personal essay on what brings me joy

What Brings You Joy College Essay Example

In a world bustling with the cacophony of daily demands and societal expectations, joy stands as a coveted yet elusive emotion that often takes a back seat in the pursuit of success and responsibilities. As I navigate the corridors of life, both in its complexities and simplicities, I find myself drawn to the profound question: What brings me joy?

This introspective exploration has led me to embark on a voyage of self-discovery, seeking to unravel the unique tapestry of moments, experiences, and connections that ignite the radiant flame of joy within me.

In this essay, I invite you to delve into the heart of my reflections, as I delve into the myriad facets that contribute to my personal sense of joy. From the gleam of sunlight dancing on dew-kissed petals to the soul-stirring resonance of a beloved melody, my pursuit of joy encompasses an array of sensations, both subtle and striking.

Moreover, I will endeavor to uncover the underlying philosophy that drives my quest for joy, touching upon the intrinsic human desire for genuine connections, personal growth, and meaningful contributions.

Through the pages that follow, you will witness the ebbs and flows of my journey, traversing landscapes of laughter and contemplation, as well as moments of triumph and vulnerability.

In sharing my experiences, I aim not only to paint a vivid portrait of my own sources of joy but also to encourage a collective introspection, inviting you to explore the inner sanctums of your heart and unearth the unique treasures that illuminate your own path towards happiness.

As I embark on this expedition into the heart of joy, I hope to shed light not only on the power of embracing life’s simple pleasures but also on the profound significance of forging authentic connections with oneself and the world around us.

Join me in this exploration of the kaleidoscope of emotions that constitutes the mosaic of our lives, as together we unravel the enigmatic question: What brings you joy?

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What Brings You Joy College Essay: Unveiling Your True Self

In a sea of college applications, your essay is your chance to shine. Expressing what brings you joy in a college essay allows you to reveal your authentic self and demonstrate your enthusiasm for life. Through this essay, you can convey your passions, values, and unique perspective.

Finding Inspiration: Exploring Your Sources of Joy

Embracing your passions.

Unleash your creativity by delving into your hobbies, interests, and creative pursuits. Whether it’s painting, playing a musical instrument, or engaging in community service, showcasing your passions can demonstrate your commitment and dedication.

Reflecting on Personal Experiences

Draw from your personal experiences to connect with the reader on a deeper level. Highlight moments that have brought you happiness, growth, or a sense of accomplishment. Sharing anecdotes can make your essay memorable and relatable.

Related: What is the format of a term paper?

Exploring Relationships and Connections

Joy often stems from relationships and connections. Discuss the people, friendships, or mentors who have played a significant role in your life. Exploring these relationships can offer insights into your values and the meaningful connections you’ve formed.

Crafting Your Narrative: Writing a Captivating Essay

Creating a strong opening.

Begin your essay with a captivating hook that immediately engages the reader. This could be a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a vivid description that sets the tone for your essay.

Developing a Compelling Storyline

Organize your essay coherently, guiding the reader through a well-structured narrative. Each paragraph should build upon the previous one, creating a seamless flow that keeps the reader invested.

Showcasing Your Voice

Your essay is a platform to showcase your unique voice and perspective. Use descriptive language, anecdotes, and personal insights to make your essay come to life. Avoid clichés and strive for authenticity.

Highlighting Growth and Reflection

Discuss how your sources of joy have influenced your personal growth and development. Admissions officers appreciate applicants who can reflect on their experiences and demonstrate self-awareness.

What Brings You Joy College Essay Example “500 Words”

Joy, a radiant and profound emotion, is an essential facet of the human experience that enriches our lives and infuses them with a sense of fulfillment and contentment. For me, the sources of joy are diverse, yet interconnected, contributing to a tapestry of emotions that enhance my well-being and create moments of happiness that linger long after they have passed.

One of the primary sources of joy in my life is forging meaningful connections with others. The warmth of a genuine smile, the camaraderie shared with friends, and the deep bonds of family all contribute to a sense of belonging that brings me immeasurable joy.

Engaging in heartfelt conversations, sharing laughter, and supporting each other through life’s trials and triumphs create a tapestry of emotional connections that enrich my life and fill it with joy.

The pursuit of personal growth and the accomplishment of goals are also potent wellsprings of joy in my life. Setting ambitious targets and working diligently to achieve them not only empowers me but also fosters a deep sense of satisfaction.

Whether it’s mastering a new skill, completing a challenging project, or conquering a physical endeavor, the joy that comes from these accomplishments fuels my motivation and drives me to continually strive for excellence.

Engaging fully in activities that align with my passions and talents evokes a sense of joy that is unparalleled. When I am engrossed in painting, playing a musical instrument, or writing, a state of flow envelops me, and time seems to stand still.

This immersion in creative pursuits not only refines my skills but also offers a genuine sense of contentment and accomplishment that uplifts my spirits and leaves me with a lasting sense of joy.

Practicing gratitude and mindfulness has also been a transformative source of joy in my life. Being present in the moment, embracing life’s simple pleasures, and acknowledging the abundance that surrounds me shift my perspective and amplify my experiences of joy.

Expressing gratitude for the blessings, both big and small, serves as a reminder of the positivity that exists within and around me, filling my heart with a profound sense of happiness.

Acts of kindness and giving, whether small or grand, have an indelible impact on my sense of joy. Engaging in selfless acts, whether it’s volunteering at a local charity, offering a helping hand to someone in need, or simply sharing a kind word, creates a ripple effect of positivity that radiates back to me. Witnessing the happiness and gratitude of others as a result of my actions magnifies my own joy and reinforces the interconnectedness of human emotions.

In conclusion, the sources of joy in my life are diverse and interconnected, contributing to a rich tapestry of emotions that enhance my well-being and bring a sense of fulfillment. From nurturing meaningful connections and achieving personal growth to immersing myself in creative pursuits, practicing gratitude, and spreading kindness, these elements collectively weave a narrative of joy that colors the fabric of my existence.

As I continue to explore life’s intricacies, I am reminded that joy is not a fleeting emotion but a profound state of being that enriches my experiences and imbues them with a radiant light that guides me through both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life.

FAQ’s About Writing a “What Brings You Joy” College Essay

Q: can i write about more than one source of joy.

Absolutely! You can explore multiple sources of joy in your essay. Just ensure that each source is discussed in-depth, and the essay maintains a coherent and focused narrative.

Q: Should I include challenges or obstacles related to my sources of joy?

Yes, addressing challenges can add depth to your essay. However, focus on how you overcame these obstacles and how they contributed to your personal growth and resilience.

Q: Is there a specific structure I should follow for the essay?

While there’s no strict formula, a common structure includes an engaging introduction, body paragraphs discussing different sources of joy, and a conclusion that ties everything together.

Q: How can I make my essay stand out?

Infuse your essay with your unique personality, experiences, and insights. Avoid generic or clichéd content, and be sure to revise and edit your essay for clarity and coherence.

Q: Should I use humor in my essay?

Using humor can be effective if it aligns with your writing style and the overall tone of the essay. Just ensure that any humor is tasteful and appropriate.

Q: Can I mention future aspirations related to my sources of joy?

Absolutely! Sharing your future aspirations can demonstrate your forward-thinking mindset and how your sources of joy are integral to your long-term goals.

Final Words

Writing a college essay on “What Brings You Joy” is an opportunity to authentically share your passions, experiences, and values with admissions officers. By exploring your sources of joy and crafting a compelling narrative, you can create an essay that resonates and leaves a lasting impression.

Remember to infuse your unique voice, reflect on personal growth, and showcase the aspects that make you stand out. Your college essay is your canvas—paint it with the vibrant colors of your joy.

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8 Brilliant Brown University and PLME Essay Examples

What’s covered:.

• Essay Example #1 – The Open Curriculum  

Essay Example #2 – Joy in Latin

Essay example #3 – joy in driving.

• Essay Example #4 – Joy in Drawing

Essay Example #5 – Differing Perspectives, Studying English

Essay example #6 – differing perspectives, gun control, essay example #7 – differing perspectives, artistic freedom, essay example #8 (plme) – why medicine, where to get your brown essays edited.

Brown is a highly selective school, so it’s important to write strong essays to help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll go over some essays real students have submitted to Brown, including to the even more competitive Program in Liberal Medical Education, and outline their strengths and areas of improvement. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Alexandra Johnson , an expert advisor on CollegeVine, provided commentary on this post. Advisors offer one-on-one guidance on everything from essays to test prep to financial aid. If you want help writing your essays or feedback on drafts, book a consultation with Alexandra Johnson or another skilled advisor.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Brown essay breakdown for a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental essays.

Essay Example #1 – The Open Curriculum

Prompt: Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)

My mother exclaimed in shock as she saw the title American Murder: The Family Next Door as the latest title on our Netflix watch list. “Why on earth would you want to watch that?” It made no sense to her that I spent free time watching documentaries about the psychopathic tendencies of serial killers.

From listening to neuropsychology podcasts on my long runs to reading Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, I’ve been eager to explore the intersection between neuroscience, society, and the role they play in human nature. Brown’s Open Curriculum would allow me to double concentrate in Neuroscience and Science, Technology, and Society with a theme in Health and Medicine. Classes like Philosophy of Biology and The Moral Brain would begin to answer my questions about the relationship between neuroscience and human ethics. Perhaps I’ll finally understand why Raskolnikov thought he could get away with his crimes.

As an eight-year Latin scholar and five-time Percy Jackson reader, I hope to take classes in the Brown Classics department. I’m also intrigued by Ancient Greek Philosophy, and I plan to explore classic texts such as Plato’s Symposium in Introduction to Greek Literature. Courses like Hippocratic Medicine would allow me to learn about connections between the Classical world and medicine today. 

The brain’s unique composition creates an intricate link between science, history, and modern society that I can only explore at Brown. More importantly, Brown’s diverse environment would introduce me to people with entirely different opinions about Raskolnikov’s motives.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay is structured incredibly well. The author uses an anecdote to explain their interests in the opening paragraph. “My mother exclaimed in shock,” is the beginning of an opening sentence that draws the reader in, as the reader wants to learn the reason behind the mother’s shock. This opening allows the writer to speak about an interest of theirs, murder documentaries, then tie it to what they’re interested in studying. 

When discussing an academic interest, the author does a great job of providing specific examples connected to Brown. This allows the writer to share how they plan to take advantage of Brown’s unique Open Curriculum. They write, “ Classes like Philosophy of Biology and The Moral Brain would begin to answer my questions about the relationship between neuroscience and human ethics.” By sharing specific classes, it’s clear that the author has done some research about Brown and is truly interested in attending. 

The writer chooses to spend their last paragraph sharing more interests and how they could pursue these interests at Brown. They did a great job sharing a variety of interests, and they made it fun by writing that they’re a “five-time Percy Jackson reader.” Sharing details like this about yourself can help make your essays stand out because you come across as relatable, and your essay becomes more engaging and entertaining for the reader!

What Could Be Improved 

While it’s nice that the writer mentions various interests, including both neuroscience and classics, there doesn’t seem to be a strong connection between the two topics. The essay would be better if the author improved the transition between the second and third paragraphs. They could say how it’s not common to be able to study both neuroscience and classics because of how different the subjects are but that Brown’s open curriculum lets you pursue both.

