So I’ve been writing the essay, but struggling to figure out if it’s supposed to be just a story, a message or both! cause i don’t understand how it can be both. I wrote this one on cooking and my experience, but it doesn’t really reveal anything about me. Help!!
So the answer is both, if you can do it. To unite both, think to yourself: what message do I want to get across? What is my philosophy or lesson that I learned?
Maybe you learned in cooking that precision matters, but making mistakes has value too. That’s your message. In a tradcitional essay, that would be your first line or perhaps last line of your first paragraph: your topic sentence.
In story, you use your story to show this, rather than tell it.
Usually people show their main character (MC) going through the realization that underscores the message. That means at the beginning of the story, the MC will have one idea, one goal: maybe it’s be precise.
You say: The measuring cups sat before me in rigid order. The measuring spoons neatly stood at attention nearby. Baking is chemistry. I would be precise. That’s the only way to get results.
See how that short paragraph emphasizes the mindset of the MC withouth telling you? Rigid and into precision.
Then you show your MC going through baking. Probably something happens. Like: she accidentally spills half of the pumpkin pie filling on the floor on the way to the oven. She has no choice but to bake the half-filled pie.
What is the result? Maybe here then you show her taking out her pie. the filling not juicy enough or whatever.
SHOW HER CHANGE IN ATTITUDE: despite my love of precision, I had no choice but to serve it as is. I did give it extra ice cream though.
My friends took I bite. I nervously pretended everything was okay, waiting for their reactions. “What a delicious tart” someone said.
Tart? Oh! Tart! I had not made a pie, but a tart. Tarts are okay.
NOW BRING THE MESSAGE HOME: Precision is great for as far as it goes, but sometimes accidents lead to invention. This time, a pumpkin tart for Thanksgiving.
Just remember, this is for admissions, try to show attributes relevant to the admit review.
Thank you so much ! @Dustyfeathers and @lookingforward.
That was some wonderful advice, and thank you for taking the time to write it so beautifully!
Have a great day!