Hi everyone! So this is my common app essay. im thinking about putting it under topic of choice maybe? im not sure if it fits the other prompts though. what do you guys think? i just wrote it too so i need grammar check and a way to shorten it please thank you!
Hello! I want you to be happy.
My mother told me that when I was born, I did not scream and cry in pain like all those babies do on television, I was a peaceful baby who cried smiling. So I guess that means I was born happy right?
When I was small, I took delight in drawing smiley faces all over my walls. I was completely frightened of those "evil" sad faces, and always cried when my mom or dad gave me a dirty look or when my baby brothers mutilated my cheerful faces to sad faces on my walls. Whenever I cried or felt dejected, I would avoid looking at myself in the mirror because I would be terrified to see myself in despair. Since childhood, I cherished smiles and laughter. My favorite Disney song was "Everybody has a Laughing Place" and my favorite place was of course, the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland. I often had nightmares about the grouchy Scrooge finding me in the blissful theme park.
My penchant for happiness further developed as I grew older. While I was able to experience more blissful moments like friendly social gatherings, I also learned to brave and understand those vestiges of unhappiness that sometimes plague my peers. As a child, I assumed those frowns and tears on people's faces were poison to humanity, but now I understand that in some situations (funerals) frowns and tears are necessary to relieve negative, self-inflicting emotions. But at the same time, I do not believe too much anguish and detrimental perturbations are desirable for mankind. To help minimize and prevent an expansion of these undesirables locally (I will work my way up to universally), I commenced, not too long ago, a "Be Happy" campaign. Similar to the Free Hug Campaign where participants hold up signs offering "Free Hugs," I hold up signs (usually my school folders) that encourage people to "Be Happy." Some may fancy the idea childish, but all I care is that it helps me fulfill my mission: encouraging people to smile and feel that someone in the world wants them to be happy.
It all started in high school, freshmen year. With my ever-present smile, I was walking down a hallway when I saw a girl weeping behind a classroom door. Curious and taken aback, I approached her.
"What's wrong?" I amiably asked, still wearing my unfaltering smile. I loved talking to strangers.
The girl looked up, surprised I was addressing her. "I failed a Pre-Calculus test! I have no chance of getting into college now."
"Aww I'm sure it was not that bad! Do you want to talk about it? I have a few minutes before my class starts." She nodded. As I sat down next to her, I noticed on the floor a lonely white board with a dry-erase marker, as if the two were waiting for someone to use them. Suddenly I thought of an idea. With the marker in hand, I drew a happy face and wrote "Be Happy" on the white board. Yes I know, that was a random thing to do, but I am a random person sometimes. What mattered was that it made her smile.
"Aww that's cute," she laughed, and then we talked about my spontaneity. When I had to get to class she was beaming and said, "Thank you Chan Chuan! I feel happy now."
After that successful outcome, every time I come across a person crying in the hallways over a test or a sour relationship, I draw them a happy picture: a smiley face, a cartoon, a Christmas tree, even a Pokémon. I wrote my message to "Be Happy" on a piece of paper, a tissue, a folder, a hand, a paper lunch bag, even an apple once! Some thought I was crazy, but I did not care. So far, I always got what I wanted - their smiles and laughter.
Right now, my campaign may have only affected a small amount of unhappy people, but I am determined to expand. Now, I carry my hand-made "Be Happy" folders around wherever I go, and show it to homeless people, unhappy businessmen, crying children, stressed mothers, and basically everybody who wears a frown. Who knows, maybe one day I will garner the same kind of attention as Juan Mann, the man who launched the Free Hug Campaign, and have my campaign in a music video seen by the whole world. Or maybe I can think of my own creative way to increase awareness for my campaign. As for now I'm working on it one person at a time, so I hope my essay inspires you to feel joyful too. If not, "Be Happy" and smile.
Hello! I want you to be happy.
My mother told me that when I was born, I did not scream and cry in pain like all those babies do on television, I was a peaceful baby who cried smiling. So I guess that means I was born happy right?
When I was small, I took delight in drawing smiley faces all over my walls. I was completely frightened of those "evil" sad faces, and always cried when my mom or dad gave me a dirty look or when my baby brothers mutilated my cheerful faces to sad faces on my walls. Whenever I cried or felt dejected, I would avoid looking at myself in the mirror because I would be terrified to see myself in despair. Since childhood, I cherished smiles and laughter. My favorite Disney song was "Everybody has a Laughing Place" and my favorite place was of course, the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland. I often had nightmares about the grouchy Scrooge finding me in the blissful theme park.
My penchant for happiness further developed as I grew older. While I was able to experience more blissful moments like friendly social gatherings, I also learned to brave and understand those vestiges of unhappiness that sometimes plague my peers. As a child, I assumed those frowns and tears on people's faces were poison to humanity, but now I understand that in some situations (funerals) frowns and tears are necessary to relieve negative, self-inflicting emotions. But at the same time, I do not believe too much anguish and detrimental perturbations are desirable for mankind. To help minimize and prevent an expansion of these undesirables locally (I will work my way up to universally), I commenced, not too long ago, a "Be Happy" campaign. Similar to the Free Hug Campaign where participants hold up signs offering "Free Hugs," I hold up signs (usually my school folders) that encourage people to "Be Happy." Some may fancy the idea childish, but all I care is that it helps me fulfill my mission: encouraging people to smile and feel that someone in the world wants them to be happy.
It all started in high school, freshmen year. With my ever-present smile, I was walking down a hallway when I saw a girl weeping behind a classroom door. Curious and taken aback, I approached her.
"What's wrong?" I amiably asked, still wearing my unfaltering smile. I loved talking to strangers.
The girl looked up, surprised I was addressing her. "I failed a Pre-Calculus test! I have no chance of getting into college now."
"Aww I'm sure it was not that bad! Do you want to talk about it? I have a few minutes before my class starts." She nodded. As I sat down next to her, I noticed on the floor a lonely white board with a dry-erase marker, as if the two were waiting for someone to use them. Suddenly I thought of an idea. With the marker in hand, I drew a happy face and wrote "Be Happy" on the white board. Yes I know, that was a random thing to do, but I am a random person sometimes. What mattered was that it made her smile.
"Aww that's cute," she laughed, and then we talked about my spontaneity. When I had to get to class she was beaming and said, "Thank you Chan Chuan! I feel happy now."
After that successful outcome, every time I come across a person crying in the hallways over a test or a sour relationship, I draw them a happy picture: a smiley face, a cartoon, a Christmas tree, even a Pokémon. I wrote my message to "Be Happy" on a piece of paper, a tissue, a folder, a hand, a paper lunch bag, even an apple once! Some thought I was crazy, but I did not care. So far, I always got what I wanted - their smiles and laughter.
Right now, my campaign may have only affected a small amount of unhappy people, but I am determined to expand. Now, I carry my hand-made "Be Happy" folders around wherever I go, and show it to homeless people, unhappy businessmen, crying children, stressed mothers, and basically everybody who wears a frown. Who knows, maybe one day I will garner the same kind of attention as Juan Mann, the man who launched the Free Hug Campaign, and have my campaign in a music video seen by the whole world. Or maybe I can think of my own creative way to increase awareness for my campaign. As for now I'm working on it one person at a time, so I hope my essay inspires you to feel joyful too. If not, "Be Happy" and smile.