More simply, the writer could share why they want to study both topics. Will they both be relevant for their career goals? Are they just curious about exploring a variety of subjects and classes at Brown? No matter the reason, a connection between their interests and a better transition would strengthen this essay.

Additionally, the essay prompt asks students to talk about both topics that interest them and “embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar.” It’s always important to keep the prompt in mind when outlining or writing it. This student wrote a lot about their interests, but it’s a little unclear how they plan to embrace topics with which they’re unfamiliar. Clarifying which topic in this essay the writer hasn’t studied would improve the response and ensure that it directly answers the prompt.

They could say, for example, that the open curriculum allows them to formally study crime, which they’ve always been interested in from listening to true crime podcasts. If the author chooses to include this in their essay, it’s important that they do so to ensure that they’re properly answering the school’s prompt.

Prompt: Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

I remember being a fourth-grade “puella”, discovering the joy of chanting declensions with my classmates. Since then, my passion for Latin and mythology has expanded by reading books like Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods to Homer’s The Odyssey. I’ll never embody a character as well as I played the mythological Psyche in my fifth-grade Latin presentation.

I’ve always compared my Latin homework to my math homework. It’s very methodical, translating each phrase and then trying new ways to create a coherent sentence. Whenever I’d spent a good twenty minutes sorting through the puzzle of words to make a sentence, that moment where it finally made sense was euphoric. 

These translation and mythology skills I’d developed over the years would become essential about halfway through my freshman year Latin class when I was introduced to the revolutionary game of Certamen. Certamen is like Latin jeopardy with questions themed after classical history, mythology, translation, and grammar. A familiar feeling of competition surges through me each time my teammate of three years and I start a game of Certamen. With our handy doorbell buzz button and endless knowledge of Latin derivatives, we currently maintain a three-year Certamen win streak that I intend to keep until I graduate. The light-bulb that goes off in my head whenever I finally grasp the meaning of a Latin passage has become addicting throughout the years, and I hope to continue experiencing that joy at Brown University.

This essay does a great job of answering the prompt! Brown wants to know about something that brings you joy, and the student shared multiple responses, “chanting declensions with my classmates,” “sorting through the puzzles of words to make a sentence,” and “Certamen.”

While this student shares several things that bring them joy, they all fall under the theme of Latin which reveals the student’s broad interest in the subject. Further, the student does well making their interest relevant to Brown by hinting in the last sentence that this is something they want to continue to experience at Brown University. The reader learns not only about the writer’s interests but also that they’re going to bring this interest in Latin to their time at Brown. It’s always great when the reader can get an idea of what you want to do as a student on campus at their university!

The writer also describes the game of “Certamen” well by showing and not telling. For example, sentences like, “With our handy doorbell buzz button and endless knowledge of Latin derivatives…” and “A familiar feeling of competition surges through me,” paint a picture of the game. The reader understands that the writer loves the game of Certamen just by these descriptions; the student doesn’t have to directly say “I love Certamen.” Try showing and not telling in your own essay to make your essay more interesting and to showcase impressive writing skills. 

The second paragraph of this essay shares a bit about why the writer likes their Latin homework, but other than being about Latin, this paragraph doesn’t fit in well with the rest of the essay. Latin homework and puzzles aren’t mentioned in either of the other paragraphs, and the transitions between paragraphs could be stronger.

Right now, the writer connects the second paragraph to the third by saying, “These translation skills.” This could be improved by the student writing a stronger transition sentence from the first to the second paragraph. They could say, “In middle school I started getting more homework for Latin, but I didn’t mind because I’ve always compared it to my math homework.” This would emphasize their love for Latin and show that it’s a subject they’ve studied throughout the years. Transition sentences are important so that each paragraph contributes to the essay.

The writer could also improve the essay by focusing more on recent stories and examples of their love for Latin and mythology. They spend the first two paragraphs starting with fourth grade and going through the years until they reach high school in the final paragraph. It’s okay to share an interest or something that’s brought you joy for a long time, but when you mention the distant past, it’s best to keep that part limited. The reader wants to learn more about who you are now and your current interests. The writer could have instead given examples of recent translation projects or recent mythology books they’ve read. 

Sitting behind the steering wheel, with the low hum of my music and the engine as background noise, I breathe in the familiarity of the 5-mile radius I generally commute within. My windows are rolled down and my sunroof is wide open, weather permitting, as the wind threatens to defenestrate my possessions. But I enjoy it immensely. The drive is refreshingly liberating: it feels like I can do anything and go anywhere I desire. As someone who frequently feels overwhelmed by the idea that most of my life is outside my control, a drive will often cure that feeling. The freedom of driving dissipates those worries.

My most frequent destination is Starbucks, not the one closest to my home, but rather the franchise that is a mile or two further. It allows me to enjoy the drive for longer than just a few minutes, extending an otherwise hasty experience to offer more time in reflection. Upon arriving and picking up my mobile order, I return to my car and savor my coffee, all while appreciating the music and experience. The coffee is an impeccable companion, both in its rich taste and the endeavor of acquiring it.

During my most stressful weeks, I can rely on my trips to get coffee as an outlet to forget my assignments and worries. The solitude of the activity is a rare opportunity for reflection: a joyful adventure all around.

It isn’t easy to make a mundane topic like driving to get coffee interesting, but this student was able to do just that! They did a great job of beautifully describing an outing that gives them joy. Specifically, the writer uses imagery well in sentences like: “My windows are rolled down and my sunroof is wide open, weather permitting, as the wind threatens to defenestrate my possessions.” It’s easy for the reader to imagine the possessions about to fly away!

Other strong description words help with this, as well. The writer describes the “rich taste” of the coffee and the “engine of background noise.” By painting a picture of some of the five senses, the writer is able to bring the reader into the moment and create a compelling story. 

The writer does a great job of sharing why the act of driving to Starbucks brings them joy. These details help this essay go beyond just a pretty story by helping the reader to learn about the student.

From moments like, “As someone who frequently feels overwhelmed by the idea that most of my life is outside my control, a drive will often cure that feeling,” readers learn one of the reasons why driving brings the student joy. Additionally, readers learn that this is a joyous moment for the writer because it serves as a time for reflection. These small details are great to include because they show why the reader is joyful!

While the writer does a good job of inserting details that explain why they love driving to Starbucks, the reader still only learns a limited amount about the writer. The only interests shared are that the reader enjoys driving and Starbucks.

Supplemental essays like this are a great chance for students to share interests that they don’t have a chance to include anywhere else on their application. For example, the writer could have written about their love for photography and how taking photographs of dogs brings them joy. That would teach the reader more about who the writer is as a person and what they would bring to Brown University.

Some sentences do a great job of sharing details and painting a picture of the scene; however, there are a few places where the author could provide even further details. For example, what kind of coffee are they drinking? Is it a grande iced white mocha, or a venti java chip frappuccino ? What music are they listening to on the radio? Sharing these kinds of details would allow the reader to learn more about the author and their interests, which is great for a topic like this, where the goal is for the student to share an interest they have not mentioned in their application.

Essay Example #4 – Joy in Drawing  

My dusty sketchbook must dread the moments I decide to take it off my desk. Every time I pick it up to use, it results in piles of graphite and eraser shavings everywhere in my room. I’ve gone through so many boxes of pencils, I think Ticonderoga must know me by now. The sketchbook of mine has seen better days – days where it looked pristine and without blemish. 

I love to draw. Yes the final result provides fantastic amusement to my eyes, but the process of the entire drawing allures me to this hobby. The second the fine point of my pencil hits the devoid paper, wonders only comparable to music begin to formulate. Each stroke of the pencil leaves a mark surpassing in magnificence to the one before. The freedom to pour out my thoughts into a sheet of paper astonishes me and provides me with a feeling of bliss and comfort.

Each sheet of paper is brimmed with portraits; my loved ones, friends, even strangers take up the space in my book, but for good reason. After I finish each drawing, I simply give it to them. I do cherish the journey I take with my art, but the smile on their faces when I give them my art is nothing less than beautiful. Even the most majestic of artists wouldn’t be able to capture the raw nature of that smile. For that is where I am given the most joy, in the smiles of others.

What The Essay Did Well

This essay does a superb job of using particularly sophisticated and vibrant language! The word choice is memorable and striking, which both keeps readers engaged and demonstrates the author’s broad vocabulary. Vivid images like the dusty sketchbook and the eraser shavings, or the notebook brimming with drawings, draw us in, before phrases like “wonders only comparable to music” and “the raw nature of that smile” drive home the applicant’s deep personal connection to their topic. 

The author’s confident, unique voice is another strength here. From the playful tone in the beginning of the essay, to the impassioned description of the student’s process, and finally, the reflection on the humanity of drawing, we get to know the author’s personality. They come across as funny, thoughtful, and generous, thanks to the details they include and the tone they use when presenting them.

Most importantly, the command of language and the personal tone come together to convey the author’s true passion for drawing, and the joy they find in that activity. Ultimately, any college essay needs to address the prompt, which this one does clearly and comprehensively. The mastery of language and vibrant personality are what take the essay from good to great, but the real key to this essay’s success is its connection to the prompt, as without that, Brown admissions officers wouldn’t get the information they’re looking for. 

What Could Be Improved

With an essay this strong, it’s tough to imagine what could make it better. At this point, changes would mainly make the essay different, not necessarily better or worse. However, considering alternative approaches can still be productive, since everyone has a slightly different way of telling their story.

For example, the student could have spent a little more time explaining their decision to give their portraits away. Right now, the essay ends with something of a plot twist, as we learn that what brings the student the most joy is in fact not the act of drawing, but the smiles of others after receiving their work. 

This “cliffhanger” ending is striking and memorable, but we also miss out on learning more about the student’s personality. Drawing is usually a solitary pursuit, but for this student, it’s clearly a more social activity, and they could have spent a bit more time exploring this aspect of their art to further set themselves apart from other applicants.

Again, though, this suggestion is more likely to subtly shift the tone of the essay than make it drastically better. Calling a college essay “done” can be stressful, but this essay is a good reminder that, at a certain point, your energy is going to be more productively spent on other aspects of your application.

Prompt: Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)

“Spend $300,000 to study ENGLISH!?” my friend chucked. “And do what? Teach A for Apple, B for Buffalo to primary kids?

“B for Ball” I whispered to myself. On my way home, I kept mulling. “Everyone knows English, what’s the need to STUDY it?” his words echoed in my head. Since I was young, I had been intrigued by the beauty of language. Fresh parchment was my petrichor. I could almost smell the raw, crisp paper sending pheromone-releasing signals to my brain, luring me to wield my pen and spill beads of ink on the virgin sheet of emptiness. Words were woven threads of thought, emanating the ineffable processes of the mind. Poetry was my mode of escapism; debate -my partner in crime. “’A for apple, B for ball’, I sadly pondered. 

We got down at our houses and I waved him goodbye. My imminent desire to ‘respond’ cowered back into its hole. But maybe I didn’t have to reply. Because curiosity prefaces career and we all have varying definitions of both. Maybe the reason why our choices are challenged is to test if we would hold on to them. This tiny incident taught me 2 crucial lessons- A: Silence is a sign of maturity, not cowardice, and B: Having faith governs the prowess to excel. The next day when I met my friend, I simply smiled and said “The reason we can converse critically is because someone taught us the alphabet. Maybe being a teacher isn’t a bad idea after all.”

