Georgia Tech Long Essay:
Prompt: What is the best advice you ever received, and did you follow it? (5,000 character limit, including punctuation and spaces)
Through my short life, there was one piece of advice that kept reoccurring: "be Harsh." I endlessly heard this throughout the course of my adolescent life from various people that had come to know me. If it was one piece of advice that I have continually followed, it was this one, and doing so has been a determining factor in the person that I have become. The integral meaning of "being Harsh" can be derived from the most simplistic and overlooked and piece of advice that we have all heard a million times, and that is to be yourself. Eventually, I came to terms with what that piece of advice meant, and I embraced it. I was myself; I was Harsh Tiwari.
I've been Harsh all my life. My parents, being from India didn't know much about the English language, and took it upon themselves to find the most fitting name for me: Harsh, which can be derived from the Hindi word for happiness. Coincidently, the world harsh in the English language is used to describe unpleasant severity, and this definition became a surprisingly large obstacle in helping me discover my identity. Overcoming this obstacle became a major factor in helping me recognize my character. I often got frustrated with people emphasizing my every action that wasn't amiable as harsh. I felt out of place and unaccepted, regardless of my attempts to fit in. I always complained to my parents about my name, and there was always that one piece of advice they would give me: "be yourself; be Harsh." I continued to nag about how being Harsh was a bad thing, and that I didn't want this name. It took me several years to fully comprehend the advice of my parents, and eventually I finally understood the value of my name. "Be yourself" was the one piece of advice that had the most monumental effect on my character.
Most people have never met a boy named Harsh, and they found it surprisingly unusual. When I was young, my parents always told me that I should help people to the best of my ability, regardless of my situation. Growing up, I aspired to be just that, generous and helpful in any way I could. Over the years, as people got to know me, there was one reoccurring theme I noticed amongst my peers, that they had come to appreciate the essence of who I was. As I have matured, I discovered the triumph that was my name. Overcoming the negative stereotype of my name has defined me as the person I am today, someone my peers appreciate and trust.
By simply following the advice of my parents, I have changed what it means to "be Harsh." I have learned to embrace my name, and so have my peers. Today, my peers use my name as a characteristic of what I aspire to be, generous and helpful. Now, whenever someone acts generous, according to my peers, they are "Harsh," the opposite of the adjective harsh.
Here is what I have so far. It is currently 2,779 characters long. I want to add more about how my qualities can contribute to Georgia Tech. I want to make the essay a bit longer, around 3,500 chracters. Any suggestions?
Also, is 3,500 characters a good length for this essay?
Throughout my short life, there was one piece of advice that kept reoccurring: ...
The integral meaning of "being Harsh" can be derived from the most simplistic and overlooked and piece of advice that we have all ...
My parents, being from India, didn't know much about the English language, and took it upon themselves to find the most...
Coincidentally , the word harsh in the English language is used to describe unpleasant severity, and this definition became a surprisingly large obstacle in helping me discover my identity.
As I have matured, I've discovered the triumph that was my name.
:)
