Hey I did that! :)
(and got back my admission letters already ;-; it was good news!)
This photo doesn't relate I just like the colors and the idea that this is fabric a.k.a blanket and I would like to cozy up in bed and recover from the burnout of college apps.
Things I wish I knew...
Applying to college was a relatively terrifying process. I was super overwhelmed with trying to find my personal information and submitting personal writing and art (because I do art sometimes); I definitely sacrificed bits of my dignity when it came to my own physical and mental self care in order to make deadlines with advanced and sophisticated work. I worked hard to make sure I put my best foot forward, academically and personally.
I wish I knew you had to write several essays and editorials about yourself (I didn't know you needed to for some reason beforehand but it makes sense...), interests and desires before I started my applications. When I started writing, I was so overwhelmed I forgot what my hobbies were and what I've overcame to be where I am today. I took a brief break to reflect on who I am both as a student, person, and member of several communities.
Advice from a NOT-SO Smart Miss Know-It-All
If I could give my past self advice, it would be to figure out who you are (maybe in the eyes of the college and why you want to go there too). Taking Buzzfeed quizzes helped me a lot because either my response to the result was "that sounds like me" or "this is so far off." From the two reactions I am able to figure out for myself if I do fit within certain demographics or have certain personality traits. It's similar to using a coin flip to decide a choice you must take. For instance, in "rom-coms"when a girl flips a coin to see if she'll confess to a guy she usually ends up with a result she's not happy with, indicating, that she really does like the guy and should confess anyway. Through the negative outcome she is able to determine what her interests really are. This concept can be applied to the results of the Buzzfeed quizzes or questions like "can you live without blah blah blah..." I found this helpful to determine what my traits are and why specific schools would be a match for me.
Just be yourself and stay cool my dude. (Advice I'd give to applying students.)
But in actuality, my advice is to submit things early. This didn't apply to me, but when the Universities of California application website crashed, that affected a lot of people who were trying to finish their application and submit. They were generous enough to extend the submission date due to technical difficulties, but sometimes colleges aren't known for being so nice and forgiving...
Plus it was nice to have that weight taken off my shoulders when the deadline was something I no longer had to worry about. B)
AND, start your writing early and ask for review either from trusted peers or adults, or English teachers during the school year. That way people can help you critique the writing (grammar, sophistication, word count, etc.); but if they know you well, they could question your credibility and overall tone of the essay. This helps to not only complete the writing before the due date, but, to also ensure that it is your best writing.
This was me before...
Pretty yikes.
...and this is me now
Link to my art portfolio (in no particular order): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KiEYkMidjrEqBQBgvpgYwwIgyyjSKOIg?usp=sharing
If you're curious you can check it out :)