This essay is incredibly well written and does a great job of using dialogue throughout the story. The writer begins with an exclamation that grabs the reader’s attention: “Spend $300,000 to study ENGLISH!?” The use of capitals really emphasizes that the problem idea being challenged isn’t the amount of money being paid, but rather that the writer wants to study English. 

The dialogue continues as the student describes their internal thoughts and remembers what their friend told them. This is a great way for the reader to learn exactly what the author is thinking and how they feel about what is being said.

The use of “A for apple, B for ball,” becomes a theme and a symbol throughout the essay, as it’s used to symbolize both the writer’s interest in the teaching profession and their friend’s belief that it’s not a good idea.

Finally, the essay ends with dialogue as the writer counters their friend’s doubts and becomes more secure with their own goals. “Maybe being a teacher isn’t a bad idea after all.” This ending reveals how the author ultimately chose to respond to their friend, as well as that the author ultimately remained strong in their own beliefs. 

The “A” and “B” theme comes up again when this student spells out the two lessons that they ultimately learned from this experience: “A: Silence is a sign of maturity, not cowardice, and B: Having faith governs the prowess to excel.” This does a great job of summarizing the lessons that the author learned and how they chose to respond to the situation. It’s nice to have this concrete conclusion in an essay containing a lot of lines on thoughts and feelings. 

This essay is beautifully written; however, it could be improved by better answering the prompt. The prompt wants to know about how students handle intellectual debate so that Brown University can “promote a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society.”

It seems more like this student’s decision to be a teacher was challenged, rather than a belief about a complex issue. Whether the student should be a student is not presented in this essay as an issue with two reasonable sides, but rather one student’s condescending and unsupported belief that teaching is not a worthy profession. 

This is further evidenced by one of the lessons the student takes away, “Silence is a sign of maturity.” Brown University is seeking an essay about a topic that can be debated, not one where the response is silence. The university wants to see how students will handle learning from others who have different views about politics, for example. 

If the writer wanted to stick with this topic, then they would need to present the other student’s view as one with which they could have a discussion. Maybe the other student presented valid points about education being a path to increase one’s earning potential. Then, the writer could have a debate with them about the purpose of higher education and its role in their own life.

Make sure that your answer to a prompt like this shows the university how you will handle discourse at their university as you encounter others with views different from your own.

During the earliest stages of my Political club, I was faced with a question by a peer. The club was in a discussion about gun laws in the US and what everyone’s view was on the topic. This specific student seemed very passionate about the issue and made it known that he wanted guns in this country. He began citing examples with store owners protecting themselves from armed robberies and overall self defense in general. He was well versed in the topic but that came to my realization once he asked me what my view was. I subconsciously knew guns were destructive, of course they were, and I wanted to state that. But I couldn’t think of any evidence to support myself. I wasn’t educated in the issue of guns in America other than my raw opinion of guns being “bad”. 

But experiences like this motivated me to take that step, I wanted to educate myself on this issue that plunders America. Instead of conforming to his view, I took this opportunity to establish my own foundation and learn of the different instances in our history that would support my opinion. I versed myself in information from resources on the Internet and finally came to my club ready for discussion. But it didn’t end in the transformation of any opinions, instead he understood my judgment and respected it. When challenged with this perspective against my own, I’ve learned that with enough evidence and research, any opinion can be deemed correct. 

This essay is a great response to Brown’s dialogue prompt, and a big part of why is how well-chosen this anecdote is. The gun control debate is a contentious and familiar one, so admissions officers will already know the contours of the argument, which saves the writer space by not needing to give much background context. With just 250 words available to you, don’t underestimate the importance of being efficient with your space.

Gun control is also an issue that readers are likely to connect with on a deep, emotional level, which means they’ll take the essay seriously. Additionally, they’re likely to view the author as well-informed and engaged in current events–the fact that the essay’s setting is a politics club underscores the student’s commitment to understanding pressing contemporary issues.

This essay also reveals a few other important aspects of its author’s personality. Chief among these are the author’s humility, self-awareness, and regard for others. For example, when the writer acknowledges their surprise at how well the other student argued his point, and their own lack of knowledge, they show that they can recognize where and how they need to grow. 

Being vulnerable in college essays can be difficult, since you’re obviously trying to put your best foot forward. In reality, though, showing you’re aware of your flaws gives admissions officers confidence that you’re going to take full advantage of your time in college, to grow as much as possible. Trying to present yourself as too perfect can come across as clueless or even arrogant.

Finally, the essay’s ending is unexpected and thought-provoking–rather than resolving the issue by having one student “win” the argument, this student explains that the two understood and respected each other’s opinions without changing their own. As a result, the overall narrative isn’t about an argument and final confrontation, but about the author’s lack of information, and their response to it. 

This unconventional approach to this prompt tells us a lot about how this applicant approaches complex issues–namely, with the open-mindedness and willingness to learn Brown highlights in the prompt–and, stylistically, helps the essay stick in a reader’s head, which in turn will help this student stand out from the crowd of other applicants. 

One of the bigger flaws in this essay is the lack of an obvious takeaway. It’s unclear what exactly the author means when they say that any opinion can be deemed correct. It seems like the point they’re trying to make is that many different opinions can be valid and supported by evidence. This is quite a different statement than saying any opinion can be correct. The former is a reasonable point, and a good lesson to take away from this experience. The latter is a very big, absolute statement, that isn’t really supported by the story. 

Though this is just one line in a 250-word essay, endings carry a lot of weight, since they’re obviously the last thing admissions officers read, and thus are likely to stick in their mind. Spending a bit more time making sure that your ending accurately reflects the ideas of your essay is definitely going to be worth your while.

Additionally, in a few subtle ways, the writing in this essay isn’t as fluent as it could be. It’s still a well-written essay, but overall, the structure and flow of the writing is a bit off. 

For example, when the author talks about debating with a friend in a club, they say “He was well versed in the topic but that came to my realization once he asked me what my view was.” The word but implies that the second part of the sentence contradicts the first, but that’s not true here.

Similarly, while many students feel the urge to show off their vocabulary as much as possible, clarity in your essay is ultimately the most important thing, and some word  choices in this essay don’t work as well as others. To give an example, when the author says “this issue that plunders America,” the verb “plunders” seems a bit off, given its definition: to steal goods. Snags like this can be caught by an editor, or by reading aloud to a friend or oneself.

Let’s now compare this essay’s strong and weak points to those of the following essay, which is a different response to the same prompt. 

I learned a new slur during my first day on my slam team.

The “M-word,” coined by the former president, was “melanin.” To her, Black poetry was overdone, so she advised Black teammates to avoid racial topics, fearing they would “bore the judges.”

“We get it— you’re black,” she quipped, “can you talk about anything else?” Following that meeting, I avoided Black poetry. My racial experience was a broken record— an earworm of sob stories over events only read about in history books.

However, after experiencing all the distinctive, poignant Black pieces at my first slam competition, I realized that we do art a disservice when we try to police or limit others’ creations. Moreover, I learned that seniority should never eclipse core values.

This insight stirred my young POC writers initiative years later— a global support system for marginalized creatives. Complete with virtual open mics, advice forums, and resource directories, my goal was to create a safe haven for underrepresented writers and be the mentor I craved during my first slam meeting.

However, respecting my former president’s intentions, I urge my creatives within the initiative to chase uniqueness in their art. Today, I play with several nuances of racism in my writing. In one piece, I explore Black boys as recyclables in the prison system. In another, I use evolutionary theory to hypothesize a truly “post-racial” America.

During my first day as president of my slam team, I taught my poets a new phrase: artistic freedom.

What This Essay Did Well

In this essay, we learn a lot about who this applicant is, and what matters to them. We learn not only about how they respond to different opinions, but also about their passion for slam poetry, their appreciation for Black artistry, and their mentoring of younger peers just getting into slam poetry. The anecdotes are well-chosen, as we continuously learn new details about the applicant throughout the course of the essay.

A strength that contrasts with the first essay is this example’s fluency and command of language. Unsurprisingly for a slam poet, the writer utilizes creative, accurate vocabulary, diverse and sophisticated sentence structure, and a cohesive narrative flow. The author is clearly a great writer, and this essay demonstrates that. 

Finally, this applicant’s introduction has an unusual, provocative angle that grabs readers’ attention right from the first sentence. This hook ensures that we are engaged and invested in their story from beginning to end, as we wonder whether this odd piece of advice will be accepted or rejected. 

Like the previous example for this prompt, the author takes an unexpected route. Though they ultimately reject the mandate not to write about race, they acknowledge and appreciate the idea behind this rule, before reframing that rule in a more positive, affirming way, which encourages young slam poets to tell unique, diverse stories, rather than imposing a blanket ban on any one topic.

The fact that this student is pioneering that outlook within the club says a lot about them as a leader by example who grew from their own experience and refuses to limit their peers the way they were once limited. 

One thing about this essay that may come across differently than the author hoped is their mention of the so-called “m-word.” While this stands for ‘melanin’ in their essay, there is a real life “m-word,” which is considered a slur against people with dwarfism. 

Though the author immediately clarifies that they are using the phrase “m-word” to refer to a completely different word, their use of the term may initially be off-putting to those familiar with the actual slur. Since admissions officers read these essays so quickly, you want to avoid potentially coming across as ignorant, even for just a second, as that can throw them off and take them out of the flow of your story.

There are other ways to start off this essay that preserve the overall provocative, unique feel, and don’t run the risk of unintentionally offending. For example, the student could have said something like “I always thought ‘four letter word’ was the right slang for swear words, but on my first day on my slam team, I learned a seven-letter bad word: melanin.”

When using invented or uncommon language, especially something as potentially offensive as slurs, it’s best to do your research and ensure that the term you’re using doesn’t have another meaning that may change the light in which an admissions committee views you or your essay. 

Prompt: Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you? (200-250 words)

I never wanted to be a doctor. When my South Asian grandparents claimed that women have to go into medicine, I promised them that would never happen in my case. This irrational hatred continued until a certain opportunity contributed to a change in my perspective. 

I decided to volunteer at a local medical center, initially to earn volunteer hours. But the more I delved into the high-speed environment, the more it seemed to fit me. I was confident when talking to hospital staff and found myself always trying to learn more from the radiologists or surgeons I met. I was ready to learn what the white region on the CT scan was, or the risks of a certain procedure a patient was going through.

My persona also changed when speaking to patients, my voice becoming clear and soothing. When a patient was agitated that he couldn’t get out of his wheelchair, I rushed to his side, calmly encouraging him while nurses helped the patient get on his feet. My reaction to working at the hospital was unexpected but perfect, making me realize that I would be a good fit for this career.

I know I will succeed as a physician because I disliked the field before I loved it. I look forward to improving someone’s life and being a part of a team that puts patients first. I know my ability can be used to change the lives of my patients, making me a perfect candidate for a future physician.

This essay, which is essentially a “Why Major?” essay (the actual question is “Why Career?” but most of the same principles apply) grabs the reader’s attention right from the start, with an unusual premise that is sure to stand out to admissions officers. The author crafts a deeply personal story about their path to medicine, through which they demonstrate true commitment to patients and a passion that came from within, not others telling them what to be. 

