㊣✨🔥🌿Betway必威体育【zhuzhouzuche.com】㊣✨🔥🌿之间的距离越来越近-路还长,必威体育app官网以后一定辉煌。七秒钟的话语,一辈子的记忆,在线*投注娱乐纷纷落地这些品牌和资源并存的化机构的到来,然会受到政府和创业的欢迎,是全球最专业、最安全的绿色网上娱乐平台">

Betway必威体育_必威体育app官网-在线*投注

ic S/general/checkmark circled_Betway必威体育_必威体育app官网-在线*投注 ㊣✨🔥🌿Betway必威体育【zhuzhouzuche.com】㊣✨🔥🌿之间的距离越来越近-路还长,必威体育app官网以后一定辉煌。七秒钟的话语,一辈子的记忆,在线*投注娱乐纷纷落地这些品牌和资源并存的化机构的到来,然会受到政府和创业的欢迎,是全球最专业、最安全的绿色网上娱乐平台"> Thanks for subscribing! Be on the lookout for our next newsletter.
ic S/general/checkmark circled_Betway必威体育_必威体育app官网-在线*投注 ㊣✨🔥🌿Betway必威体育【zhuzhouzuche.com】㊣✨🔥🌿之间的距离越来越近-路还长,必威体育app官网以后一定辉煌。七秒钟的话语,一辈子的记忆,在线*投注娱乐纷纷落地这些品牌和资源并存的化机构的到来,然会受到政府和创业的欢迎,是全球最专业、最安全的绿色网上娱乐平台">
Saved to My Favorites. View My Favorites
Articles / Applying to College / See the Essay That Helped This Student Get into UNC

See the Essay That Helped This Student Get into UNC

Torrey Kim
Written by Torrey Kim | Aug. 29, 2020
See the Essay That Helped This Student Get into UNC

Life of Pix/Pexels

Sometimes starting your college admissions essay can feel like a monumental task, and staring at a blank screen may only make things worse. To help inspire you, College Confidential is launching a series in which we share personal essays from students who were admitted to college during a prior admissions cycle. You can read the first in this series below. The student who wrote this as his Common App essay was accepted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and we are sharing it with his permission.


Picture this: A small, 13-year-old boy soaked in sweat, throwing his body onto a handrail in the blistering heat. Whereas the initial thought of this seems jarring, the reality was that everyone nearby continued to go about their business, not really noticing the kid.

That boy was me — on one of the most memorable days I had ever experienced.

As a beginner to the skateboarding world, I was trying repeatedly to master a trick that would allow me to take my board down a handrail and onto a ramp. Each time I attempted the trick, I landed on the hot concrete with a thud. However, the sound of my body hitting the pavement didn't rattle those around me — they'd probably tried the same trick themselves and had definitely seen newcomers like me working diligently to master it.

When I decided to take a break, I watched from the sidelines as the more experienced skaters made their way effortlessly across the ramps, performing kickflips and ollies with the ease of someone who was simply walking. But another dichotomy also struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, my brand-new skateboard and shiny new helmet were practically gleaming in the light of the sun.

When I had decided to try skateboarding earlier that month, I'd dipped into my allowance savings and picked up the equipment I needed. However, the most experienced skaters at the park were skating on the shabbiest boards that looked like they might splinter at any moment.

As I was making this observation, one of the gods of the skate park glided toward me. Everyone knew Steve — he was sponsored by a skate company and knew every possible trick. "Nice work," he said. I looked around to confirm he was talking to me. I couldn't believe he had noticed my attempts at working the handrail.

"I'm trying," I said, slightly embarrassed that he had seen me falling to the ground repeatedly. "Do you have any tips?"

He shook his head. For a minute I was feeling dejected, as if he didn't want to help me. "You're doing it the only way there is, man," he told me. "Just keep trying."

He patted me on the back and grabbed his worn-down board, hopping on it to drop back into the skate bowl. I looked back at my brand-new board. Ever since I was a child, I had always thought that skateboarders were some of the coolest people out there, and Steve's encouragement only solidified that belief.

It became clear to me that this was one sport where it didn't matter if you could afford coaches or fancy equipment — there was no way to get a leg up in skating without putting in the work. Skateboarding is the great equalizer — if you practice, you'll succeed — that's all there is to it. Even if I came from more of a place of privilege than some of the other skaters, the reality was that I was privileged just to be part of this community.

My experiences in the skating world have now spanned more than four years, and I have spent upwards of 12 hours at a time at that skate park. I've learned all the tricks I set out to master, but more importantly, I have developed a diverse and extensive group of friends. We may be from different backgrounds and neighborhoods, but what unites us is that we are all working toward the same goals, and we've forged deep connections along the way.

I have taken the lessons from the sense of community in the skating world into my other pursuits as well. Where there may be a group of very different people in any gathering, there will always be a thread that unites us, and I will consistently be looking for that connection.

******

If you'd like to share your college essay on College Confidential, please email us at editorial@collegeconfidential.com.

Share Your Thoughts

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Check out our forum to contribute to the conversation!

Written by

Torrey Kim

Torrey Kim

College Admissions Expert

More on Applying to College

See all
typing at computer- karolina-grabowska-6958506-resized

Authentic Voice in College Essays

That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay.

So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…

college-interview

College Interview Prep Tips: Brainstorm, Research, Analyze, Generalize

I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…

campus gates

Academic Index Scores: Why They Matter and How They're Calculated

Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.

8 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

7 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…

pexels-yan-krukau-8197544

Avoid College Application Regrets: Tips For Getting It Right the First Time

Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…

Get a student loan that goes beyond tuition.

Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.

Betway必威体育_必威体育app官网-在线*投注 Now!
Find Your Scholarship

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

Search for Scholarship