<p>I am having an impossible time writing a good commonapp essay. Maybe I have too high expectations for myself, maybe I have led a completely uninteresting life, but whenever I try to write an essay I always reach a point where I have no idea what to say. I also have been having writer’s block the past week: I just think “This essay will determine my future” and I can’t be satisfied with anything. It is also a very stressful experience whenever I realize I have no idea what to write.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any suggestions? I am starting to freak out about this, and I really want to finish the four essays I need by November 1. Has anyone else encountered a similar problem?</p>
<p>EDIT: I meant meltdown for the title. I don’t even know what a melton is. xD</p>
<p>Do you have a passion?
Someone that has changed the direction of your life?
What about a small thing you find comfort in?
Can you imagine your room and point out one thing that says something about you?
Your life can’t be that uninteresting. Imagine a public transportation bus. You could write an entire novel on each seat, each handlebar.</p>
<p>High expectations are frighteningly difficult to meet. Just remember that even the best writers in the world heavily revise their works before they are even mildly satisfied with each sentence. Flaubert spent ten years on Madame Bovary! </p>
<p>You always have chances to revise, rewrite, and edit… so take a deep breath and begin telling your story.</p>
<p>I found it helpful to take bits of my life and write them down in sticky notes. If the general subject could not fit in a note, it was too big, too unfocused. Once I had one general idea, I would say, “what does this say about me? what else can I connect this to? What would make this a desirable trait or personality a college would want?”</p>
<p>Once I finish a good enough draft, I show it to someone who knows me well and ask “Does this sound like me? Did you learn something new about me?”</p>
<p>If the answer is yes to both, you’ve done your job :D</p>
<p>Rather off topic, but when I read ‘melton’ I knew it was supposed to be ‘meltdown’ but I thought of those bakers’ candy melts used for decoration :D</p>
<p>ViTong4, you have no idea how much you helped me. Though I don’t actually have an idea yet, I really like the sticky note idea. I think I will just go through all the random knick knacks and think how I came to have them. Hopefully, something cohesive will come up. I think I will also post your whole message onto a digital sticky note on my computer for inspiration (in the least creepy way possible).</p>
<p>I wish you luck in your college journey as well. 
Melton just reminded me of fondue in general, but the baker idea is yummy too.</p>