<p>Hey! I’m applying to Yale RD and I have just finished my rough draft of the Yale Supplement essay. The essay asks you to expand on the short answer from the common app about your most meaningful activity. Will anyone please tell me how this sounds and if there are any mistakes? Thanks in advance!</p>
<pre><code>The chalk box: a place where the most confidential of secrets and the deepest of emotions are shared with the best of friends. Many of the most vivid memories I have of my gymnastics career revolve around the asylum of the chalk box. There, I have beheld laughter, anger, determination, fear, and even tears on the faces of my teammates. I remember a day when I was little and my friends and I turned ourselves into chalk ghosts. With chalk all over our faces and arms, we ran around the gym pretending to scare anyone we came across. Although we were severely reprimanded for this action, it stands out to me more clearly than most of the other memories I have of gymnastics.
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<p>The chalk box is a cherished constant in my gymnastics activities. It has been at every practice and meet in which I have been a participant. It has witnessed every success and every failure I have undergone in the gym. Every time I have overcome anxiety, pressure, and uncertainty in order to master a new skill, it has been there cheering me on. For fourteen years, it has been my devoted companion, providing me with a place to soothe my nerves and to focus on the tasks I must complete. </p>
<p>During my first day as a high school gymnast, I accidentally knocked over the chalk box while running my laps around the gym, which caused the contents to fly everywhere, filling the area with a gagging, malodorous haze. Ever since that day, the chalk box has been the center of attention for all of my teammates. Around that box, we are able to truly open up to each other. We encourage those who are having a bad day, we set the goals we wish to achieve throughout the year, we gossip about events at school, we share secrets, and, in general, we lift each other up to a higher level than we ever could be on our own. </p>
<p>Looking back at the years I have spent in gymnastics, I remember so many emotions, both good and bad, that it is impossible to truly convey them in an essay. How can one express the feelings involved with finally achieving a skill she has worked so hard to master for years to one who has never gone through the experience before? Even more, how can one portray the devastation and agony of losing that skill? Words simply are not and never will be enough. All I can say is that I am genuinely grateful for my experiences in gymnastics. I would not trade them for anything. I honestly feel that gymnastics has been the most influential activity in my life. It has taught me more than just the sport; it has taught me determination, patience, to learn from my mistakes, and to enjoy life. Gymnastics will always be a part of my life, whether I am a gymnast, a coach, or a supportive parent. In the years to come, whenever I see a simple little chalk box, I will forever be reminded of the profound impact gymnastics has had on my life.</p>