Don’t lose steam! You’re almost there!
Q: Most of my essays are done, but I’m procrastinating on the last few. I can’t recycle something I’ve already written; I’m stuck.
A: It’s not uncommon for students to lose steam at the end of the college application process, especially when they’ve got some of the more challenging prompts left to go. Stanford’s roommate question? U Chicago? Why us?
Rather than spinning your wheels, take a step back. In my many years of working with students on the often-stressful college application process, I’ve found that some really great essays appear when a student says, “The heck with it. I’m going to have some fun with this.”
Why does this work? A student is stuck for a reason, and most often, that is because they are trying too hard. They want their essay to be unique, compelling, descriptive, witty, relatable. Amidst all of that mind-chatter, they lose their voice and don’t really know what they are writing or why they are writing it.
As a reader, you can tell when a student has had fun with the essay. And oftentimes, these pieces of writing are witty, relatable, unique, and compelling — but not forced.
So open a new document, queue up your favorite playlist, and have a little fun.