Undergraduate / Do not eat meat, dairy, or by-products ;University of Delaware - Truth or Dare Essay [4]

Hi! My application is due on Jan 15th and I was hoping someone could critique my writing! There is no word limit and I don't want my essay to be to wordy or boring. I appreciate any criticism!

PROMPT:
b. Truth or- Dare. Have you ever accepted a dare from another individual? What was it? Regardless of the outcome, how did you feel after? Do tell.

Do not eat meat, dairy, or by-products for an entire year. Sounds simple, right? Well you are wrong. It could easily be one of the most difficult and disciplined things I have ever done, and as the stubborn person that I am, I could not possible back down from it. I had been recently thinking about going vegan, meaning that I cannot eat eggs, meats, or any other food with animal ingredients in it. Once I brought up the idea of actually going through with it, my brother had thought of making it a dare instead. As an added incentive, if I held a vegan diet for an entire year without cheating, my brother would give me $200; if I fell through, I would have to buy him a new, and expensive, mouse for his computer. My mom and I researched the vegan diet and bought all the food and supplements that I would need to stay healthy. The hardest part of starting was getting rid of all the food I could no longer eat. Telling people was a close second. I dreaded having to explain to everyone why I was going vegan and having to hear their questions; "Why?", "How?", and "You are crazy" are the most common responses I got. Eating at other people's houses and restaurants suddenly became a large headache. I tried new things like tofu, mock meats, and edamame. While some tasted better than others, I always tried new things and expanded my palate. In the same time it took to get easier, things suddenly took a turn and got way harder than before. As much as I complained and whined, I really enjoyed the process and learned some new things along the way. I saw how my actions affected my family, friends, and myself. I learned to appreciate things that I had once overlooked. For four months and 7 days, I was officially a vegan. While I didn't complete the dare, I feel like I still came out a winner; trying to adapt to a new diet and maintain a crazy schedule is no easy feat. Plus, I still have not bought that mouse for my brother.

Undergraduate / Jillian. Jillybear. Jillybean.; Texas A&M/ Person - influence [5]

This essay is for Texas A&M. I wrote about my niece Jillian. I would really appreciate it if i could get some help on my essay (don't be afraid to point out every error). I don't want to make it sound too cheesy. Thanks!

The question asks (no word limit):
Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

Jillian. Jillybear. Jillybean. Her infectious smile reaches from ear to ear. Soft, curly locks of her hair are matted to her head, as she has just woken up. It's only nine in the morning and she is already asking for milk and fruit snacks. She asks for her purple hair bow to match her purple onesie. I begged for a hug and her tiny arms reached around my shoulders while she said "Yes, Andy". This special little girl, who is not even two, is my niece Jillian. Less than two feet tall and she has already had a great impact on my life, teaching me things that no adult could.

I remember when I would be holding her and she would just throw herself backwards, knowing that someone was there to make sure she did not fall. Her head would be hanging back and she would laugh; we all would. The way she would go up to our dog, with no fear on her face, made me envy the courageousness this little girl had. No chair was too tall to be climbed, no body of water was too deep to go into, and no fall was large enough to stop her. Seeing her act so carefree and taking risks, despite the fact that she was only a couple of months old, influenced me in my own life. If a small child had the ability to take these risks, then I could have the ability to take risks too. Before Jillian, I was cautious, picking and choosing which risks were worth taking. Since she has been in my life, every risk is worth taking.

The summer we took our family vacation to Aruba, Jillian had grown a personality, started walking, and could not stop talking. We were walking down a strip of restaurants when we could faintly hear music. Jillian paused, taking in the local and unique music. Suddenly, she started dancing; when I mean dancing, I mean full on, knee-popping dancing. People on the sides of the walkway stopped, people in restaurants gazed from behind the glass, and my family was taken over by a fit of giggles. She waved as people walked by, saying hello and blowing kisses to everyone. She captured the hearts of everyone nearby. I admired her bravery and enthusiasm, wishing I had at least half of her confidence. In that sole moment, I realized that I needed to let loose. I wanted to join Jillian and enjoy every moment of life. Ever since, I started to care less about who is watching and started caring about enjoying myself instead.

The amount of knowledge that children are able to teach is truly amazing: love, sympathy, eagerness, and so much more. Jillian has taught me innumerable life lessons in the short two years of her life. Through her actions, I learn new lessons, applying them to myself and hoping to become a better person. Jillian may never know how much she has changed me as a person, but because she has, I am so grateful that I have her in my life. I know that as she gets older, she will teach me new things, new lessons in life that are worth learning about.