College Essay Boot Camp - Day 1 - Brainstorm

DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​

1. Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am).  Google Classroom.
2. College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

 
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​

1. Annotations for "Habits of Highly Cynical People" and "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline" articles. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday 9/10, End of Class. 
2. In Class Writing. SEE LORI FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS UP: No later than Tuesday 9/10, End of Class. 

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Starter- This is Water, by David Foster Wallace (10 min video, 15 total)

1. Jot down key ideas/takeaways- at least 3

Pair Share

1. To what extent do you agree with these claims or pieces of advice? Do any ring true for you? Others you know? How so?
2. Starting college essays today, where you’ll be focusing SOLELY on yourself and your own beliefs/experiences, etc… What is one big idea you can take from his speech to help you with your essay? (post it on board)

Instructions (5-10 min)

1. Log on to Google Classroom
2. Find the College Essay Assignment under Classwork
3. Open it and read through silently 
4. Let’s look at the list of resources on my Resources page (2 minutes)
   • College Essay Guy is amazing!  You need to email to request access to the free guide, but it is worth it! Do it! We’ll check out the various resources he has listed in that guide real quick….

GOAL = Refined 2nd draft of at least one college essay.  
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Which phrase best describes your current situation in regards to college essay writing? (5 min)

1. I haven't started yet, and don't have a clue what the outcome might look like.
2. I have a prompt and have started writing, but I'm nowhere near done.
3. I have finished at least one essay, but it would benefit from some more refinement
4. I have mostly finished my college essays, but still have a few more and/or supplementary writing I can work on and refine.

Write your names on the paper in your corner- we will come back to this tomorrow to help us form some groups!

Narrative Structure- Straightforward, linear story.

1. Challenges + Effects or EXPERIENCES
   This part gets into specific detail regarding a specific challenge the student has faced, and the various effects of that challenge. Tough stuff you’ve been through. Big experiences. Their subsequent impacts. Various obstacles you’ve had to overcome. NO TRAUMA DUMPING.
2. What I Did About Them
   Actions you took to overcome those challenges and their effects, often to meet specific needs. These actions help to illustrate your values and growth.
3. What I Learned
   Lessons and insights you’ve gained through these experiences. Reflection on how your experiences have shaped you and why that matters. What you will bring to that college because of these experiences.

Montage Structure

1. A technique that involves creating a new whole from separate fragments (pictures, words, music, etc.). 
2. A few images tell the whole story. And you can use this technique for your essay. (Example - Bracelets)
3. Find a focusing lens: You can’t discuss every single aspect of your life; you can, however, show us a few important points through a single lens or metaphor. 

GOAL TODAY = Lots of brainstorming and ideation
Even if you already have an essay, I can tell you that so many students throw out the drafts they have midway through this semester to start again.  My goal here is to give ALL of you many ideas to return to and to start with, and to make sure that ideas that you have are unique and specific to YOU.

Create a brainstorming document!  If you prefer to do this by hand, grab some paper. Here we go.

Brainstorm 1: Core Values Exercise

1. Narrow down your values.
2. Connect your values to your experiences- for each value, come up with an experience or story.

Brainstorm Framing- 
Our goal here is to identify key experiences, qualities, values, and touchstones that you can use regardless of your essay structure that you choose.

Brainstorm 2: I Love + I Know
Spend one minute making a random list of things you love. If you have a partner nearby, set a timer and speak your list aloud while your partner writes down what you say. Examples: I love ... the ocean. I love ... the way clean laundry smells. I love ... physics. I love ... my grandmother's pupusas, etc. Then switch roles, and you write while your partner makes their list. Here's a video of me doing this one.

After you've done that, spend one minute making a list of things you know a lot about. (Examples: I know a lot about ... board games ... World War II history ... constructed languages, etc.) Again, if you have a partner, take turns talking and writing. 

Connect to values- star the ones that connect to your values when you’re done!

Brainstorm 3: Feelings and Needs
Walk through the handout.

Brainstorm 4: Essence Objects (10 min)
Spend at least five minutes naming 10 "essence objects." These are tangible things that represent memories, moments, relationships, or values that are important to you. Briefly say why each one is meaningful (Ex: "The beads on my desk were hand-painted by my friends for my daughter and they represent the love from my community.")
Here are 20 questions to help you brainstorm (again, you can write them below):

• What’s an object that reminds you of home?
• What object makes you feel safe?
• What’s a food that reminds you of your family?
• What object represents a challenge you’ve faced?
• What’s a dream or goal you have for the future?
• What’s something about you that sometimes surprises people?
• Who are you with and what are you doing when you feel most like yourself?
• What brings you joy?
• What’s hanging on your bedroom walls?
• What are you proud of?
• What’s an object that reminds you of something that still feels unresolved in your life?
• What’s an object that represents something you know now that you didn’t know five years ago?
• What action or gesture represents love to you?
• What do you like to do that does not involve technology?
• What will you save for your child someday?
• What's the most memorable meal you've ever eaten or made?
• What's in your bag right now? Anything that's always there?
• What do you like to collect?
• What have you kept from a trip?
• What’s something that people associate with you?