Compiled by Jayne Caron, ’10, former The Lens Section Editor, and Kathryn Black, ’11, The Lens Section Editor
While the rejections are in so too are the acceptances, and the class of 2010 already has an impressive display of college decisions. The essay is an essential factor in a college’s decision to accept or reject an applicant. Standardized test scores and GPA’s can only tell admissions personnel so much. The essay portion of a college application is the student’s opportunity to let the schools know what kind of person they really are. Here is a college essay by senior Alex Lento who has decided to attend Indiana University.
Alex Lento’s Essay:
White. Ten, tiny petals. Five, tiny leaves sticking out like a star. What was it? After flipping through the “white” section of my wildflowers guide for awhile, I stumbled upon a flower that looked exactly like it: Chickweed. I took a picture of it and went on my way, searching the ground for another unfamiliar bloom.
The last adjective I would have used to describe myself is “outdoorsy.” I certainly would have never thought of a walk in the woods as an enjoyable activity. Nevertheless, over the course of my freshman year, I spent hours walking through the woods hunting for plants, hoping to chip away at the 100-speciman mandate that was Miss Arbona’s dreaded plant project. It was rite of passage that spanned the entire freshman year. Sometimes I took walks with other girls from my class, sometimes with my dog, sometimes alone. The plant project became a competition among my classmates to see who’d made the most progress or who had the most diverse collection.
As time went on, I dreaded the walks less and less. Ironically, I found myself inclined to take walks, not only for my project, but also for myself. Each time, something new caught my eye. I began to lose myself on these long walks; completely in awe of nature. Everything from the way the sun’s rays penetrated the wooded canopy to the graceful way deer gallop impressed me. It was all there before, but I had never seen it.
I started to understand why there were environmentalists in the world. Who wouldn’t want to protect this? I am ashamed to admit it, but I had always thought of environmentalists as Birkenstock wearing, granola-eating, tie-dye donning hippies. I may have even cynically used the phrase “tree- huggers.” But now, I began to feel guilty about throwing an empty plastic water bottle in the garbage. Next, using plastic bottle after bottle felt wasteful. So, I got an aluminum water bottle, which all of my friends gave me a hard time about. “You aren’t going to change anything with one water bottle,” they’d say.
After the water bottle, it was the school paper. I came up with the idea to write a monthly “green column,” and although I know many of the kids at my school skipped over it while reading the paper, I know some people read it. I love the idea that my actions and words have the power to influence people, even if those people don’t realize what’s happening. It’s all about the “ripple effect.” I’ve noticed now that three of my friends carry aluminum water bottles and all of them recycle, and by example they will have an effect on even more people. All those little things add up.
Today, I am far from the picture of Mother Earth, but I realize now that you don’t have to be Al Gore to make a difference. In the end, I don’t know if I would have gotten the same appreciation for nature without this plant project being forced upon me. It helped me discover a big part of who I am and what I care about. I will always want to protect the environment and give my time to the cause, even if I don’t end up working for the EPA. Now, if I could only remember to turn off my bedroom lights!
Photo by Kathryn Black, ’11, The Lens Editor
