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UC Prompt 1: "Living Online"; world you come from


rianhawaiian 4 / 17  
Nov 28, 2013   #1
1. Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

The world I come from is hosted online. I grew up in a society where we cannot help but glance at the panels of our smartphones and laptops; a society where companies like Google want to provide Third World countries with access to the Internet before food and water. My world has been there for me ever since I could read and has helped me foster my interests and develop entirely new ones. I'm not ashamed to say that I've met people online whose friendship I value even more than those in my real life.

If it were not for the advent of the World Wide Web, I don't think I'd love half the things I do right now. The Internet has always been my number one tool for discovery and has led me to find a trove of diamonds in the rough. My eclectic tastes in music, ranging from indie-pop to trip hop to the spoken word and back, can be attributed to the many music sharing sites available online. When my mum brought home a dusty old piano one day for my grandmother, I didn't hesitate to search "teach myself piano" and promptly try to play and sing along to my favorite songs right away. Needless to say, my failed first attempt only led me to push myself harder, teach myself the basics, and try not to butcher the songs of my musical idols. Though I'm not a concert pianist in the least, it makes me wonder if I'd even be able to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" today without the internet and its seemingly infinite supply of knowledge only a click away.

My own lifelong interested only expanded the deeper I entrenched myself into the cyber world. Reading was, has been, and always will be a great love of mine. I never begrudged the activity for taking up hours of my childhood and reveled in consuming the stories great writers before me had written. It isn't a surprise that I took to the romantic idea of being a writer in my early teen years. The horribly tacky and clichéd poetry I eagerly wrote eventually grew and developed into short stories and not-so-bad poems as I exposed myself to the classics and lesser known works of other would-be writers online. The biggest step I took in the literary world was taking on the task of penning my first novel, Watching Rian Keller, in November 2012 as part of National Novel Writing Month. The Internet connected me to the NaNoWriMo community where I made friends with other aspiring writers, supporting each other in our endeavors. The entire experience of NaNoWriMo left me feeling more content and proud of myself than ever.

But of course, I'm not viewing my screen through rosy-eyed glasses. I know that the Internet isn't all success stories and warm feelings. My world has taught me that there will always be those who still stop at nothing to hurt you, discourage you, and bring you down. My novel and other works took the brunt of hate from flamers and trolls when I published them publically online for some reviews. Although the majority of comments were endearing and supportive, some sought to weaken my morale. By weathering these comments and taking them in stride, I've come to realize that, although my home away from home isn't perfect, I wouldn't give it up for anything. The Internet helped me find a community I could fit into and taught me to explore the things I love.
Kondite - / 44 9  
Nov 28, 2013   #2
One error that I found was "mum." I would be safe and change it into American english: "mom." Overall, your essay seems to be free of any grammatical errors. Your essay flows very smoothly and answers the question beautifully. It's unique and bold to write about your "community." Good luck on your application!
OP rianhawaiian 4 / 17  
Nov 28, 2013   #3
Thanks. I'm really conflicted though, lol, because some other people have said the internet is a terrible topic. :/
Kondite - / 44 9  
Nov 28, 2013   #4
Yeah, internet is a risky topic. In the beginning of your essay, I sensed that you were one of the many anti-social hermits that apply but as I continued to read further, your passions for writing showed. Depending on the admission officer, some will view this negatively and others will view this positively. Maybe deleting this sentence (I'm not ashamed to say that I've met people online whose friendship I value even more than those in my real life.) would be a safer route.


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