<p>I told myself I’d finish all of my college essays before school started. Here I am now, a week away from my senior year, with no more than a tiny list of ideas on the back of an envelope. I feel so boring! I’ve had virtually no obstacles to overcome; I’m very lucky.
Anyway, I’d appreciate your advice concerning a topic for the common app essay. I’ve had a few ideas, but nothing’s really sparked or seemed just right:
a) Names – I have a unique nickname that I go by, and I also have a secret obsession with names. I thought this would be original and personal at first, but I’m having a hard time connecting it all together.
b) Fictional Character – I’ve considered writing about Jack and Annie from the Magic Tree House children’s series and how those books have influenced my various passions and love of learning. Too cutesy?
c) Ages – Very broad, and I’m not sure how to tie everything together nicely. I was going to talk about my Peter-Panism and also my experiences working with both little kids and the elderly…
d) Toll Road – My family travels back and forth to a city an hour away where most of my relatives live a couple times each month. I was going to talk about the comfort and familiarity of that stretch of road, and the experiences on either end that shaped my childhood. My mom hated this idea and said I might not want to draw attention to the fact that I’m from Indiana… :P</p>
<p>Thanks so much for any direction. I think I’ll be able to write decently once I choose a topic – this is the hard part!</p>