Most Important Event

plundertime · 11-21-2006, 09:48 PM

If you are posed the question "What is the most important event in your life blah blah blah" and you can only really think of one thing, but it didn't really happen to you, should you write about it?

Example, if you learn that a parent has, oh say, cancer. Can you write about this without sounding completely sick for using your parents illness? It seems a little pathetic to me, but honestly, not much else has happened to me, and this one was sort of a biggie.

Karl Marks · 11-21-2006, 10:24 PM

Maybe you could write an essay about how having a parent w/ cancer has affected you (emotionally, added responsibilities, etc.)? That might work. Try not to mention that you suffered....just how you helped your parent, etc, maybe how that shows your character?

plundertime · 11-22-2006, 08:07 AM

The only tricky thing is introducing the topic, ya know?

Side note: So the sentence "I have suffered more than anyone my age" is out. Darn, that was my opener.

Chedva · 11-22-2006, 08:19 AM

plundertime, are you saying that your parent didn't have cancer? And you're just hypothesizing about how you would react to it? If that's so, DO NOT write that essay. First, unless you are an amazing fiction writer, most readers will be able to tell that it's not true. This is particularly true of admissions folks, who have read a lot of essays about the problem from kids who have actually faced it. Second, you have to verify on your application that what you've submitted, including your essay, is true. Using a situation that hasn't happened is unethical and if discovered could have you kicked out of any school that accepted you.

plundertime · 11-22-2006, 02:31 PM

No, my mom has Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma; sort of like leukemia. Anyways, I'm not that great of a writer and it really WOULD be sick if I wrote that sort of an essay. >_<

sweetdream · 11-22-2006, 02:46 PM

why don't you write about it in a positive way. Try to be optimistic about it. Show the reader how tough it was to find out your parent has cancer but you manage to cope with it. Also you become more mature or something.

plundertime · 11-22-2006, 05:15 PM

I sort of did what you said; I appreciate the feedback. I have a rough draft if anyone wants me to PM it to them.

bannana_girl · 11-22-2006, 06:21 PM

sure pm it

anurodh · 11-22-2006, 08:04 PM

pm me
i'll read it