Are service trips a huge "NO" as a Common App essay topic?

<p>@intparent‌ I forgot how she related it to herself, but it was personal. I remember thinking it was amazing. She got into many top schools with it.</p>

<p>I went on a service trip in Africa, although I am a first generation student with
parents born in a different African country. I was going to relate an experience on my service trip, without going in depth about the trip, to my cultural identity. </p>