Common App Essay: CU Boulder, Boston College, University of Vermont

GoPeer
GoPeer
Sep 4, 2018 · 3 min read

Written by Tate, a GoPeer tutor and sophomore at University of Colorado Boulder

I saw the Palagi’s Ice Cream truck and the broken glass on the ground around it. A chain connected the wooden posts of the fence, and the grass looked more yellow than green. I stepped onto the field at Merino Park, and tried not to be intimidated, while wondering if I had made the right decision. I wanted to play soccer and Capital F.C. was the only team I could join. Even though they practiced all the way across Providence and I knew only one other kid on the team, I still wanted to play. I needed to play if I wanted to have a shot at making the high school team in a few years. But as I walked over to a group of kids my decision was in question. I saw only one that I recognized, Gary. As I waved to him, I could make out the voices of the boys around him, but could not understand what they were saying. I joined the newly formed circle and noticed that the other boys, including the coach, were Latino and while all of them spoke English, they seemed more comfortable speaking Spanish.

As the season went on, cultural differences were always around me. My teammates had a tradition of praying in a huddle before every game. The first time this happened I felt very out of place (the fact that the prayer was in Spanish heightened this sense of displacement). I even remember driving home from a game with my dad and another boy. As we were talking about what each of us would do with the rest of that Saturday, the boy mentioned that he had to go to work for his family business later in the day. As I thought about my Saturday plans filled with lots of college football and possibly going to see a movie with friends, the divide between us seemed even greater. However, the more time I spent with the boys, the more comfortable I felt around them. I continued to work hard, became more comfortable at practice, and my teammates and I slowly became closer to one another. I would even go to their houses after games. I remember the first time going to Gary’s house after a game and being nervous. We spent the afternoon playing knee soccer, wall ball and video games, all things I did with my neighborhood friends. I realized that although my teammates and I had very different cultures, we had many things in common.

While I did improve my skills playing for this team, the biggest thing I gained from the experience was social confidence. I had a different culture and background, but my teammates saw that I was willing to work hard for the team and extend outside of my comfort zone to become closer to them. Now as a high school senior, and captain of the soccer team at one of the most diverse high schools in the country, I interact and communicate with a wide variety of people every day. Being white and upper middle class puts me in the minority both on the team and in school. However, the skills I learned playing for Capital F.C. in middle school have translated into high school. I am better able to connect with my teammates, despite our different backgrounds. I now understand that teammates sometimes have to leave practice early to go to work. Playing for Capital F.C. helped give me the social confidence to become a leader and connect with all types of people, a skill that will continue to develop and benefit me for the rest of my life.

GoPeer

The GoPeer Blog is the official blog of GoPeer, a company which connects K-12 students to college students for in-person tutoring lessons.

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GoPeer

The GoPeer Blog is the official blog of GoPeer, a company which connects K-12 students to college students for in-person tutoring lessons.

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