Essay Questions

What is your most memorable childhood experience?Sleepovers at my grandmother’s. My grandmother would frequently invite my cousins and I to stay the night. This meant seeing my favorite people, staying up late, sleeping under luxurious down bedding, snacking on all kinds of delicacies, and being introduced to my grandmother’s eclectic taste in film. I can still recall exactly how it felt to sleep under that comforter and wake up to morning tea and croissants.
What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why?My cousin and I grew up side by side…Bonnie and Clyde…we’re still partners in crime today. My cousin is a couple years older than me. She was hesitant about my arrival, because all our family’s attention was focused on her prior to my birth. It turns out we get along pretty well. We laugh together over our family’s silly antics and still refer to our younger siblings collectively as ‘the little kids,’ despite that fact that they are graduated young adults. She and I are each other’s soundboard.
What character traits do you admire in an individual?This one is quite simple: someone that is their best self and someone that has a sense of purpose.
What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you?Maybe the one time in fourth grade when I pronounced conscience ‘con-science’ reading aloud to the class. Or, once while I was living in a second floor flat, I made the risky decision to make the quick trip from my bedroom to the laundry…nude. I gathered my clothes from the dryer, turned around to head back and was directly confronted by two window washers!! I suppose I missed the memo. I was mortified, but now it’s a good laugh and I still sometimes make the same mad run.
If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why?I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a healthy amount so far—solo and with loved ones. I would like to expand my footprint by visiting all seven continents, and I’d like to share these experiences with my family, friends, and all the people I meet along the way!
When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them?A sense of self. Perhaps the most significant lesson is realizing you can be who you want to be. I would hope to foster an environment conducive to self-actualization and acceptance. Oh, and maybe a cookie recipe, or two...and desirable hair genes. Humor aside, I think the most I can hope for is that they’re the best version of themselves.