Undergraduate / Common App Essay for Middlebury, American, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Dickinson!! [2]

I really want another opinion on my paper. I plan to use it for the common app and I really wanted to use it for my UNC-Chapel Hill long essay but its only 400 words and it needs to be 500. Any ideas??

Common app topic of my choice. It's basically about something I'm not good at

がんばってください! (Do Your Best)

Most teenagers see driving as a right of passage --- something to look forward to, but not me. Driving has always been and still is a struggle for me. The first time I drove a car was when I was fifteen years old. I can clearly remember the look of apprehension on the driving instructor's face when I told him I had never been behind the wheel of a car before. As for me, I had no idea how I was supposed to maneuver a two ton metal giant through busy streets and roadways.

This fear of driving caused me to think about whether or not I really needed to learn how to drive. I mean, what's the big deal if I can't drive an automobile? As I reflect on my friends and family who drive, I ask -- how has driving changed their lives?

I remember my mother telling me stories about my grandmother's challenges with learning how to drive. You see, my grandmother Yukie, was a Japanese war bride who married my grandfather Leon, when his army platoon was stationed in Japan following World War II. They married and migrated to the United States in 1955. My grandmother did not learn to drive until almost twenty years later. She struggled with learning to read and comprehend a new language and driving rules. My mom told me that my grandmother not only translated driving rules into Japanese, but also read the driving rules books every day. She took the written test six times before she finally passed; she passed the driving test on the second try. My grandmother was determined to do whatever it took to pass the tests. For her, it meant independence; she would not have to rely on anyone for transportation.

I've seen my friends get their licenses and how their lives have changed too. They are more independent now. Sometimes I get to be independent with them when they give me rides. Now I understand why teenagers want to drive so much. Being able to drive can be a liberating experience.

When I feel like giving up, I think about my grandmother's determination, my friends' new found freedom, and the prospect of not taking the bus with noisy classmates. I've realized that driving is a privilege not a right, and if I want my license I'm going to have to work for it.

Undergraduate / Occidental Supplement: Why Oxy, Interests, Book, Habit [5]

Occidental Supplement
2. Why Oxy?

Since there are thousands of colleges to choose from, when I first started my college search during my junior year I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. However, as I began to narrow down my options, I realized exactly what it was I wanted from a college. Occidental College embodies the things I look for in a school. Occidental has great programs, a diverse student body, and a sense of community. As a smaller liberal arts school, Oxy has a tighter knit group of students than that at a larger university, a community I would enjoy being a part of. It location in Los Angeles almost guarantees a diverse student body and college experience. Oxy also offers unique programs such as Oxy at the United Nations, and my dream is to one day work for the United Nations.

3. Choose a book you have read in the last year and clarify its effect

Reading has always been one of my favorite pastimes. I often find myself reading multiple books outside of school. I enjoy the feeling I experience when I discover another world outside of my own. On my bookshelf you can find anything from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen to The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice. As a result, my shelves are overflowing with books; I continue to recycle them.

One of the more meaningful books I've read this year was Candide by Voltaire. Candide is French for optimism and coincidentally, the name of the main character. What I like most about Candide is how easy he is to relate to. Throughout the novel he experiences unfortunate event after unfortunate event and slowly becomes disillusioned with his life. He rejects his initial philosophy of "everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds", and instead adopts the philosophy "We must cultivate our garden". The phrase "We must cultivate our garden" is something I understand. So many people spend their lives trying to do the impossible, or looking for some hidden meaning instead of just looking at what's in front of them. From Candide I have learned that "our garden" is our potential as human beings and we must strive to be the best we can be.

4. What are your current intellectual or academic curiosities?

The subtleties of human speech have always captivated me. I've often times wondered how much more interesting life would be if I could understand everyone from all parts of the globe. Growing up in Southern California, I was surrounded by many people from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds. I enjoyed learning about the cultures and languages of my friends whether they came from Bosnia or Indonesia. My love of languages is one of the reasons why I have chosen to pursue a major in International Relations.

5. Identify and describe a personal habit--of any nature- that best describes you.
My bedroom is from all outward appearances normal; it contains the typical bed, bookshelf, and a nightstand. However my desk is anything but normal. Aside from the normal clutter, it's covered with sticky notes and torn pieces of paper. To anyone else these pieces of paper might look like junk, but to me they all hold a meaning. Whenever I get an idea or learn something new, big or small, I have to write it down. (Not really sure what else to do...)