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"Why a pinecone?" - Best piece of advice you've ever received, and why? Brown


ztn123 3 / 5  
Dec 31, 2010   #1
First, I would like to say that this is an elaboration of something that is mentioned in my common app. I will provide the paragraph:As I pick up the last couple of pieces that sit on my floor, I come across a pinecone. At first, this might seem bizarre but to me, it makes sense. This pinecone was given to me to represent the simple idea that one can find uniqueness in the most uncommon of places. A pinecone, at first glance, is a simple, ordinary, natural object. Looking deeper into its layers though, I see its beauty, grace, strength and marvel at its ability to provide the seed for new life.

Now, I need to make sure my essay makes sense! Also do you think the first part of the essay works? I know it's different. I appreciate the help!! I will comment back! Also, the word count is 532 and needs to be 500! Any trimming?!

Now, in December, a person could spot four pinecones in my room:

#1-the proprietor to my pinecone "ideology." Location found: backyard, Chicago, IL. Date found: Early July.

#2-a surprise waiting in my room. Location found: unknown. Date found: first day of August.

#3-a gift from my aunt as an anecdote to my belief. Location found: top of Oldrag mountain, Washington, VA. Date found: Thanksgiving.

#4-a lonely, juvenile pinecone found while buying a Christmas tree. Location found: Chicago, IL. Date found: Mid-December.

To those who do not understand my obsession with pinecones, it's a difficult idea to explain. Usually, when I try, my friends chuckle. Do not get me wrong, if they were not in my position at the time this whole pinecone idea came about, I would probably be chuckling too. Yet, I don't. I just let it roll off my shoulders and realize that although I may be the only one to understand, it is still the most tangible, real, live, 3-dimensional, piece of advice I've ever been given.

It was the first week in July. I sat at home, around the dinner table, just my parents and me. For the past three-weeks, I was an only child, a feeling I am extremely unfamiliar with. Aside from those rare weeks, I am the oldest of three. I have two younger sisters and to them, the college process is unmarked territory-a system they think they understand, but truly do not. Without them at the dinner table, the college conversation seemed inevitable. I stared down at my plate and waited.

"Zoe, have you thought about when you're going to start your applications?"

There it was, the question I had dreaded. I felt as if I was being probed. I understood that parents were allowed to be concerned and involved, but it was summer and I had weeks until I had to truly worry about the applications, and my energy was more focused on my excitement for the upcoming three-weeks where I would be taking a psychology course at Brown as a part of the "Summer@Brown" program.

I did not want to completely ignore the question and just as I was about to answer I was interrupted.

"I think what you need to do is focus on your time at Brown," my dad began to say, "if you have time, to take away from your studies there, find a calming place and just start writing. For example, you could find yourself sitting on the green and right next to you is a pinecone, just start writing about that pinecone..."

I wrinkled my brow. A pinceone?

"Why a pinecone? Well, it is the first thing that popped to mind, but consequently it is an object that many people do not acknowledge. See, if you look closely at a pinecone it is something truly amazing: it's made up of a number of layers, all of which can lead to a deeper meaning."

At first the idea sounded extremely bizarre, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I figured that my dad's imagination wandered into unreached galaxies because he is a photographer therefore, looking deeper into something was part of the job.
vermonter11 2 / 3  
Jan 4, 2011   #2
Interesting approach! I like it, but 2 things. 1. Isn't 'pine cone' two words? (I know, this kills the word count). and 2. I think it ends a little abruptly. We don't need to know why your dad thought of the pine cone, we need to know why it's important to you.

p.s. I saw you're applying to Bates, ME tOO!


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