9 1/2 B's.
Respond here before Friday, Sept. 5. I will post your responses for everyone to read early Friday morning. The final written revised product is due Sept. 11.
To get some ideas, you may review the comments given by former seniors by visiting the archived posts (see August 2012 and August 2013)for this same assignment.
