TEA TIME WITH TINA: Just Be You

TINA CHEN
Opinions Editor

One hour, two hours and the clock continued ticking. For the past months, sitting in front of my laptop while goggling at a blank word document has become part of my routine. I then proceeded to write a masterpiece that would define me in 650 words, but the task seemed arduous as the “backspace” button continued to be my greatest enemy.

High school seniors around the world are finally feeling the pressure to look “good” for colleges. Do I need to raise my SAT scores from 2380 to 2400? Should I self-study for AP Computer Science while juggling four other AP classes? Must I start my own company to stand out within the applicant pool? Being accepted by meeting the requirements doesn’t seem to cut it anymore, but even going the extra mile seems to only be the bare minimum.

“I don’t want to go to college,” I typed. Backspace.

“Please accept me as I am quirky, sarcastic and passionate.”Backspace.

Back to 0/650 word count.

It was then I recalled that I’m writing about myself. The one person I am most familiar with, the one I was able to consult within the past 17 years, the one I’ve been living both comfortably and uncomfortably in. Me.

I typed feverishly on my keyboard, trying to keep up with my own thoughts as my mind spat out ideas left and right while my fingers started to strike up a melodic beat. I realized that this was all very simple; there was no formula to being the perfect applicant, but only to being the perfectly imperfect me.

To those writing supplements and personal statements: Be yourself, because who else can be a better you?