Undergraduate / Last Minute Common App Essay - "my band" [2]

Looking back at my life I can honestly say that I have truly grown and matured immensely throughout the years. Growing up as a kid I had never really developed a strong social personality that I have now. To say the least I used to be very shy and lacked the self-confidence required to express myself in front of my peers. Overcoming my shyness was one of the most important challenges in my life and also one of the major steps towards my personal development. In order to achieve this goal I needed some sort of instrument or outlet to aid me in overcoming this obstacle. In this case my outlet was music.

On my thirteenth birthday my parents had gotten me a guitar for my birthday. At first I was skeptical for I had never touched a musical instrument in my life but after strumming a few random notes I began to pick up the instrument that was rather unfamiliar to me pretty quickly. Soon enough I learned how to read tablature and began to play popular songs that were being aired on the radio. What had started out as a simple hobby began to transition into a passion.

Eventually I decided to form a band with one of my close friends from school. After having many jam sessions together we decided to play at our school's battle of the bands. When the night of the show had finally arrived I became so nervous that I began to stutter. Once I got up on stage with my guitar strapped around my neck my nerves suddenly calmed down as I started to play the first few notes of the song. It felt as if I were a whole new person as I had successfully overcome my shyness in front of a live audience. I figured that at the time I was able to feel comfortable expressing myself because I was doing something that I loved to do. At the end of the night my band ended up winning second place but more importantly I had transformed myself into a confident young man.

Undergraduate / 'programs, clubs, and opportunities' Boston University Supplement [2]

Please leave any comments on any grammatical errors or ways in which I can improve my writing. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

Prompt: Students consider many different factors when applying to college. Briefly discuss who or what influenced your decision to apply to Boston University - 2000 characters

All my life I have lived in a small town located in central New Jersey with a population of approximately fourteen thousand people. Everyday I wake up to the same routine, stopping at the same stop signs, driving passed the same traffic lights, and seeing the same faces of people walking by on the streets. By the time the end of my junior year arrived, the college search process had begun. Immediately I knew I wanted to apply to a college located in a large city with an exciting atmosphere. Boston University was the right place for me. As I stepped out of my car and onto Bay State Road I knew exactly that I wanted to be in the city of Boston but was not sure at first if BU would be the right fit for me. About two hours later after attending the information session and terrier tour my heart was set on becoming a student of Boston University. After learning more about BU I was astonished by all the different programs, clubs, and opportunities that were offered at the university. Right away what had grabbed my attention was the opportunity to double major and study abroad in an immense program containing twenty two countries around the world. As a Chinese American I would love to be able to spend a semester learning more about my own culture and studying language in Beijing, China. While attending BU, I would also enjoy participating in clubs such as the Boston University Snowboard Team for which I have developed a passion for snowboarding and competition. As a potential incoming freshman I was also very interested in the FYSOP program in which I could take part in serving the community as well as making new friends before the start of the school year. What defines Boston University from the many other colleges in the area is the culturally diverse environment that surrounds the campus. Just by exploring the facilities of BU I can tell that this university will be able to offer me an experience of a lifetime. I can picture myself now at the annual beanpot tournament cheering on the Terriers in a thrilling face off against their long time rivals. Most importantly Boston University will provide me with the preparation and resources needed to succeed in the world after graduating. For these reasons I can honestly say that BU is the perfect setting for me to develop as an individual and to discover opportunities that will assist me in the future.