Another powerful moment in this essay is the ending, when the author summarizes all that will make them a good physician. Here, they recap the values they’ve shown in this essay: caring for patients, putting them first, and changing lives. Remember, the conclusion of your essay naturally carries additional weight, since it will be the last thing in your reader’s mind. With their final line, this author shows not only the skills they possess, but their view of these skills as crucial for any good doctor to have. We learn not just about the applicant, but about how they view the practice of medicine as a whole. 

One thing that we would’ve loved to see is a bit more explanation around the sentence “I know I will succeed as a physician because I disliked the field before I loved it.” This is a compelling sentiment, which is definitely unlikely to show up in many other PLME essays, but the lack of further explanation is definitely a flaw. 

Why would disliking the field before loving it lead to a better career as a physician? After all, many doctors have always been drawn to medicine–are they worse at their jobs as a result? If the author were to spell out what they mean more explicitly, or spend more time unpacking the implications of this idea, their point would be much stronger.

More broadly, it can definitely be tempting to include these kinds of bold statements in your college essays, as they are certainly attention-grabbing. But if you do, you want to make sure they are fully supported, either by the narrative itself or a couple of lines of explanation. Otherwise, they may come across as edgy just for the sake of it, rather than demonstrating that you are a creative, sophisticated thinker.

Another thing that could strengthen this essay would be a deeper dive into some of the applicant’s other qualities illustrated in this essay. For example, when talking about their volunteer work, they briefly touch on their affinity for the fast-paced environment. A little more detail here would go a long way towards helping us envision them in the hectic environment of a hospital one day, especially since at this point in the essay, they’re explaining how they went from disliking medicine to enjoying it. This shift is the crux of the whole essay, so it’s crucial that readers fully understand how it happened.

Or, just a few sentences later, they say “I was ready to learn what the white region on the CT scan was, or the risks of a certain procedure a patient was going through. ” This curiosity and passion for knowledge are even more examples of their fitness for the medical profession, and they would do well to expand on them–again, so that we can more clearly imagine them eventually working as an actual doctor.

Do you want feedback on your Brown essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, writing essay about joy - need examples or inspiration.

Hey everyone, I need to write an essay about something that brings me joy, and I'm having a hard time thinking of what to write. Does anyone have any interesting examples or suggestions on how I can approach this topic and make my essay unique? Thanks!

Hey there! It sounds like you have a great opportunity to share something personal and uplifting with your essay. When choosing a subject that brings you joy, consider focusing on something that's specific to you and your life experiences, rather than selecting a broader, more generic topic.

1. Hobbies or Passions: Reflect on the hobbies or activities that make you happy and how they've developed over time. For example, if you're an avid gardener, write about witnessing the growth of plants from seeds to flourishing blooms, emphasizing the sense of accomplishment you feel as you nurture your garden.

2. People and Relationships: Think about the joy that comes from your connections with family, friends, or mentors. Maybe you have a cherished memory of bonding with your grandparents over cooking traditional family recipes, or a friendship that blossomed through bonding over a shared interest in a niche subject. Personal relationships make your essay feel more unique.

3. Overcoming challenges: Joy can often be found in the journey of overcoming obstacles. Discuss a challenge that you tackled, and what made the achievement particularly joyful for you. For example, conquering your fear of public speaking by joining a debate team and eventually winning a major tournament.

4. Unique Experiences: Writing about an unusual experience can be a refreshing take on the topic of joy. Did you participate in a cultural exchange program or volunteer work that brought you unexpected joy? Showcase how these experiences allowed you to discover a new perspective on happiness.

5. Small Moments: Sometimes, the most significant joy can be found in life's simplest moments. Write about a seemingly unimportant moment that brought you immense happiness, like watching the sunrise with a loved one or the satisfaction of mastering a new skill.

Remember, the key to making your essay unique is to show your authentic self and let your personality shine through. Providing vivid descriptions and personal anecdotes can help bring your essay to life. Good luck!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

How Do I Know What Brings Me Joy?

We must become more embodied and purposefully expose ourselves to joy..

Posted February 1, 2022 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

A key part of adulthood and relational trauma recovery work entails: cultivating more joy in your life.

I also specifically want to talk about how hard it can feel for those who come from relational trauma backgrounds to even remotely know what brings them joy if they didn’t experience joy in their childhood and or if they have a hard time connecting to their bodies.

And I want to address this because joy is incredibly important.

Aside from the fact that it feels good, joy is one of the keys on the emotional keyboard of life we can and should be able to access to proverbially play the richest and most enlivened emotional music possible.

What do I mean by this?

If you imagine a piano keyboard and all its attendant, beautiful black and ivory keys, you can imagine that each key represents an emotion that we experience in our human lives: sadness, lust, grief , horror, anger , peace, contentment, pride, impatience, love, devotion, and so forth.

With the emotional keyboard of life, the goal is not to learn and be able to play only a few keys.

The goal is, instead, to learn how to play the richest piece of music possible by developing your capacity to feel and appropriately express each of the proverbial keys on this keyboard.

And joy is one of these keys.

And it is, quite frankly, a really delightful and delicious one to feel.

I would also argue that, for those who come from relational trauma backgrounds, it becomes even more important for you to learn how to “play this key” so to speak.

Because so often when we come from relational trauma backgrounds the general overtone of our lives can be dominated by notes and themes of hardness, heaviness, suffering, fear , lack, challenge, and survival.

After so much time playing these particular keys on the keyboard and having missed out on the joy all children are entitled to early in life, we then owe it to ourselves as adults to learn how to play this proverbial key and to intentionally play it more often in the music of our days.

But how do you know what brings you joy if you had a childhood deprived of joy?

And even if you don’t come from a relational trauma background, how do you begin to feel joy when you are, quite frankly, utterly exhausted, burned out , and totally depleted given the stress , overwhelm, and responsibilities of your days?

To the latter: It is very, very hard to feel what brings you joy when you are burned out.

Your first order of business is to rest, deeply recover from burnout and come back to a psychological and physiological baseline.

Only then will you be able to better feel what brings you joy.

And to those who identify with coming from a relational trauma background, our work to discover what brings us joy is two-fold:

• We must become more embodied
• We must expose ourselves to more activities, experiences, and situations to see what signals joy in our bodies

I want to honor and acknowledge that, for those of us who come from relational trauma backgrounds, to survive our early childhoods, many of us may have learned to disconnect from our bodies — the place where we felt so many overwhelming and sometimes devastating feelings.

What brings joy? We need to learn how to gently, slowly, attentively begin to befriend our bodies again, tracking them for the sensations that indicate we are responding to something that it is bringing us joy.

We may need to learn to become embodied again to figure out what brings us joy.

And after becoming more embodied and more familiar with the subtle sensations in your own body, you can then discover what brings you more joy by exposing yourself to more situations, activities, circumstances, and places that will allow you to track how they make you feel.

How do we do this?

Think about all the interests and activities in the world, and think about how you can expose them to a child. Take your inner child and pursue these activities.

Go for a long walk, pick up a set of Magnatiles, wear blouses with embroidery and fun prints, have a movie night with friends, and enjoy lots of snacks.

The possibilities are endless, but please remember to be in the consistent pursuit of joy.

Allow yourself to register that delicious somatic sensation in your body.

Annie Wright, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist and relational trauma recovery specialist, is the founder of a trauma-informed boutique therapy center.

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Dec 12, 2021, how do i know what brings me joy.

The tagline of my business – of my work in the world – is this:

Helping those who didn’t have good childhoods finally have wonderful adulthood.

In many prior essays , I speak to elements about what having a wonderful adulthood actually means and how we can begin to work toward it.

And today I want to build on those essays by talking about what I personally think another very important part of adulthood and relational trauma recovery work entails: cultivating more joy in your life.

But/and, I also and specifically want to talk about how hard it can feel for those who come from relational trauma backgrounds to even remotely know what brings them joy if they didn’t experience joy in their childhood and/or if they have a hard time connecting to their bodies.

If this is you – if the idea of what brings you joy mystifies you and you have no clue what this might mean or how to bring more of it into your life but you’re curious and eager to do so – please keep reading.

What is joy?

Joy. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But what actually is joy?

Merriam-Webster defines joy as a noun as:

• A : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : DELIGHT

B : the expression or exhibition of such emotion : GAIETY

• a state of happiness or felicity: BLISS
• a source or cause of delight

And the definition of joy as a verb is:

• : to experience great pleasure or delight: REJOICE

From any angle, from whatever definition you choose, joy, quite frankly, feels GOOD.

Why is joy important?

Why is joy so important? 

Aside from the fact that it feels good (see the above definitions), joy is one of the keys on the emotional keyboard of life we can and should be able to access in order to proverbially play the richest and most enlivened emotional music possible. 

What do I mean by this?

If you imagine a piano keyboard and all its attendant, beautiful black and ivory keys, you can imagine that each key represents an emotion that we experience in our human lives: sadness, lust, grief, horror, anger, peace, contentment, pride, impatience, love, devotion, and so forth.

With the emotional keyboard of life, the goal is not to learn and be able to play only a few keys.

The goal is, instead, to learn how to play the richest piece of music possible by developing your capacity to feel and appropriately express each of the proverbial keys on this keyboard.

And joy is one of these keys.

And it is, quite frankly, a really delightful and delicious one to feel!

I would also argue that, for those who come from relational trauma backgrounds, it becomes even more important for you to learn how to “play this key” so to speak.

Because so often when we come from relational trauma backgrounds the general overtone of our lives can be dominated by notes and themes of hardness, heaviness, suffering, fear, lack, challenge, and survival. 

After so much time playing these particular keys on the keyboard and having missed out on the joy all children are entitled to early in life, we then owe it to ourselves as adults to learn how to play this proverbial key and to intentionally play it more often in the music of our days.

How do I know what brings me joy?

But how do you know what brings you joy if you had a childhood deprived of joy?

And even if you don’t come from a relational trauma background, how do you begin to feel joy when you are, quite frankly, utterly exhausted, burned out, and totally depleted given the stress, overwhelm, and responsibilities of your days?

To the latter, I would say this: it is very, very hard to feel what brings you joy when you are burned out. 

So your first order of business is to rest deeply and recover from burnout and come back to a psychological and physiological baseline. 

Only then will you be able to better feel what brings you joy.

And to those who identify with coming from a relational trauma background, our work to discover what brings us joy is two-fold:

• We must become more embodied; and…
• We must expose ourselves to more activities, experiences, and situations to see what signals joy in our bodies.

Using your body to discover what brings you joy.

I want to honor and acknowledge that, for those of us who come from relational trauma backgrounds, in order to survive our early childhoods, many of us may have learned to disconnect from our bodies — the place where we felt so many overwhelming and sometimes devastating feelings.

And so, as we ask the question – What brings me joy? – we also need to learn how to gently, slowly, attentively begin to befriend our bodies again, tracking them for the sensations that indicate we are responding to something that it is bringing us joy.

We may need to learn to become embodied again in order to figure out what brings us joy.

This may sound like a tall and overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be. 

We can take teeny tiny baby steps to help you befriend your body again and track down the somatic sensations of what brings you joy.

You can start to pay attention to your breath ( In and out, In and out… ), to the sensations of warmth and coolness in your body ( Am I cold right now? Do I need socks? Am I too warm? Do I need to turn the AC on? ), to the sensations of your bowels and digestive tract ( Do I need to pee or poop? Am I hungry? Am I thirsty? ).

