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I am a 17-year-old girl trying to figure the world out as she goes - common app essay



thelatecomer 1 / -  
Jan 31, 2025   #1
This is my common app essay it was done last min it cause I didn't really have anything to write about lol. Please let me know what i can do to improve it!

Most people have "A" story to tell, a defining moment that shapes the person they are. Writing about challenges they overcame, passions they discovered, or lessons they learned. But me? I don't. No earth-shattering moment. No life-changing event. I am a 17-year-old girl trying to figure the world out as she goes but everyone around her seems to have it all planned out.

Everywhere I go I am met with questions like "What are you doing after high school?" "What is your major?" "What is your future career?" "Where do you see yourself in the next couple years?" by my friends, family, and people I don't even know like that. I played along, pretending I had it all figured out, but in reality, my eyes were scooping the room for the nearest exit. The truth is... I don't know yet and honestly, I'm not sure if I'm ready to know. What if I don't want to grow up just yet? I just want to live in the moment a little bit longer.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm still that 12-year-old girl who had just stepped foot in America for the first time with my family, leaving our world in Nigeria. It feels like yesterday, doesn't it? One second, I was trying to adjust to the change and make new friends to replace the ones I left and the next second the whole world went on lockdown. My life was interrupted in a way that was out of my control. Then suddenly, human interactions became a luxury. I remember sitting at my desk in my room staring at my laptop screen struggling to follow along in Zoom class while fighting sleep. Basketball was the one thing that made me feel like I belonged. My team was my new home, but that was gone too. After all the time I spent convincing myself to get through that year everything would just click right into place at its own time but instead, life throws a curveball at me. I found myself still trying to make sense of it all while others seemed to have moved on.

For a long time, I thought that because I didn't have that big, unique, dramatic story, I was on the wrong path and falling behind. Everyone seemed to have an accomplishment, a calling, or a passion. But not me. But not having a "defining" moment doesn't mean I am lost but it is the beginning of "A" story and I have the opportunity and freedom to explore.

I am starting to realize that my life is not defined by one big event but by the small ones that shaped me in a way I never noticed before. Like when I push myself to be more present and try new things even when they make me uncomfortable. It is also those times where quietly in a classroom, listening to my peers talk about their clear goals and plans, and I remind myself I don't have to have everything figured out already. I have learned to step back from wanting to "catch up" and having everything figured out and simply letting myself enjoy the moment. Being patient with myself and letting go of the pressure has taught me that growth is not about big moments but it is about trusting myself even when the future feels uncertain.

There are still times when I catch myself comparing my journey to those around me, wondering if I should have everything figured out by now. But I have learned to put my faith in my God and embrace the unknown instead of fearing it. So maybe I don't have "A" story yet. Maybe my story isn't written in bold, dramatic chapters. But I'm okay with that. I'm writing my own story, one step at a time, and for now, that's enough for me.

Holt  Educational Consultant - / 15539  
Jan 31, 2025   #2
Are you by any chance writing about a topic of your own creation? That is the only reason I can think of regarding the writing style that you used. It is definitely freestyling the story and making it up as you go along. So, the story you have written is relaxed and actually focused on telling your story. Yes, there is a story being told here. It is light and not really focused on a single mindset, which makes it good since you are trying to depict yourself as someone who is still trying to find his way in the academic world. I am just worried that this discussion might conflict with the other prompts that focus on the major you have chosen for college. Is there a chance of that happening? If so, then you have to revise the essay to better align with your previous essay discussions.


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