College Essay Challenge...

10/24/2013

Bonjour mes amis!

If I had to do it all over again...which...I'm not saying I want to...but, if I HAD to...

I don't think I'd be dreading writing those College Essays as much as High School kids do today!  I think I've matured.  I think I can carry a few paragraphs to a level of moderate interest, and I think I have much better subject material to work with nowadays...

courtesy of google images

I happen to have a son who is a Senior in High School right now.  He's slowly plugging away at his College Applications, and more importantly, the Essays.  I was convinced that one of the Essays would be a "piece of cake" for him!

Listen to this Topic...
"Describe a circumstance, obstacle or conflict in your life, and the skills and resources you used to resolve it.  Did it change you?  If so, how?"

Okay, we just lived in France for a year.  We moved there with very little French "under our belts".  We discovered a whole culture different from our own, and not only survived it, but embraced it, miss it, truly adored every new discovery, learned from each of our bloopers, and we thoroughly enjoyed the new friends we got to make!  Jewelius was such a trooper, and he truly embraced life in France as we did.
So...doesn't it sound like the question was made for him?

I mean, if I had to write this Essay, I'd have plenty of material.  If you've been reading along with me for a while, you may or may not remember...

-When I described my struggles to go to the grocery store for the first time by myself in France...

-I named off for you, all the things in the U.S. that I missed...

-You saw me whip up new Recipes without a mixer, or a crockpot...

-You saw me coping with driving in Paris...

-I told you about studying with the Rosetta Stone Program...

-You heard about me going up to complete strangers to ask for help...

-You read about my bravery to barter in French at the Brocantes...

My goodness!

-You even read about my "run-in" with the French Police when I couldn't turn off my bright lights...

I could go on and on...

courtesy of google images

Yes, I have much I could write about.  I will never forget the wonderful experience of being indoctrinated into another Culture. I have a deeper understanding for Missionaries who go off to foreign lands.  And  though each and every culture has social and accepted differences, I think I've learned that I can cope, and enjoy the experience!

Jewelius was right there with us.  He has plenty of material to share.  I just don't know how he can write an Essay about France and keep it to a few paragraphs?  He could write a book!

You can do it, Jewelius!  You're almost there!

But this is the easy part...

courtesy of google images

After all, his biggest issue is coming next Fall, when those University classes start, and the REAL studying begins!

Please tell me I'm not the only parent out there in the process of guilting encouraging my child to complete those Applications/Essays "SO THEY CAN GET INTO A GOOD UNIVERSITY"?  Thanks for listening sympathizing...

Have a "Jewel" of a Day!
Jan

***UPDATE:  Jewelius has this Essay "licked" now!  On the other hand, Topic C has him stumped...about his future Goals!  Yikes!