These questions and invitations may seem small and obvious but if you’ve spent your life divorced from your body, beginning with basic biological questions and tracking like this can help you begin to be more embodied and increase your awareness about how certain situations and experiences evoke different sensations inside of your body.

And please know: this can take time and there is not one single way that joy looks and feels for us all. 

It’s subjective and unique so you will need to be your own detective to determine how and what joy feels like for you. 

Joy can be big and obvious and grand, but it can also feel the teeniest, tiniest whisper, a faint trace of something that feels like a pulling-towards. 

I think about that bathtub scene from Eat, Pray, Love when Julia Roberts (playing the extraordinary Elizabeth Gilbert) is sitting with her Italian dictionary, letting the words roll around in her mouth, acknowledging that the only thing she could feel anything for (in the wake of her terrible divorce) was for the Italian language and how it felt in her mouth. 

And so she moved toward this thing, this felt sense of something good, no matter how slight it was. And her journey thus unfolded…

For me, I’ve learned through tracking my somatic sensations over time that joy feels like a sense of buoyancy inside of me – like a wide, soft balloon inflating inside my chest and core that makes me feel lighter that also evokes some ephemeral sense of nostalgia in me, recalling a felt sense of a time in my life where possibilities and paths felt more expansive, freer, more limitless. And so now I move towards that feeling.

But again, before I could even understand what evokes joy for me, I had to become embodied again. 

Only then could I register when something brought me joy. 

So after becoming more embodied and more familiar with the subtle sensations in your own body, you can then discover what brings you more joy by exposing yourself to more situations, activities, circumstances, and places that will allow you to track how they make you feel.

But how do we do this?

How do we expose ourselves to potential joy-inducing activities?

For many of my readers and clients who come from relational trauma backgrounds, as children, they may not have been exposed to a wide range of activities, hobbies, and circumstances that would have helped them identify what brings them joy. 

So one of my favorite homework assignments for clients and online course students is this:

Start exposing yourself to a wide variety of activities and interests like you might with a small child to help them discover the world and their interests.

I’ll share a story: Before having my daughter, my life was really quite dominated by work – grad school, accumulating my hours for my license, blogging, laying the groundwork to open up a trauma-informed therapy center, steeping myself in post-graduate trauma training, etc.

I’m embarrassed to admit my days and weeks were pretty single note: work, work, work. 

Now, please understand, I adore my work and feel like it’s a calling and not just a job. 

So on the one hand, I loved what I was doing but I can also see now that I was doing a pretty poor job of giving myself adventures, variety, and stimulation in the form of new experiences, something which my inner child really craved.

But then, in 2018, along came my daughter, and my world fundamentally changed. 

Life centers around her now, not my work.

And as she grew from an infant to a baby to a toddler, my desire to give her a rich, interesting, and magical childhood grew and grew and so did my desire to proactively seek out activities, experiences, and circumstances that could expose her to this wide, great world. 

I proactively spend time crowdsourcing recommendations from fellow Bay Area toddler parents of places to go and things to do. 

I book tickets to special events, outdoor museums, one-off shows, and we tour playgrounds all over the Bay. 

I make sure to introduce her to different cuisines, different vistas, different types of music and books, and art supplies. 

I intentionally cultivate and create opportunities for her to experience newness and potentially discover her new favorite things.

Parenting my daughter so intentionally has helped me experience more adventures in my own weeks, but has also catalyzed me to think more deliberately about how to give myself the adult equivalent of what I give her: new experiences, diverse activities, little adventures so that I can have the chance to register joy in my body more.  

So if you, like so many of us who come from relational trauma backgrounds, have a hard time discovering what brings you joy, focus on becoming more embodied as a first step, but then try giving yourself what a good-enough parent would give to their growing child: a diverse array of activities, experiences, and adventures to see what in this big, beautiful world can evoke joy in your body.

And then double down on what you notice does bring you joy. 

Do this again and again so you can play that keyboard key as often as possible to make your days and weeks feel better.

What’s bringing me joy these days…

And now, to wrap up this essay, I want to share what’s personally bringing me joy these days – allowing me to register that delicious somatic sensation in my body:

• Watching (and re-watching) the incredible TV show Ted Lasso and then talking about it with my husband and best girlfriends after new shows come out on Fridays (digesting it with my loved ones is more fun than the show for me!).
• Listening to Glennon Doyle’s terrific podcast We Can Do Hard Things twice a week when it comes out.
• 90’s music bike rides and runs on Peloton – 90’s were the time I came of age and every song from that era is super nostalgic for me (ditto the Disney-themed rides and runs on Peloton!). 
• The Christmas tree whose every square inch is covered by ornaments and whose size is taking up a good third of our teeny tiny living room; also the nutcrackers on our mantel, the red and white striped stockings hung, and Christmas music playlists on Spotify.
• Balsam fir scented candles burned for no special reason, just because. 
• Wearing blouses with pretty little colorful prints.
• Making my daughter’s daily preschool lunches in her Planet Rover bento lunch box – it is so little and cute and feels both like I’m making miniature meals for a doll and it reminds me of the time my husband and I visited Japan and I became obsessed with the ekiben on the bullet trains…
• Listening to cello music while sitting in my hot tub in the afternoon sun…
• And finally, this past Spring in Yosemite, feeling profoundly joyful riding a rented bike with an attached trailer with my daughter sitting in it, feeling the strength of my Peloton-trained muscles as I drove us both all over the valley…

And now I’d love to hear from you in the comments below:

What is bringing YOU joy these days? What experiences, circumstances, places, and things make you feel joyful? And another question: How – as an adult – did you begin to notice and re-discover what brings you joy?

If you feel so inclined, please leave a comment below so our monthly blog readership of 20,000+ souls can benefit from your wisdom and experience.

If you would personally like support around this and you live in California or Florida , please feel free to reach out to me directly to explore therapy together.

If you live outside of these states, please consider enrolling in the waitlist for the Relational Trauma Recovery School – or my signature online course, Hard Families, Good Boundaries , designed to support you in healing your adverse early beginnings and create a beautiful adulthood for yourself, no matter where you started out in life.

And until next time, please take such good care of yourself. You’re so worth it.

Warmly, Annie

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Reader Interactions

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December 13, 2021 at 4:56 am

Being “embodied” is truly a new thing for me… and a blessing. My past self soothed with lengthy introspective periods which would sometimes lead me down torment lane. Sometimes depression would lead to nap a lot. As a single mom of 3, I am incredibly busy and thus have to fight to get time away to see what brings me joy. What I find frustrating is that because of my childhood, I doubt myself and what I think brings me joy so it is hard to settle on many things. If I am confident, I can arrive at a few things. If I am lacking confidence, I can only think of a couple things (coffee and being in the Lord’s presence).

December 20, 2021 at 5:57 pm

Thank you for your comment and for your insight. It’s true, finding our joy can take a little time and in our busy lives it can sometimes feel like a luxury to slow down and explore what truly brings us joy. I commend you for already having 2 things on your list and urge you to trust yourself to add to that list!

If either of my courses – Hard Families, Good Boundaries , or the forthcoming Relational Trauma Recovery School – could be of support to you, I would love to support you there. In the meantime, please take such good care of yourself. You’re so worth it.

December 13, 2021 at 5:58 pm

Your blog posts have helped me navigate the past two years, Annie. Thanks for sharing your wisdom here. I find joy in listening to the Spilled Milk (food comedy) podcast, taking walks by any body of water, grocery shopping, cuddling with my stuffed animal. It’s taken a long time to admit what brings me joy – I’ve feared that what brings me joy wouldn’t be accepted by my peers, especially the stuffed animal part. With the support of a kind spouse, I’ve leaned into it a lot more and am that much happier for it. Cheers to you and your team this holiday season!

December 20, 2021 at 5:58 pm

Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely comment! I am thrilled to hear that my words have helped you as being a source of support is really my goal in all of my work. Joy is very personal and I am proud of you for leaning into exactly what makes you happy. I’m glad you have the support of a kind spouse, that is wonderful to hear.

If you feel that either of my online courses – Hard Families, Good Boundaries , or the forthcoming Relational Trauma Recovery School – could be of support to you, I’d love to work with you there and help you find even more joy.

Sending my best to you.

December 14, 2021 at 7:24 pm

I really like this newsletter about joy and it fits the season. Anything that makes you happy and content is JOY to me. Children and especially grandchildren are a big joy. Believe it or not my job brings me joy. I work with the elderly population and it does bring me happiness and joy. Make your own joy if you can. And yes simple things like burning of candles especially at this time of year. So many beautiful fragrances. Candles lit at night in the house is joy to me.

December 20, 2021 at 4:49 pm

Thank you for your comment, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed the newsletter! I appreciate your sharing some wonderful examples of what brings you joy, I’m sure many of us can relate. I appreciate the idea of making your own joy when possible, even if it’s something simple like a beautiful candle.

Thanks again for reading and sharing your experience.

August 14, 2023 at 4:17 pm

I have been lost for the longest time but after reading this, I feel like I know where to start. I need to reconnect with myself and find out what brings me joy. Thank you so much for this.

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JOY! Not just a character in Inside Out, but a supplement essay too!

Increasingly, schools are asking students to reflect on things that bring them joy, satisfaction, or happiness. These can be difficult to write as often the college application process is the opposite of joyful... but these joy essays are here to stay!

Note: These essays tend to range in length from 50-250 words.

Example "Joy" Questions:

• Brown: Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy.  
• Dartmouth: What excites you?
• MIT: We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.  
• Princeton: What brings you joy?
• Stanford: Tell us about something that is meaningful to you, and why?
• Yale: Reflect on something that has given you great satisfaction. Why has it been important to you?

LET'S BREAK DOWN THE ESSENTIAL POINTS YOU NEED TO HIT WHEN RESPONDING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT:

As with all supplements, every word matters here! Do not waste words in restating the question or equivocating around a definition of “joy” or “satisfaction."

Be honest! This is a space where the tendency to tell an untruth or exaggerate is probably quite strong (i.e. wanting to write about the joy you find in titrating a solution properly in your AP Chem class). These questions do not need an academic response – they do need an honest response. Think about your days – examine the moments when you are happy and feel joyful – write about those!

Help your reader SEE your joy as much as possible! If you are writing about the joy that comes from baking cakes, riding your bike around your town, or playing LEGOs with your younger brother, use descriptive language to help your reader really feel present in the moment with you. Your reader will believe your joy if you can capture it effectively and clearly! These are essays where it is so important to SHOW not tell.

Find a unique angle or approach, which often can be found deep into the specifics of your topic! Sure they might read a lot of essays about baking, so think about what you can say that is unique to you. Do you love eating what you have made? Sharing your desserts with others? Experimenting with new flavors and combinations? Your specificity will help to provide your essay with a uniqueness that is all your own.

While not every question asks it explicitly, the WHY is essential here. This essay is a great opportunity for reflection and vulnerability. Take a moment to consider why this activity or object brings you so much joy, and then dig in to share that with the school.

THINGS TO AVOID:

Cliche! Avoid all trite and cliched statements like how you love biking around town because you love the feeling of the wind in your hair… again, honesty and specificity should help you to avoid cliches.

Do not skip over your WHY: simply writing an essay about something that brings joy without diving into any specifics about why that thing brings you joy is missing an opportunity to reflect. Think of your supplements as a chance to share your ability to think deeply and don’t miss an opportunity to do so.

