Undergraduate /
"Curiosity Didn't Kill Me" - Critique on Common App Essay [6]
Hey guys, I'm new here. My essay was actually a project for English class, my school suggests that all senior teachers use the beginning of the year to help students out with their college essays. My teacher asked that we be specific and include which school we would like to attend, hence the reason why I specified a school in the concluding paragraph. Please excuse that, and critique my essay, thank you!
P.S.-I was trying to steer away from the whole "struggle" and "hey, look I've changed" type essays, lol. I wanted to give the admissions officer a "break" and give 'em a good laugh, while at the same time telling them something not much people know about me. Well...here goes.
Curiosity Didn't Kill MeAll I did was press the button. As a child, I was too young to play outside, so as usual I was set in front of the television. My mom was talking on a corded phone so she was stationed in the dining room, dad was at work, and I...well, I was just sitting, in front of the television that at the time was "hi-tech". It had vivid colors, a wooden laminate finish and amongst its other features, a "big, shiny button". So, as any other child would do, I pushed it. Who would have thought the entire thing, was going to slide and fall on me?
According to my mom, I wasn't crying, I didn't even shed a tear, which was surprising, because I happened to be a professional crybaby. Of all the reactions my mom expected upon rescuing me, the most unexpected happened. I actually smiled, then giggled. Who knows? That accident was probably what sparked my extreme interest for technology.
I have always been the curious type. Computers, gadgets, devices and doo dads, seemed to be a part of another realm of curiosity that just needed to be explored. I refused to accept the common "cool, it's magic" mindset children my age had. I knew it was way more than just magic; there was something inside the smooth and sleek plastic casing of a computer that happened to be its inner workings. I seized the first opportunity that came my way, hoping it'll quench my curiosity. My dad's laptop stopped working due to some hardware issues, which of course meant it was useless, well to him. To me it meant the beginning of a beautiful adventure. It also meant that I got to salvage some parts from my dad's laptop to use in my non-working MacBook. As an avid "DIY-er" (do it yourself-er) projects like this wasn't difficult. I tend to be a handy person.
I started work late at night to make sure no one would be able to bother me. Quickly, I assembled my tools and got to work. I carefully took out the screws and placed them in their spots on a diagram I drew of the laptop earlier. As I took off the casing, I beheld all that was inside. I observed the hard drive; the two ram sticks, the CD drive, heat sink and fan, and last but definitely not least, the motherboard. Instantly, I fell in love. Since then I have been taking apart laptops and other devices. Fixing laptops has actually become one of my hobbies.
Curiosity has been the fuel for many of my other hobbies and adventures. As a school that is recognized for being research-intensive, University at Buffalo is the perfect school for me. My curiosity is the fuel that drives me towards wanting to learn more which in turn leads me to my own research I disguise as adventures. I believe University at Buffalo holds many adventures waiting for me to explore.
