"My Life as a Midwestern Belle" - Emerson College Supplement

3) Much of the work that students do at Emerson College is a form of storytelling. If you were to write the story of your life until now, what would you title it? Why?

Ranch Dressing, Tornados and Pickup Trucks: My Life as a Midwestern Belle.

When asked where I am from, I usually mumble something under my breath, hoping to change the subject before the blaring truth is revealed: I'm a Midwesterner. Growing up as a young lady in the Midwest was not an easy task and certainly may be compared to the upbringing of a southern belle, relying on heavy makeup, a strong stomach, and a sense of humor. I spent my typical Midwestern childhood smothering everything edible in ranch dressing (though today I can hardly stand the taste), dreading tornado sirens, and learning the etiquette required by my friendly fellow Midwesterners ("Yes mam," "No, sir," and always a "I would like seconds of your casserole, please.") Meanwhile, Saturday nights were spent driving a pickup truck too fast down back roads, living for the moment without a care. Although I may not always be proud of where I come from, there's no denying my small Missouri hometown has molded me into the person I am today: a bright-eyed girl longing for a fast-paced life with the ability to stop and smell the roses. These experiences have earned my life the title of Ranch Dressing, Tornados and Pickup Trucks: My Life as a Midwestern Belle.

-Amiria Harper-Rose, 2009

it's a good essay, but not a great story.
this provides a very generic situation of your life, but


the prompt especially ask you to tell the story of your life, which you cover, but not in the right form.

I'd suggest you going about 1 story that had a special effect on you, and move on to talk about its impact and how that made you realize who you are. this way, you actually show the school that you can tell a story.

but it might just be me... your essay in itself is well written and has a lot of personal info, but the structure might not be what the school's looking for.

yang
Totally agreed. Good essay, but not a good story.

You mentioned that Saturday nights were spent driving a pickup truck too fast down back roads, living for the moment without a care. which I think could be a typical thing in Midwest, how about start the essay with one specific Saturday night, illustrate the special things you did, and your thoughts about them? Some conversations, descriptions of the landscape, the your psycho activities.

Hope this is helpful.

Good Luck.^__^

haha, love it

I think it would be AMAZING and I would LOVE to see an edit with allusions to the two famous songs in there, the time as old as rhyme or the opening song. I would say a step beyond that would be amazing where you make the whole thing a song but it should still say something about you. it would be gutsy but some people would love it some won't. I'd say a liberal arts school like Emerson would love it and I think it would be really clever if you could fit the original meter and rhyme scheme.

yea, that would be something amazing...but still not story telling, unless the song's a story.

it's good to be creative, but the boundaries of the prompt still exist.