ADDITIONAL TIPS AND TRICKS:

Look over the rest of your supplements and consider the topics that they cover. Is something missing that is essential to understanding YOU? Think about all of the things you want a college to learn about you and who you really are – and then consider what is already covered in your essays. Use this essay to go into a fully new direction to share a side of yourself that has not yet been seen.

While the questions are slightly different for each of these schools (and the word counts vary), the essence of these questions are the same. Feel free to write one joy essay and then adapt the topic to the specifics for a different school. Just because one school asks about “joy” and another about “great satisfaction” does not mean that you need to find a new topic for each one of those.

Give yourself permission to play with this type of question. This is likely one of your only opportunities to set academics aside and really speak from your heart. Use it.

Elise holds a BA in Political Philosophy from Williams College and an MEd in Administration & Social Policy from Harvard. She has spent the past twenty years working in top-tier independent schools.

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Psychologies

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How to find what brings you joy and seize it.

Learn to say no to what doesn't light you up and seek out experiences that bring you joy, says Annabel Chown

When I was 13, my mother booked me onto a sailing course in Dorset, with a friend who’d been before. I wasn’t keen, but Mum assured me my friend had loved it, so I would too. It rained all week, and I spent most of my time capsizing my dinghy and missing home.

These days, many of my friends are hooked on wild swimming . Some even break the ice on winter mornings at Hampstead Heath’s Ladies’ Pond or Hyde Park’s Serpentine Lake. I’ve tried joining them, but disliked how pondweed, invisible in the murky water, coiled itself round my legs, and the way the cold settled into my bones for the entire day.

My friends might rave about wild swimming and its benefits, whose potency I don’t doubt. But I’ve found my own ways of enhancing wellbeing that feel pleasurable to me – such as yoga, lifting weights, and walks through London parks.

The younger me was more inclined to follow the crowd, however. In my twenties, even on the Friday nights I longed to relax in an oil bath after a full-on week, I’d accompany friends and workmates to Shoreditch pubs and bars. ‘Don’t be boring,’ they’d say, when, by 10pm, I’d try to head off. ‘Come with us to a club.’ Often, I did. Back then, life seemed infinitely long.

But a breast cancer diagnosis at 31 woke me up to just how short life can be. Time felt precious, and investing it in what made my heart sing, important. Now, 20 years later, it still is.

I ask Sophie Cliff , a coach and positive psychology practitioner, and author of the book Choose Joy, whether joy has benefits beyond making us feel good in the moment. She explains how negative emotions, such as anxiety, trigger our flight or fight response and bring us into survival mode, which narrows our thinking. Positive ones such as joy, however, have the opposite effect.

‘Joy broadens our mental capacity,’ she says. ‘Our thinking becomes more creative, we connect better with others, and so our relationships improve. We’re more relaxed. And we’re inclined to take better care of ourselves.

‘It creates a positive upward spiral,’ she adds, ‘whereby joy builds joy. The research has also repeatedly shown it’s a protective factor against burnout.’

But it’s not always easy to even know what brings us joy. We might spend life rushing between work and looking after our family, leaving no obvious windows in which to uncover our own unique flavours of it. Perhaps we believe it’s an indulgence we don’t deserve. Or we might be overwhelmed by the noise of social media, celebrities and friends recommending their favourite books, Netflix shows, hobbies, and holiday destinations. Noise that can drown out the yearnings of that still, small voice within.

Years ago, I took up hot yoga after reading an article about it accompanied by a photo of a radiant Jerry Hall sitting in lotus pose. I didn’t enjoy the class or the stale-sweat scented room. But, inspired by that photo, I persisted for months. It was only after the heat caused my face to break out in acne that I finally listened to what my body and heart had known all along.

Cliff recommends we start by noticing what already feels good. ‘Is there a favourite part of your day or week? When you do something enjoyable, however small, write it down, so you start to build an awareness of what lights you up. It can also be helpful to remember what you loved as a child; kids are very intuitive. Maybe it was arts and crafts, and now might be the time to try life drawing.’

I ask Cliff how long it’s worth trying something for, so we strike a balance between giving it a chance, yet not investing too much time in the wrong thing, as I did with the hot yoga.

‘If you’ve tried a class, say, five times, and it still doesn’t feel good, perhaps call it a day. We can too easily forget the inherent value of pleasure and insist on gritting our teeth and pushing through. But always take clues from the experience: for example, if you tried yoga and didn’t enjoy the poses but loved the chanting, you might decide that joining a local choir suits you better.’

As the poet Mary Oliver wrote, ‘Joy is not made to be a crumb.’ Yet it can too easily slip to the bottom of our list, relegated to some mythical time-rich future. How do we create that time in the here and now?

‘Start really small,’ Cliff suggests. ‘Diarise one hour a week you set aside for pleasure. And if you’re not sure what to do, tune in and listen to what your body and mind crave. Is it a run? To lie on the grass and feel the sun on your skin? To call a friend? It’s so important to learn to trust our instincts.’

Introducing the Psychologies ‘Balance Your Life’ Journal

I’ve become increasingly well-versed in trusting mine, along with doing my best to carve out time for what lifts my spirits: an early evening solo movie date, while my husband puts our son to bed; a few minutes of meditation first thing; a flat white and almond croissant in a favourite café.

I’m also able to be honest with my husband about my likes and dislikes, inspired in part by his own innate directness. On a recent holiday to Puglia, he told me he found the beach – which I love – very boring. So we spent mornings apart. While he explored local towns with his camera, I reclined on a lounger, savouring a novel and the sound of the sea.

But with friends, I still sometimes find it hard to say no when I don’t want to do something, reluctant to be viewed as selfish or difficult.

‘While the desire to fit in and be liked is very human,’ Cliff says, ‘and we fear being judged if we don’t go along with what others want, we also have to ask what’s scarier: being judged, or letting ourselves down? Do you want to get to the end of your life and think, I didn’t make time for what really mattered to me, because I was too busy saying yes to everyone else?’

‘And explain your why,’ she adds. ‘That way, people are more likely to be understanding in the future.’

I’m practising being more honest with friends, as well as trying to find a middle ground where we can both be happy. Recently, a newish friend wanted to go out for dinner. I explained I’m being mindful about my spending, and asked if she was up for a walk instead. On a warm Sunday evening, we strolled through the fragrant Rose Gardens in London’s Regent’s Park, chatting away.

So how will you seize joy this summer? Do you crave the clatter of glasses and friends’ laughter on a pub pavement at dusk? To wake early and stand barefoot on dewy grass, cup of steaming tea in hand, listening to the birdsong?

To visit a beautiful English garden accompanied by a picnic hamper? Dance the night away in the magical playground of a festival? To amble around a balmy city, enjoying its food and architecture? Summer is short, the possibilities infinite. All that matters is that you say yes to whatever infuses your unique soul with joy.

More inspiration: Imagery meditation: how to visualise happiness

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How to Approach Princeton's Essays (with Real Princeton Essay Examples from 2023)

Kate Sliunkova

AdmitYogi, Stanford MBA & MA in Education

20 min read

Introduction:

When it comes to college applications, writing the perfect essay can make all the difference. And for those applying to Princeton University, crafting standout essays is a must. But what sets a Princeton essay apart from the rest? In this article, we'll explore tips and tricks for nailing each of Princeton's essay prompts, along with examples from successful applicants. Whether you're just starting to brainstorm or putting the final touches on your essays, read on for expert advice on how to impress the admissions committee at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Princeton's Essay Prompts

250 word essays (princeton's "your voice" essays):.

• At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (250 words)
• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (250 words)

Princeton's Extracurricular Essay:

• Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (150 words)

50 Word Essays (Princeton's "More About You" Essays):

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)
• What brings you joy? (50 words)
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

Princeton's Degree-Specific Essays:

For ba / undecided applicants:.

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (250 words)

For BSE Applicants:

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (250 words)

How to Write Princeton's Essays:

Princeton's "your voice" essays:, princeton's difficult conversation essay:.

"At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?" (250 words).

When approaching this prompt, it's important to reflect on a time when you engaged in a conversation about a challenging topic. Choose a topic that you are passionate about or have experience with, and be sure to highlight your ability to listen actively to others' perspectives.

Start your essay by setting the scene, describing the context of the conversation and the people involved. Then, explain the issue being discussed and any differing opinions that arose. Show how you demonstrated respect for diverse perspectives and how you contributed to the discussion.

Next, describe the insights you gained from the conversation. Did you learn something new about yourself or others? Did the conversation change your thinking or perspective on the topic? Be specific about what you learned and how it impacted you.

Finally, discuss how you would incorporate this knowledge into your thinking in the future. What changes would you make to your approach to difficult conversations? How would you ensure that you continue to be open-minded and respectful of differing perspectives?

Remember to keep your essay concise and focused, while still showing depth and insight. By highlighting your ability to engage in respectful dialogue about difficult topics, you'll demonstrate that you embody the values that Princeton University holds dear. Here's a great example from Ryder, a current Princeton student. You can read all of his essays here.

Most people wouldn’t consider flutes and peas controversial, but at my family dinner table, they are. Years ago, my dad proclaimed flutes an inferior instrument stating, “Nobody likes the flute” (my mom does), and asking, “What great band features a flute?” (Dave Matthews Band), adding to the conversation some incendiary comments about peas culminating in the claim that “Peas are the least liked vegetable.” At the time, I couldn’t put my finger on why, but his assertions irked me. Irritated, I went to bat for flutes and peas with an inexplicable passion for all they had to offer, though neither are my favorite instrument or vegetable.

Since then, many dinnertime conversations and debates have taken place, the most volatile invariably circling back to touch on the value of flutes and peas, and I have come to understand why I have repeatedly championed their worth. When it comes to flutes and peas, my dad treats his opinions as fact—defending his views as “right” with googled information and naming as evidence a mysterious, undocumented majority of flute and pea haters. To this day, he remains convinced his opinion is irrefutably correct; those who think otherwise are brainwashed, don’t know better, or are lying.

Go ahead, call me a “flute and pea fanatic”; all I was ever fighting for was to stay open-minded. Thanks to my dad and his steadfast condemnation of flutes and peas, I watch out for opinion masquerading as fact and choose my own words carefully, believing that conflict often springs not from differing opinions, but from the way those opinions are asserted.

Princeton's Civic Engagement Essay:

"Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals." (250 words)

To approach this prompt, first reflect on your experiences with service and civic engagement. Consider instances where you've made a positive impact on your community or participated in activities that align with Princeton's commitment to service. Begin your essay by briefly sharing your personal background or story that led you to engage in service and civic activities. This could include your upbringing, family values, or any transformative experiences that have shaped your commitment to service.

Next, provide specific examples of your involvement in service or civic-related activities. These could be volunteer work, community projects, leadership roles, or advocacy for social issues. Highlight the impact of your efforts, the skills you've gained, and any challenges you've faced along the way.

After discussing your past experiences, connect your story to Princeton's ideals by explaining how your commitment to service will continue during your time at the university. Research Princeton's service and civic engagement initiatives, such as the Pace Center for Civic Engagement or Community House, and identify programs or opportunities that resonate with your interests and goals. It also helps to briefly discuss your long-term aspirations and how your dedication to service will play a role in your future career or personal life.

