Metacognition: College Essays

A popular college essay prompt seems to be along the lines of “What matters to you?” or “What is something our university should definitely know about you?” In all honesty, I've been struggling with college essays, especially the self-reflective kind.

For one of U of I’s essays, I had to write about how my past has impacted my decisions about my future. Initially I had a lot of trouble figuring out what to write about. I really woke up one day and decided I would major in business and fashion...there wasn't a specific part of my past that has been the indicator of that. I didn't grow up drawing clothing I created in my mind, and I never thought I would want to be a business major. I had always had the impression that those business people were the boring ones...all serious and stuff...

And that was until I actually started to look into it. I realized that I could find ways to connect my artsy self into a field that, at first glance, can sound unexciting.  

A lot of qualities that a business major needs—discipline, motivation, the ability to persist in long term goals—were things that I have learned through my background in piano. Once I finally came to terms with this, I realized that I had my essay.

Blogging Around

In Eva's blog, she compared our lives here in Glenview with the lives of children in the brothels:

I really agree with your thoughts on this. If I were to stereotype North shore suburban kids, I would say that we take a lot of things for granted. Not true for everyone, but definitely accurate in a lot of people. We complain every day about having to go to school, when the kids in the brothels would do anything to be allowed to get an education. We complain about our parents who “nag” us to work harder and harder, while the parents of kids in the brothels pull them out of school, which is basically unheard of around here.

In Malcolm's blog, he talked about how creativity is important in many aspects of someone's life:

My two brothers are pretty much video game addicts...and also two of the most uninspired people I know, SO I definitely see the point that "The Creativity Crisis" makes in my own life. I also get where you're coming from when you said that you need creativity as a musician. Having original and innovative ideas is essential to composing and making your own music.