My College Admission Letter to NYU
I should start this by saying that I found my personal narrative that I wrote back in 2018 for NYU. This is the unedited version, so it might be a little rough around the edges. As I am entering my senior year, I thought that it would be fun to share the essay that got me here (here being NYU). It was a very personal essay for me and now that I am in the process of truly growing and healing from this experience, I want to share it. Enjoy!
I developed a connection to the library, literature, and the power of words that lives within me in the 4th grade. I was sitting in the library with my friends as they gossiped. It was like they spoke a different language, one I couldn’t understand. Feeling like an outsider, I just walked away; it’s not like anyone noticed. I walked around the library reading the spines of books until I stopped at a book titled “A Time for Courage.” I started reading and was hooked, immediately checking it out. I devoured it at every possible moment, even during lunch, in awe of how a simple book could capture the uniqueness of a person’s experience and their truth. I wasn’t thinking about how my father abandoned me then died the day after my sixth birthday, or how my mother nearly lost her life because she was sick while in labor with me. I didn’t feel consumed with guilt or sorrow. Reading became an addiction, and page by page, I indulged in stories of mystery, love, loss, and adventure and what started off as an escape became my salvation.
And I did need saving. I blamed my despair on my dad, letting my father’s abandonment define me, and continuously make me feel inadequate. I couldn’t understand why the man who was supposed to love me didn’t. I pushed people away, never letting anyone get too close, afraid of them hurting me like he did, or that they would see how broken I was. I wanted to keep people out, but I also desired for someone to see the sadness that lived within. I was punishing myself by repelling the attention I also craved. I wanted to be seen.
As a result, I picked up a pen or a book whenever I questioned my worth and why I wasn’t good enough for him to want to stay. I spilled out my anguish onto the pages of my poetry or monologues without holding back. While reading, I dug deeper into why a father leaves by reading stories about men who deserted their families, because they didn’t know how to be a father and didn’t want to inflict more pain. I also read stories of forgiveness and discovered that happiness and peace are choices. I have to choose them in order to recover my confidence, forgive myself, and transcend into the next chapter of my life. Reading became my solace and writing my confidant.
With my father’s departure, I learned the true meaning of strength and what it means to have character. As I was reading, I noticed how in every story behind all of the supernatural abilities, world-changing prophecies, and swoon-worthy romance is a defining moment where character is revealed and strength is tested. These qualities are determined by actions and the ability to overcome adversity, choosing your own path — whether it is learning to love yourself as you are, sacrificing yourself for those you love, or leaving your comfort zone to follow your dreams. This is what inspired me to face all obstacles with my own measure of confidence, willpower, and courage. I cannot let my insecurities from the past impede my progression.
My future has been shaped by the motivation and acceptance I found while reading. I want to help others look beneath the cover of a person to truly understand their content and what lies in a person’s soul — what makes us all human. I want to lift someone else up by sharing the wisdom, experiences, and stories of diverse people, and let them know that they are not alone. Everyone endures some kind of trauma or hardship that launches them into who they destined to be. I aspire to be someone who uses the power of words to understand, heal, unite, and educate. You never know how someone’s experience, fictional or not, can impact a life.
