Undergraduate / UMich - School of Music, Theatre & Dance [2]

Comments and Criticism Welcome!

School of Music, Theatre & Dance: As you prepare to pursue a career in music, theatre or dance, what are your thoughts on the relationship between the arts and today's society? How relevant has your art been to your community and to you?

As I sit here pondering my response to this essay, I find it increasingly difficult to come up with a definition for "The Arts". I type out single words - Love, Ambition, Jealousy, Revenge, Passion, Treachery - unable to piece them into a coherent sentence. And then I think, "What if that's what it's all about? What if this abstract concept lacks classification?" The Arts have a different meaning to everyone, but that's what makes them so wonderful! Without the Arts, society would lose something that keeps it pushing through every day.

Art, particularly theatre, offers entertainment, enjoyment, and most importantly: an escape - not only to the artist, but also to the audience. When I am on stage, it is as if the outside world is a dark blur on the other side of the lights. It does not exist. I am able to leave behind all the worldly concerns and focus on something beautiful. I look out at the audience and see people, who seemed as though they had not a single pleasant thought as they entered, sitting there, smiling and laughing as I recite a Shakespearean monologue, probably completely clueless as to what I'm saying, but simply enjoying the show. Every now and then, we need a break from reality. How dull would the world be if we were not able to escape it sometimes?

Since the beginning of time, art has been used to enhance life, struggles, stories, traditions, etc. Art imitates life. Art is aesthetic and a great way for one to look at things, perhaps everyday ordinary, and appreciate them. This appreciations makes the Arts a vital part of today's society.

- Anna-Sophie

Undergraduate / Culture Essay - U of M [3]

"We know that diversity makes us a better university -- better for learning, for teaching, and for conducting research."
(U-M President Mary Sue Coleman)
Share an experience through which you have gained respect for intellectual, social, or cultural differences. Comment on how your personal experiences and achievements would contribute to the diversity of the University of Michigan.

Does my essay correctly address the prompt? Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

A hint of sweet cinnamon lingered in the air as I sat at the kitchen table playing Scrabble with my aunt Christine. My Oma was baking - like always. Sneakily, the neighbor's cat had found its way into the kitchen where it wound around the legs of the table. Outside, the sounds of bike bells rang all through the town - school was out. Later, Opa and I would go to the apple orchard to pick apples so Oma could make her scrumptious apple marmalade, and I would drive Opa's tractor while he brought the cows in for the night. This was my home in Germany and the place where I had grown up.

Nine years later, I found a new home, practically on the other side of the world-Georgia, US. Here, we did not ride bikes to school, tend to cows, or drive tractors. Entertainment was found in going to the see the latest flick at the movies or laser-tagging. We conversed about the latest celebrity gossip and the hottest news about "who-likes-who." When I went to the local park, I heard sounds and honks from cars whizzing along on the nearby freeway. Anywhere one went, an orchestra of various sounds was never far away.

While the lifestyles and cultures of these two places differ, together they have taught me a valuable lesson: Never fear venturing out to explore new places and learn about different cultures. One never knows what treasures might be unearthed.