Princeton: A story that provides an insight into
your personality
Tell one story about yourself that would best provide us, either directly
or indirectly, with an insight into the kind of person you are. For example,
the story can simply relate a personal experience, or a humorous anecdote;
it can tell about an especially significant academic encounter or about
an unusual test of character. The possibilities are unlimited (well, almost
so). You choose. Just relax and write it. (Remember, Lincoln's Gettysburg
Address was only 272 words.)
Mrs. Birchette rejected my work.
I thought I had fulfilled the requirements of the workbook assignment,
but Mrs. Birchette informed me otherwise. The kid sitting behind me in
the the third row had not performed as well as I had, and yet Mrs. Birchette
lauded him for his accomplishments. I became puzzled at this seeming injustice.
"Why had she singled me out as not having done a good job?" I thought.
The monotony of third-grade reading exercises certainly did not require
my undivided attention and concentrated effort, or at least I believed.
I stormed rather angrily toward Mrs. Birchette's metal-framed teacher's
desk. "What's the matter with my work? Didn't I do a good job? I did better
than Pete, right?"
"No, you didn't. You see, – let me throw in some constructive
criticism – you didn't give your best effort. See, you shouldn't
measure your efforts against those of someone else. The only person you
should challenge is yourself," she instructed in her slow-moving Virginia
drawl.
I smiled a little and determinedly decided to complete my workbook activities
to the best of my ability. I returned slowly to my desk.
Grabbing the large block eraser that sat just inside my desk's storage
compartment, I obliterated the previous, inferior responses on the glossy
pages and began anew. I carefully reasoned out each one of the answers
and selected my words meticulously. The finished product appeared after
fifteen minutes of toil. I rose quickly and sprung toward Mrs. Birchette's
desk.
"I finished! This is my best effort!" I exclaimed.
"Let me see... " She quickly analyzed my assignment. With several sweeps
of her Eberhard-Faber teacher's marking pen, she placed large Cs –
signifying "Correct" – over the page in my workbook. I smiled in
joy as I had discovered what would transform my intellect into results
– plain hard work.
I vowed to give total effort to any project I pursued at that moment.
Even though the gigantic Cs have subsequently disappeared over the last
nine years, self-motivation has brought me plenty of satisfaction at the
realization of determined effort.
Comments: A helpful, character-bearing illustration.
Clear and concise.
