Immediately after hearing the prompt for this personal essay, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. I wasn't exactly sure on what my second option would be, but I didn't think it would be that hard to find a defining moment. This is what the common app and some other college applications have as an essay question, so it's been on my mind all summer. I'm either going to write about Harry Potter changing my life, or about meeting my best friend Miranda.
The idea that Harry Potter has changed my life may seem kind of silly or juvenile to some people, but it really isn't that odd of a happening. This book series has applied so much to my life and helped me through so many dark times. I rode the Hogwarts Express in, pulled pranks with the twins, and loved with the trio. They gave me a family and a community that is one of the most loving fandoms in existence. It also introduced me to LeakyCon, a Harry Potter/literary conference held each summer, that I think I can call one of the best experiences of my life. The books and the community have changed me and my thoughts so much, and they've changed me for the better.
My second option, meeting my best friend Miranda, is just as monumental in my life. I met Miranda in eighth grade, but we really started to become friends freshmen year. Before meeting her, I just kind of went along with what everyone else said and had my entire life planned out exactly and just wanted to be a "normal" kid in high school. She introduced me to the beauty of intellectual conversations (they are my favorite and so hard to come by), the greatness of just living instead of planning everything out, and the author John Green who has made a large impact on my life (nerdfighteria) and connects back to LeakyCon where I ended up meeting him. Miranda made me want to read and write and be intelligent and interesting and creative. It's not that I didn't have the desire before, it's just that it wasn't the main thing on my plate freshmen year. But since that moment in Spanish I when we were sat beside each other, she has made my life so interesting. And I'd like to think I've returned the favor.
I think this assignment is so hard because my events are sort of intertwined. Harry Potter came first, making me want to be a better person and live life well. Then Miranda came and reinforced the idea of increasing awesome and decreasing world suck. I'm not sure if I can even classify one single event as "life-changing." I mean, I can classify something as a starting point of life-changing, but it won't be THE life-changing event. So that might be a bit of a problem while writing. However, I think this assignment will probably be one of our easiest.
You and your Harry Potter!
ReplyDeleteI think writing about Potter could be interesting. It's obviously something that you're very passionate about (if our discussions have meant anything over the first weeks of independent study means anything at least). That passion can certainly translate to a good essay. Take what you have already said here and think about the specific moments in you own life that have been shaped by the fictional world. Consider the lessons learned through the literature. Who am I to say that literature doesn't have an important lesson to teach?
The friendship with Miranda seems good, too. If I had to choose, I would go the literature route. It would be a bit more universal. I bet there are more Pot-heads (that's not what they call themselves...is it?) out there that could relate. Or just someone who knows the joys of literature on a person's life.