5 answers
R
Student
1
Question
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Do I change my college essay topic or continue on?
I am in the process of writing my college essay on how the seeing the death of my dog (accidently ran over by a family member) affected me, how I wasn't able to grieve because I was too worried about the individual, and how seeing everything has impacted me with the overall lesson being that I realized how little I appreciated those around me and the time I was spending with them. I have since researched and seen that this is considered "something I shouldn't write about" as it is a pet story. My question to you all is should I continue with this topic or change it to something else?
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5 answers
Snehil Tiwari
Management Consultant
1
Answer
Little Rock, Arkansas
Updated
Snehil’s Answer
Hi there,
Though it may be a relatively common topic or one that's discouraged, it sounds like this is an experience that deeply impacted your perspective and personal growth as an individual, and thus, has the potential to tell your story. I would recommend ensuring the essay to be more centered around you--your learnings, impact, growth, perspective you would bring to college, etc.--than the actual event. How a message is delivered often has more impact or matters more than the message itself.
Sending best wishes!
Though it may be a relatively common topic or one that's discouraged, it sounds like this is an experience that deeply impacted your perspective and personal growth as an individual, and thus, has the potential to tell your story. I would recommend ensuring the essay to be more centered around you--your learnings, impact, growth, perspective you would bring to college, etc.--than the actual event. How a message is delivered often has more impact or matters more than the message itself.
Sending best wishes!
Thank you so much!
R
Ganesh Subramaniam
Technology Architect / Senior Manager
9
Answers
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Ganesh’s Answer
Hello R,
I wholeheartedly urge you to pursue this path. The advice against "Pet Stories" might have originated from narratives focusing solely on the affection for a pet or the pain of its absence. However, your story is distinct; it revolves around your concealed sorrow, your battle to accept the situation, and your growth in forgiving the individual responsible for your distress.
I firmly believe that when we fail to forgive those who have caused us pain, we inflict more harm upon ourselves. Since punishing the person involved might not be feasible or desirable, the optimal solution is to acknowledge the unintentional nature of their actions and move forward, thereby relieving yourself of self-imposed punishment.
Regarding the essay itself, you have two compelling options. You could focus on your personal journey, detailing how this incident influenced you and led to your emotional growth. Alternatively, you could draw comparisons between this incident and the current global political climate. Regardless of the approach you choose, it's always more impactful to write an essay that is personally significant to you, even if there are suggestions to avoid such topics.
I wholeheartedly urge you to pursue this path. The advice against "Pet Stories" might have originated from narratives focusing solely on the affection for a pet or the pain of its absence. However, your story is distinct; it revolves around your concealed sorrow, your battle to accept the situation, and your growth in forgiving the individual responsible for your distress.
I firmly believe that when we fail to forgive those who have caused us pain, we inflict more harm upon ourselves. Since punishing the person involved might not be feasible or desirable, the optimal solution is to acknowledge the unintentional nature of their actions and move forward, thereby relieving yourself of self-imposed punishment.
Regarding the essay itself, you have two compelling options. You could focus on your personal journey, detailing how this incident influenced you and led to your emotional growth. Alternatively, you could draw comparisons between this incident and the current global political climate. Regardless of the approach you choose, it's always more impactful to write an essay that is personally significant to you, even if there are suggestions to avoid such topics.
Atul Bhankharia
Sales
477
Answers
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Updated
Atul’s Answer
What is the fundamental aim of crafting an essay? It's to express one's fervor or to share personal experiences and the knowledge gained from them. For example, my son, during his MBA studies, penned an essay about his eight-day fasting journey, surviving solely on water. He detailed the internal conflict he faced and the self-determination he developed in the process.
He learned to empathize with those who experience hunger yet lack the means to obtain food. His essay also highlighted the strengthening of his willpower through this experience, which he believed equipped him for his future professional life.
The outcome was astounding. His professor and peers found it hard to believe that he had undergone such an experience at the tender age of 13. Consequently, he garnered the respect and admiration of his entire class and professor.
He learned to empathize with those who experience hunger yet lack the means to obtain food. His essay also highlighted the strengthening of his willpower through this experience, which he believed equipped him for his future professional life.
The outcome was astounding. His professor and peers found it hard to believe that he had undergone such an experience at the tender age of 13. Consequently, he garnered the respect and admiration of his entire class and professor.
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6342
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Yes R
You can write about it. This shows you have come to an understanding which brings you to forgiveness and acceptance of what has happened.
There reason that I say this is: there is a God. We should be able to forgive like He does. The act was not deliberate. There is no mistake man can make that God cannot rectify. We have learnt a lot from near-death-experiences. And not even a leaf falls to the ground without The Creator knowing! People have had near-death-experiences, gone to the other side and seen their deceased pets! Even a neurosurgeon died in an operative procedure and had an NDE! Consciousness survives!
You can write about it. This shows you have come to an understanding which brings you to forgiveness and acceptance of what has happened.
There reason that I say this is: there is a God. We should be able to forgive like He does. The act was not deliberate. There is no mistake man can make that God cannot rectify. We have learnt a lot from near-death-experiences. And not even a leaf falls to the ground without The Creator knowing! People have had near-death-experiences, gone to the other side and seen their deceased pets! Even a neurosurgeon died in an operative procedure and had an NDE! Consciousness survives!
Thank you so much!
R
Job Hall
Real Estate Manager
125
Answers
Reno, Nevada
Updated
Job’s Answer
The story you are writing is actually about you realizing the importance of spending quality time with those that are important to you and the realization that all living things are only around for a limited time. You now are aware of the importance of making the most of the time you spend with other living things.
I would not focus on how the dog died, I would focus on your lesson of your realization that you need to make the most out of your interactions with living things.
That is a major sign of becoming more emotionally aware and mature. It is empathy for others emotions and some people never attain that ability and level of emotional awareness.
You are looking at it incorrectly, please think about my prospective. I am heavily educated and a very successful trial attorney.
I need to be able to read juries emotional responses to what is taking place in the trial and use that to prove my case u£
sing questions and statements that the jurors will emotionally relate to.
I think the essay written probably would show an emotionally aware young person who is far ahead of most people in the emotional development cycle.
It would show them you are aware of others emotions and are learning how to better interact, and understand others point of view is defined as empathy. That is major personal growth.
Good luck
I would not focus on how the dog died, I would focus on your lesson of your realization that you need to make the most out of your interactions with living things.
That is a major sign of becoming more emotionally aware and mature. It is empathy for others emotions and some people never attain that ability and level of emotional awareness.
You are looking at it incorrectly, please think about my prospective. I am heavily educated and a very successful trial attorney.
I need to be able to read juries emotional responses to what is taking place in the trial and use that to prove my case u£
sing questions and statements that the jurors will emotionally relate to.
I think the essay written probably would show an emotionally aware young person who is far ahead of most people in the emotional development cycle.
It would show them you are aware of others emotions and are learning how to better interact, and understand others point of view is defined as empathy. That is major personal growth.
Good luck
Thank you, this is really helpful.
R