Undergraduate / The bitter notes were made honeyed again; Yale Common Ap [6]

For the Common Application for Yale, they are asking me this daunting task: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (1000 character maximum). This is my reaction--> O_O

Normally, I am confident in my writing abilities, but this is the school I desire the most to attend. Should I even use this short response or do I convert it into a personal essay? Can anyone give me advice about my response to this question?It would be greatly appreciated :D

It was collecting dust. It looked as though nobody had played it from the time when the great musicians themselves were breathing. It lay untouched for two years after my mother's heart attack, forgotten by world. I hauled the dilapidated red satin-covered piano bench, emitting a groan of protest from the added weight. On the music stand above, scattered composition sheets of Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, and the ever brilliant Pandolfi, now yellowed over time, were spread out, waiting to be read. Their jet black notes appeared like minute insects, their limbs pirouetting across the worn pages and scurrying en route for the double-barred ending.

As I ran my fingers alongside the keys lightly, a coating of dust began to become ingrained into the impressions of my tips. The plated ivory of the keys was hewed from the higher register, leaving the wooden stubs naked under the harsh glare of the lamp. The entire piano itself was of a dark arboreal shade, with the grain showing prominently in the foreground.

It has been a while. I placed my hands in the form of a familiar chord, and press down mightily. The soft sound of strings slackened by time echoed across the room, notes brushing against the white walls like a lover's caress. The piercing resonance of strings rang through the course of my bones. The tune washed over me, soothing my soul. The bitter notes were made honeyed again, concealed by the discordance of sound. The world outside seemed to fade away at that moment. I was at peace once more.

So....any questions, comments, or complaints?

Undergraduate / Hailing from the most southern tip of Texas ; Why Yale? [8]

Okay, so this question has thrown me a curve ball. There are many reasons why. TOO many. I also don't want to sound generic and boring. Can anyone help me?

Hailing from the most southern tip of Texas and ten minutes away from the Mexican border, the Valley's, as it affectionately called (though it is a flat than my grandmother's feet), cultural diversity is less than zero. Growing up, I have always longed to experience a different environment, become absorb into another culture and Yale's location in New Haven, the cultural epicenter of Connecticut, will allow me experience that.

Undergraduate / I believe in art/ YALE / Something you need to tell us [5]

Okay, so in the Yale supplement, they are asking me this question: "In this second essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application-or on something that you would like to say more about. We ask that you limit your essay to fewer than 500 words. Before you begin, we encourageyou to go to"

I need help deciding which essay to choose.

I believe in art.
It is not merely for decoration. Rather, it is a visual, a concrete idea, belief, or tangible feelings that break barriers and open doors.
Art has power beyond comprehension.
It can start controversies, sway public opinion, and demolish governments with a flick of a brush. Paintings can communicate beyond the obstacles of language and speak straight to the viewer's soul.

Art is individualism at its finest.
Every work, every sculpture, painting, drawing, and photograph is a representation of not only the artist's beliefs, but also their emotions, ideas, thoughts, and personality. Artists dip their brushes in their own soul, and paint their nature into their pictures. These pieces of art is a reflection of the artist themselves, making it unique just the like every individual walking on this grand earth.

Art is on the border of what is obvious and illustrious toward what is enigmatic and obscured.
It takes on various shapes and forms that individuals are familiar with, but adds a twist that morphs it into something new and exciting. And for that brief moment staring at the artwork, one can look at the world as the artist does, see their vision.

Art is not a thing; it is a way of living.
As an artist, I found great solace in photography and painting, losing myself in the hues of shocking reds and canary yellows and forgetting the realm outside the smell of paint and paper. I found I could convey things with colors and figures that I could say no any other way, things I had no words for. Without art, the primitiveness of reality would make the world intolerable.

OR

A little girl of three, stumbling over her red, glittering shoes, propped her head on the windowsill to peek at a world full of wonders and opportunities. Her nimble fingers pushed the five rows of blinds down in order to see outside. Everything was new and she wanted to touch it, taste it, be a part of this bright world that was beyond the blinds.

At the age of ten, she gazed through the blinds once again with a faint smile. She could see more from this perspective than she had in the past. The world was dimmer, washed out from her mother's neglect and her father's abandonment. She could not see the sunny days of her toddler years, but she saw something on the horizon, a glimmer of hope, a promise of something remarkable.

Eight years passed, and she could see a third of the window now. Her heart fluttered at the thought of the future. She saw herself with a diploma, becoming the first high school graduate in her family, her grandmother encouraging her on to new adventures, new academic prospects. She could envision herself as a graphic designer, crafting great works of art that touched people of all walks of life.

Today, she knows she will grow older, become wiser, and broaden her cultural horizon as the years pass.
Foreseeing my future, planning my path of excellence, seeking a world full of possibilities, I stand now confident, no longer a timid adolescence gripping the blinds, but instead, an ambitious young woman eager to burst through the window and into the unknown.

So which one? Or should I just write another essay?

Undergraduate / City life/ Architecture/ Diverse culture; How UChicago satisfy my desires [5]

Okay, I am majorily freaking out right now. I was going to apply to U of C but then I my computer crashed and ALL of my work got deleted!!! THE HORROR! Anyways, needless to say, I missed their application deadline. (Thus, making me combust, rise from my ashes and then sob uncontrollably in a corner with a tub of ice cream.) But then a MIRACLE OCCURED! They extended my deadline to the 10th of January!!!! Now I am currently sobbing with happiness, but I only have a little bit of time to turn in their application. I need advice on this.

Question 1. How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago

My answer:

I do not recall my first word or my years in primary school, yet I remember the feel of wax crayons in my hands and the smell of finger paint in the stagnant air. I cannot tell you where I lived seven years ago or when I learned how to swim, but I can vividly describe the first painting I gazed at and how at that moment, I fell in love with the ambiguous concept called art. As years blended, art has always been at the forefront of my happiest moments in life. Maybe it was fate, maybe it circumstance or maybe it was something bigger than me that I began to consider art as a serious career. Whatever the case, I decided to pursue my love of the Fine Arts with fiery ambition.

Choosing the University of Chicago to possible become my home, in my ideology, is the perfect decision. Situated in a city that possesses such inimitable architecture and diverse cultures will broaden both my intellectual and more importantly, artistic horizon. At UChicago, I have the opportunity to expand and hone my skills and put my talents and knowledge into practice. For me, nothing can be compared to that thrilling experience.

Should I add more or is less more????? They did not give me a word limit and IDK what is appropriate!!! Help me!