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"Goose bumps" - Stanford Intellectual Vitality essay


zdmw911 9 / 32  
Dec 6, 2010   #1
Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.

(199/250 words)

Don't you love the feeling of goose bumps? Goose bumps, or piloerections to be pedantic, arise from strong emotions or experiences, whether it be fear, awe, nostalgia, adrenaline rushes or music. Why on earth does our body decide to erect our body hairs when we are overcome with strong emotion? What functional purpose does it serve when we're frightened? The simple answer is that there is none; it is just a redundancy in human physiology much like the appendix, the residue of evolution. In the past, mammals had long hairs to not just to maintain body temperature, but also as a self-defense mechanism; when they felt threatened, the erected hairs on their body to make them appear larger and more intimidating to the aggressor. Evidently, you don't see anyone nowadays erecting their hairs to make them appear more intimidating since our hair is just too short. Besides, people nowadays would find extended hair more disturbing than intimidating. In several hundred years, the redundant piloerections may cease to exist in humans. Now, when the chorus of Pink Floyd's "Us and Them" sends waves of goose bumps from head to toe, I can't help but think about Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
nishabala 4 / 91  
Dec 6, 2010   #2
I'm gonna be honest. It's well written, and an interesting idea, but it reads like a science journal entry and not a personal experience. So, maybe (and I don't know if this is what you want or eve whether it will work) you could start with talking about your curiosity instead of mentioning it only at the end. I'm only afraid it's forgettable.

Then again, if the other essays are very personal, it may be worth your while to send in purely scientific essay. Your call!
Hope I helped!
Kiraw - / 10  
Dec 6, 2010   #3
I would have to agree with Nisha that it is not quite personal enough. I am working on the same essay right now and am struggling to work my personal experiences into it too. I like your idea, I would focus less though on animals/evolution and more on why goosebumps are so fascinating to you. How do you express your fascination? Do you like to feel them as you brush your hand over your arm, do you to (this sounds weird) photograph them? I hope you get what I'm trying to say.

Anyhow, I would really appreciate it if you would take a look at my essay for this prompt. I actually have two that I am trying to decide on for. One is more personal than the other, but I feel that the "less personal" one is more well written. Thanks and good luck!!


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