<p>I’ve written my 2 short answer/essay things for Princetons application supplement, but I was really confused as to what they wanted or how I was supposed to write. A short description, or like a very compacted essay??</p>
<p>These are mine, they’re a bit long, but what do you think? Any other random comments or critiques would be great too.</p>
<p>1) Destinys apartment has burned down twice in the last year and both her parents have cancer. She has nightmares of fires. Zachary was abused by his parents for years and lives with one adult- his grandma. He stutters horribly. Stephanie and her four sisters were adopted six months ago. Four months later her sister died suddenly. Jose and his two gang member brothers live with their mother-who is never at home. Since he could walk, Jose has taken care of himself entirely. Jose has the most innocent, mischievous, and brightest smile I have ever seen.
This isnt an inner-city group for troubled children, it is the low-level reading class for my district. I came into the program excited to help children discover the world of reading that entranced me in second grade. I expected to help students devour the works of L. Frank Baum as I had. Our first day of class, however, destroyed my illusions.<br>
C-A-T spells what?
Silence.
E-R makes what sound?
Confusion.
In their world it is enough of a miracle to come to school at all. Reading takes the backseat when compared to the daily issues these children face. Its not fair. Why cant these kids have what I have, know what I know? Why cant they be children?<br>
My literary crusade I came fired up with is waiting patiently for right now. Because Jose just brilliantly rhymed three different words with sat.</p>
<p>2) The most worn and dog-eared book I own is an old copy of the Joy of Cooking. There is a page in this book that falls open on its own and is stained with a collage of various ingredients. The page has a recipe on it, and although I have long since memorized the words, I still feel a need to open the cookbook to make the process real.
Sift ¾ cup flour. My earliest memories include my dad patiently helping me cook, and congratulating me on my (his) newest concoction. Resift with ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. soda, and 2 tbsp. sugar. These days I can legitimately claim credit for dishes, but my dads words remain with me: A kitchen is like a book. A perfect one has never been loved. Beat 2 eggs. I do manage to keep some cookbooks pristine; I can happily pass several hours perusing Barnes and Nobles baking section without damaging them enough to pay for them. Add and beat ½ cup milk, ½ cup water, and ½ tsp. vanilla. Those very same baking books were the foundations of my juvenile 1st place science fair project dealing with the chemistry inherent in creating fudge. Combine the ingredients. Some peoples idea of science deals with textbooks and equations, but cooking has forever been my favorite way to make sense of it all. Heat and grease a 5-inch skillet. A chaotic world suddenly doesnt seem so hopelessly confusing when a jumble of ingredients are sloshed together, and instead of a sticky mess, out comes a delicious, complex organic compound. Pour 2 tbsp. of batter. Cooking in my kitchen is my time of peace. Cook lightly and flip. Cooking crepes for my family in the golden hours of a Sunday morning each week is one kind of perfection. Serve with sugar.</p>