Here's a great example of Princeton's civic engagement and service essay from Aileen, who got into incredible schools like Princeton, Harvard, UPenn, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Brown. You can read all of the essays that got her into those amazing schools here.

What makes a neighborhood feel like home? For me, it is cohesion, mutual dependency, and trust, but not necessarily residence: I don’t live in [Place Redacted]’s Chinatown, but it has nonetheless made an impact on me.

I became involved with Chinatown community organizations volunteering at one housing nonprofit’s annual summer film festival and neighborhood gathering. Witnessing the mutual obligation between neighbors and residents’ love for their community, I felt a connection to the neighborhood that ultimately motivated me to explore my cultural roots as an Asian-American and continue working with Chinatown organizations.

As part of a research project on economic inequality, I learned about the challenges Chinatown faces, from redlining and gentrification to language capability and racial discrimination. I became a tour guide with an organization to give college students and nearby young professionals a view of the neighborhood through an urban planning lens. I’ve continued this commitment to educating communities about the consequences of urban development and lack of awareness by holding similar conversations and workshops through school clubs.

I am so thankful to have engaged with the intricacies of a deeply connected neighborhood like Chinatown, but I am even more grateful for the skills its community has taught me. I have learned to advocate for community empowerment and reflection and combat economic inequality in a neighborhood by understanding its nuanced causes. Chinatown fostered in me the spirit of community organizing, which I will take with me for the rest of my life.

"Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you." (150 words).

When approaching this prompt, focus on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has had a significant impact on your personal growth, interests, or values. Choose an experience that showcases your dedication, passion, and ability to make a meaningful contribution.

Begin by briefly describing the chosen activity or experience, providing context about your involvement. Be specific about your role and responsibilities, and explain why this experience is particularly meaningful to you. Be sure to also discuss the impact of this experience on your life. Consider the skills you've gained, the lessons you've learned, or the personal growth you've experienced as a result of your involvement. If possible, highlight any challenges you've faced and how you've overcome them, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

Although the word limit for this prompt is short, it's crucial to convey a strong sense of purpose and passion in your response. By focusing on one meaningful experience and articulating its significance, you'll provide the admissions committee with a glimpse into your values and interests, making your application more memorable and compelling.

The incredible Princeton essay example below comes from Ryan, who got into Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, and Brown. You can read his entire college application here.

Since the cards were first dealt four years ago, I have not only become infatuated with the game of poker, but I've finally felt the warmth of genuine, requited best-friendship.

For its own sake, poker is an amazing game. A game of statistics, psychology, and luck, poker keeps objectivity enjoyable; whether through a sneaky play or just bad luck, the mathematically "correct" play is often wrong—you can't master the game.

But as much as I'm attached to poker, it'd be nothing without the "regulars": "Silverman"—the stone-cold bluffer. Jack—the sly psychologist. "Kato"—the careful calculator, and Jaden—the poker guru. Poker introduced us, but our friendships grew beyond the game: We get along like family.

I've made other friends along the way. I've grown as a student, as a friend, and even as a son over the same period. But nothing has made my life enjoyable like these four friends—through a game most see only in casinos, my dreams of authentic friendship have finally been realized.

Princeton's 50-Word Essays:

Princeton's new skill essay:.

"What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?" (50 words).

When approaching the "What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?" prompt, start by selecting a specific skill that genuinely interests you and aligns with your academic or personal goals. In one or two sentences, explain why this skill is important to you or how it might enhance your college experience. Then, briefly discuss how learning this skill at Princeton could contribute to your long-term aspirations. Throughout your response, convey enthusiasm and curiosity, showcasing your eagerness to grow and learn during your time at the university. Remember to keep your response concise yet impactful within the limited word count.

Here is a great example of Princeton's new skill essay from Gabi, who got into incredible schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. You can read all of her college applications here.

From hip-hop to choreopoem, I want to learn how to critically analyze, histioculturally deconstruct, and stylistically perform dance. Studying or daydreaming, a rhythm constantly flows through my head, and I hope to channel it through Lewis Center’s co-curricular and academic offerings.

Princeton's Joy Essay:

"What brings you joy?" (50 words).

To approach the "What brings you joy?" prompt, reflect on a specific activity, hobby, or aspect of your life that genuinely sparks happiness and fulfillment. Describe it briefly and vividly, capturing the essence of why it brings you joy. Within the limited word count, aim to convey your passion and enthusiasm, allowing the admissions committee to gain insight into your personality and values.

Below is an excellent example from Adem, who got into Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown. You can read all of his amazing essays here!

I pedal up the steep, 4-mile long Kancamagus Highway climb. Despite being 67 miles into my ride, I still maintain my power and efficient turnover. Cycling is my secret escape, and nothing brings me more joy than spending hours on the saddle exploring backroads on a perfect fall day.

Princeton's Soundtrack Essay:

"What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?" (50 words).

For the "What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?" prompt, choose a song that resonates with your current emotions, experiences, or aspirations. Briefly describe the song and artist, then explain why it's significant to you at this stage in your life. Within the limited word count, aim to convey a personal connection to the song, offering a glimpse into your thoughts and feelings as you navigate this moment in time.

Below is a stellar Princeton essay example from Ryan S, who got into Princeton, UPenn, Cornell, and CMU. You can read all of his college applications here.

“Une Belle Histoire” by Michel Fugain. The guitars, trumpets, and chorus of the “Big Bazaar” mirrors my desire to explore all the unknowns. As I sing along, not understanding a lyric, I’m reminded that I may not understand everything in the present, but that’s okay.

Writing Princeton's Essay for BA / Undecided Applicants:

"As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests?" (250 words).

To approach this prompt, start by identifying the academic areas that genuinely pique your curiosity. Reflect on your passions, experiences, and future goals to determine which disciplines align with your interests. Be selective and focus on a few specific areas to provide depth in your response. Next, research Princeton's programs and offerings related to your chosen academic areas. This could include courses, majors, minors, research opportunities, or extracurricular activities. Familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of Princeton's liberal arts curriculum and how it encourages interdisciplinary exploration.

In your essay, briefly discuss your chosen academic areas and explain why they interest you. Share any relevant experiences, achievements, or personal connections that showcase your passion for these subjects. Then, demonstrate your knowledge of Princeton's programs by explaining how they suit your particular interests. Discuss specific courses, research opportunities, or resources that you are excited about and how they would enhance your academic journey. Additionally, consider mentioning any professors or ongoing projects at the university that align with your interests.

Finally, connect your exploration of these academic areas at Princeton to your long-term goals, whether they be professional or personal. Show how the university's approach to learning will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve success in your chosen fields. By showcasing your genuine curiosity and demonstrating a deep understanding of Princeton's academic offerings, you'll convey your enthusiasm for learning at the university and illustrate how you would thrive in its intellectual environment.

The amazing Princeton essay example below comes from Kaya, who got into Princeton, Columbia, and JHU. You can read all of her essays here.

My life experiences and classwork have shaped my passion for neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. Princeton's environment will deepen my understanding of my interests and allow me to develop new ones.

My concussions and visits with my neurologist and psychologist interested me in their fields, as I want to understand how the brain changes after trauma and how that affects behavior. Then, in junior year English, we read works by Emerson and Thoreau, and my previous tolerance of the humanities transformed into a love of philosophy. Philosophy allows for dissent and multiple interpretations, creating an ambiguity that balances the rigidity and clarity of science. The cognitive science certificate program combines neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy into one concentration, so I can explore the interconnectedness of all my interests.

Majoring in psychology gives me an opportunity to get an additional certificate in neuroscience. Instead of double majoring and taking all of the required neuroscience courses, I can just take neuropsychological classes that interest me, such as "Depression: From Neuron to Clinic" and "The Brain: A User's Guide." The psychology major also offers courses such as "The Psychology and Philosophy of Rationality" and "The Psychology of Moral Behavior," which combine my interests in psychology and philosophy.

Additionally, the "Princeternship" will allow me to apply classroom learning of psychology and neuroscience in my shadowing experiences with alumni in the field. It also gives me an undergraduate opportunity to create personal relationships with potential employers to begin my career path as a clinical psychiatrist.

Writing Princeton's Essay for BSE Applicants:

"Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests." (250 words).

To approach this prompt, begin by reflecting on your interest in engineering and any experiences or exposure you've had in the field. Consider personal projects, internships, competitions, or coursework that have shaped your passion for engineering.

Start your essay by discussing why you're interested in studying engineering, highlighting any specific areas or fields within engineering that particularly excite you. Share relevant experiences or achievements that showcase your dedication to the subject. Next, research Princeton's engineering programs and resources, including majors, courses, research opportunities, faculty, and facilities. Familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of Princeton's engineering education and its interdisciplinary approach.

In your response, demonstrate your knowledge of Princeton's engineering offerings by explaining how they align with your interests and goals. Discuss specific courses, research projects, or resources that you're excited about and explain how they would contribute to your academic and professional development. Additionally, consider mentioning any professors or ongoing research at the university that resonates with your interests, showing your eagerness to engage with the academic community at Princeton.

Lastly, connect your pursuit of engineering at Princeton to your long-term aspirations. Explain how the university's approach to engineering education will equip you with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities necessary to succeed in your chosen career path. By showcasing your genuine passion for engineering and demonstrating a deep understanding of Princeton's engineering programs, you'll convey your enthusiasm for learning at the university and illustrate how you would thrive in its intellectually stimulating environment.

The incredible essay example below comes from Princeton student Lily. She also got into MIT and UPenn, and you can read all of her essays and activities here.

My parents’ focus on maintaining our Chinese restaurant meant I grew up entertaining myself with origami formed from menus and indestructible towers of cardboard boxes between a broken sink and a dusty cash register. However, Computer Science brought me to a community that supports and fuels my desire for innovation.

In eighth grade, after learning about Scratch (a platform where beginners can create and share coding projects) my classmates started gathering around each others’ desktops to test our projects. Scratch taught me block coding, but also the endless lessons contained in others’ creations. The communities it created through its website and in my computer classes reminded me I didn’t have to work alone. Unlike my origami folds, my creations were no longer limited to my little designated corner; my programs could touch the lives of people beyond our restaurant.

At Princeton, I want to learn from Assistant Professor Andres Monroy-Hernandez, a developer of Scratch. His interest in systems that emphasize consumers’ benefits resonates with my aspiration to create community-driven programs that give people who feel isolated a place to thrive with other like-minded individuals. I strive to give others the same drive that comes from participating in college engineering summer camps and HTML classes with passionate professors and students, sharing the satisfaction of explaining doppler equations to a classmate that helped me debug a Python program.

Wincing at the amounts of abandoned crab rangoons every time I cleared a table at the restaurant also sparked an innate desire to reduce waste and increase sustainability in everyday life. With the ENV certification program, I would customize the sustainability courses I take to complement my Computer Science major. Electives like Economics of Food and Agriculture will give me a deeper understanding of the economics and source of the bulk boxes of broccoli we ordered every Friday. Joining clubs like Green Dining, I would directly impact my local environment by creating programs that will analyze the amount of produced food waste.

Princeton Engineering’s focus on learning to help humanity will nurture my desire of developing programs that’ll create thriving communities and increase sustainability.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, crafting standout essays for Princeton University requires a deep understanding of the prompts, genuine self-reflection, and a clear demonstration of your passions and goals. One of the most effective ways to master this process is by learning from real-world examples of successful essays that have helped students gain admission to prestigious institutions like Princeton.

