This is one possibility for my main common application essay. I picked "Topic of your choice." I don't know if it tells enough about me or has adequate meaning though. Please comment on content, grammar, style, structure, etc. I appreciate all help! Thank you!
Grocery Shopping
"Mom, this box is feeling awfully light. Please stop eating the Trix. Trix are for kids! Wait, is that Trix in Munchkin's food bowl? C'mon, we are going to run out!"
Most people are not possessive of cereal, but most people can just go to the store and buy another box.
Can grocery shopping be considered a hobby? My dad scouts out the daily coupons and goes grocery store hopping for hours picking out all the hot specials. My dad has enforced an austerity budget for the last five years or so. This budget entails that my family only buys groceries buy one get one free and we must save more than we spend. This can be a pain because the process is time consuming and, a lot of times, not surprisingly, the less desirable brands and foods are on sale. My dad usually comes home feeling accomplished. He will pull out the items one by one with a smile on his face like he just won the lottery. I guess he wants a similar reaction from me, but some of the products he brings home are unacceptable. I hate going downstairs to get breakfast and seeing a box of Great Grains. I might as well be eating the grains off a stalk.
Whenever "good food" is on sale, my dad buys in bulk. If one were to walk into our kitchen and open up a side cabinet, he would see twenty jars of peanut butter, 16 boxes of cherry pop tarts, and 12 bottles of apple juice. I don't really know what to say when my friends come over and want a snack. There is not much option, but when they see the bulk, they certainly think it's odd.
Every once in a while, Publix will support a deal that sells $50 shell gas cards for $40 if a customer spends $25 on Publix groceries. However, each customer is limited to one gift card. So, in order to stock up 20% off gas cards, my dad forces my entire family (six people) to go to Publix with him. We all are assigned different carts and groceries. We all separately check out with $25 of groceries and the shell card. So, generally, the Hendrix family only pays 80% of the regular gas price. Recently, he found out that the shell cards are unlimited per customer. All the secrecy that we were not together probably gave the staff a laugh.
My family makes fun of my dad for his grocery shopping craze. Last Christmas, I got my dad a Publix gift card. I do not completely support his relationship with Publix, but I have come to accept it. Despite an occasional bad meal, my dad has taught me a lot about spending and saving. Frugality is a good thing if not extreme. I never waste food and I think twice before sharing with my dog. More importantly, I don't buy things I don't need and I don't overspend on items I can find cheaper. I am looking forward to college because the meal plan is mandatory during freshman year at most schools, and I am sure there will at least be tasty cereal.
If you want to keep this topic, I think with a little work, it could be inspiring.
First, why does your father insist on buying things on sale in spite of the terrible food that his family will have to endure? You should make that clear. If it is because of a monetary issue, like if your family can't afford regular priced food, then this essay would be great to talk about your poor economic situation and how you still manage to thrive academically and in your community.
If it is not because of that reason, then it would be a bit harder to make this essay work. The reason is because his hobby doesn't really have anything to do with you except that you have to eat bad food. Reacting badly to Great Grains doesn't really say much about your personality or your values.
Good luck though!
It would be great if you could look at my essay too!