By examining these examples, you can glean insights into what makes an essay stand out, identify patterns and strategies used by successful applicants, and ultimately apply those lessons to your own writing. Fortunately, we've built out a platform that lets high school students and parents access thousands of real-world examples of successful essays and extracurriculars that have landed students at incredible schools.

You can explore this vast repository of winning essays, learn from their successes, and refine your approach to tackling essay prompts from great schools like Princeton. Ultimately, by leveraging the power of real-life examples and the expert guidance provided in this article, you'll be well on your way to crafting compelling essays that capture the attention of Princeton University's admissions committee and pave the way for your future academic success.

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6 Brown Essays That Worked + Why Brown Examples

For students writing the Brown supplements for Fall 2022, here is your guide to successful Brown essays.

In this article, I've gathered 6 essays written by admitted students to Brown.

I'll share examples of how regular high-achieving students who got into Brown recently by having stand-out essays.

Are essays all that matter? No, but especially for competitive and test-optional schools, your essays are a very important factor.

Let's jump right in.

What is Brown University's Acceptance Rate?

This past year, a record 46,568 students applied to Brown and just 2,537 students got accepted. Which means Brown had an overall admit rate of just 5.4%.

Since its known as a top Ivy League school, most students applying to Brown already have strong test scores, grades, and extracurricular activities.

Brown University Acceptance Scattergram

That's why its even more important to write essays that help show why you should be accepted.

Especially for Ivy League and other top schools like Brown, your essays make a difference.

What are the Brown Supplemental Prompts for 2022-23?

To apply to Brown University this year, you are required to write three short essays of 50 to 250 words each.

You can find your Brown writing supplement along with your Common Application essays on your portal.

Here's the Brown supplemental prompts for 2022. The questions on this page are being asked by Brown University:

Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)

Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)

Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

6 Brown University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 6 of my favorite Brown essay examples from admitted students.

These essays respond to past and current writing supplement prompts for Brown. I've also included some examples of personal statement essays that worked for Brown.

If you need help getting started writing, this is a perfect way to get inspired and see what's worked.

Table of Contents

• Brown Essay Example #1
• Brown Essay Example #2
• Brown Essay Example #3
• Brown Essay Example #4
• Brown Essay Example #5
• Brown Essay Example #6

Prompt: Open Curriculum

Brown university essay example #1.

Prompt: Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)

My primary interest is in languages and linguistics, specifically Spanish, Portuguese and the descent of these languages from Latin which I explored in my IB Extended Essay. Thus, something that excites me about the complete freedom of the Brown curriculum is the opportunity to learn about Hispanic and Lusophone culture, literature and language in an intersectional way through a concentration in Latin American studies combined with classes and undergraduate research in Linguistics. I intend to supplement my language acquisition with practical application through study abroad opportunities at PUC-Rio, Brazil and in Santiago, Chile, perhaps through the Engaged Scholars Program which will allow me to forge deeper connections with the communities and cultures I am studying. I am also attracted by the possibility of a 5-year BA/MA course in Linguistics which will permit me to conduct meaningful and extensive research on a topic I am truly passionate about.

However, I also have an interest in Biochemistry and Molecular biology. The Open Curriculum will enable me to pursue this avenue of study and research without detracting from my principal focus on languages. Therefore, perhaps what I am most excited for is interdisciplinary study at Brown and the possibility of forging unforeseen connections between disparate academic areas and weaving them together into a program of study that will engage, thrill, and inspire me towards a lifelong path of academic inquiry. For example, I am interested to explore how languages and sociolinguistics can be used to promote medical research and provision in Latin America.

Why This Essay Works:

Naming things unique to the school shows you have genuine interest. Listing specific programs, courses, or majors shows you've done your research.

The author's reasons for "Why Brown?" fit into their background and identity. This makes their reasons seem genuine and compelling.

What They Might Improve:

The essay is divided into two parts with distinct answers. Showing how those reasons relate could make the essay more cohesive.

Ending with a sentence "For example..." leaves more to be desired and explained.

Prompt: Brown's Community

Brown university essay example #2.

Prompt: At Brown, you will learn as much from your peers outside the classroom as in academic spaces. How will you contribute to the Brown community? (200-250 words)

At my high school, I reinvigorated and reinvented the linguistics society with the help of a friend, transforming it from a dull discussion of past exam questions to a seminar-style session where I have presented and analysed various interesting aspects of language. In a similar vein, I intend to be a leader and an innovator at Brown, and to create opportunities for likeminded people to discuss shared interests such as linguistics. However, other than creating clubs, I hope to use my experience as a camp counselor and a diving coach to support others within the community, and to set a good example of dedication, energy, and compassion.

Additionally, I have volunteered as a Spanish teacher at a local primary school for three years. Volunteer service is something I would definitely like to continue to undertake at Brown, perhaps through the Community Corps that will allow me to help address social inequality within Providence, or as a teacher and classroom assistant in the Elementary Afterschool Mentoring program at D’Abate school. I can draw on my previous experience and knowledge to hopefully enrich the education of underprivileged children in the local community.

Finally, as an international student, I will bring an element of unique culture to Brown’s campus. Having grown up in the buzzing metropolis of London but visiting America frequently to see family, I have the privilege of a truly dual nationality, and the resultant worldview and cultural references that I hope will enrich the diverse Brown community.

• Variety of Reasons Given: Providing multiple reasons for how you'll contribute shows you aren't one-dimensional. People are complex and showing nuance in your character is important.
• Showcasing Past Experiences: With each point, the author gives examples from their activities and resume. Referencing specific extracurriculars helps build their case and is "proof" of how they'll contribute.

What They Might Change:

• Flow and Writing Style: Listing activities can come off as robotic and uninteresting. Rather, try to find a balance between showing off your achievements and writing in an interesting way.
• Structure: The last paragraph is most compelling because it deals with the author's personality and background, rather than just what they've done. Organizing the essay around your character is better than focusing solely on your achivements.

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Prompt: Why Brown?

Brown university essay example #3.

Prompt: Why Brown, and why the Brown Curriculum? (200 words max)

I believe any college should equip you with tools as you embark upon your journey. Brown provides the necessary. That is what the capstone experience does (not to mention the importance of internships given to Brown Students). You can never know everything about anything. But quench the questions is exactly what the Capstone Experience fosters.

The Open Curriculum was obviously the first thing that caught my eye. In school, you are sometimes forced to take the subjects you don’t like. College shouldn’t be the same. It is supposed to be a fresh start and that is exactly why you should be allowed to take the courses that appeal to you. Here is where the S/NC option was interesting. Only if you know perspectives from all subjects, can you determine a solution; S/NC promotes this. Group Independent Study Projects is also unique. Getting into the course is something hard. But creating your own course is amusing.

I would love to be a part of The Society of Women Engineers because I had to fight with my own family to study Computer Science in the United States. If it means providing the help for people I wish I'd got, never better.

• Ideas and Beliefs: Rather than just saying what aspects are appealing, the author explains why they are attracted to those things. By explaining your perspective, admissions officers are better able to understand your thinking and character.
• Specific to Brown: Listing aspects that are unique to Brown is important to show your interest is authentic. By naming things like the Capstone Experience and S/NC, the author shows their knowledge of Brown and makes their reasons more compelling.
• Writing Style: Some parts of the essay are clunky in wording and could be written more clearly. But the author is an international student, so it is understandable and not the end of the world.
• Structure and Conclusion: There isn't a clear conclusion sentence that ties the essay together. How can you relate the last sentence to your beginning?

Prompt: Area of Study

Brown university essay example #4.

Prompt: Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated? (150 words max)

There was a time when I was low and afraid to be with myself. That’s when I dived into programming. I always sat with my laptop. But unlike others on Instagram or Snapchat, I was coding. I always kept myself occupied so I wouldn’t think about hardships. But as I was solving those little Instantiation and StackOverflow errors, I realized that any problem in my life had a solution. I could either modify the code and right the wrong, or just keep compiling them, producing no output. So, life is not all that different. That is why I want to pursue Computer Science. I know I can work to keep myself happy. Inevitably, what makes me happy is Computer Science, which is what I want to pursue.

• Intriguing Backstory: Telling a compelling story is about setting the scene. This essay creates vivid imagery by naming specific programming-related things.
• Connects to Bigger Picture: Rather than just saying their major or interest, the author connects it to a more universal idea. Showing the deeper "why" behind your interests makes it relatable and more interesting.
• Writing Style and Flow: Some words are unnecessary, and a few sentences could be made more smooth to read.
• Doesn't Use the Full Word Limit: With 23 words left, the author could have included a sentence or two more. Every word is valuable with short word limits, so use them carefully.

Prompt: Where You've Lived

Brown university essay example #5.

Prompt: Tell us where you have lived - and for how long - since you were born; whether you've always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places. (100 words max)

I was born in California, USA. When I was about 7 months old, I moved to Bangalore, India. I've lived in Bangalore all my life, until two years ago. I started attending a boarding school, in the same state, but far away from my house. I chose to leave everything behind, even my phone, because I didn't want to be pampered. I wanted to fold my own blanket; to wipe my own tears; to carve my own name; to befriend people my way; to create my destiny. My parents weren't happy at first, but I convinced them.

• Poetic Writing: Interesting writing comes from interesting ideas. And the second to last sentence especially is compelling because it expresses their ideas elegantly.
• Answers Prompt Directly: For supplements especially, make sure to answer exactly what the prompt is asking.
• Be More Concise: Use as few words as possible to say the most you can. Especially for short prompts like this one, every word matters.
• Word Choice: Swapping out words like "house" for "home" can make the tone more natural.

Prompt: Communities and Groups

Brown university essay example #6.

Prompt: Communities or groups: pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you. (100 words max)

My dad lost his parents when he was young. My mom also quit her job to take care of me. So, if you look at it, she should loathe me. But she doesn’t. She has dedicated her whole life to me. That is why I want to provide a purpose to their lives. Every competition I won, even a small word of praise would lighten their mood. When I am happy they are euphoric; when I am sad they are distraught. It's like they (for)give and forget. So why not follow their footsteps and give it all I got?

• Vulnerable and Authentic: Being vulnerable is an important part of great essays. Talking about sensitive, but real and human topics, makes you more relatable and humanized.
• Explains What Motivates Them: Admissions officers want to know why you're driven to do things. Showing your "why" helps give insight into your character more deeply.
• Doesn't Answer Prompt Directly: Make sure to answer exactly what the prompt asks. Although this essay explains their background and motivations, it doesn't answer the question exactly.

If you're trying to get into Brown in 2022, your essays need to make you stand out from the competition. These 6 Brown essays that worked showcase great examples of what it takes to get accepted into Brown.

There are many lessons and tips to be learned from these supplements:

• Being authentic and genuine is key
• Name aspects unique and specific to the school
• Showcase your motivations and the "why" behind things
• Don't be afraid to be vulnerable
• Use every word carefully and make each word count

If you enjoyed reading these Brown supplements, you'll also like the essays for similar Ivy League schools like Princeton and Columbia University .

What did you think of these Brown University essays?

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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Essay Samples on Joy

What is the good life and how to achieve it.

The common notion of the good life is that everyone wants to have money, a big house, a perfect family, and a perfect job, like the "American dream." However, I feel that a good life is when there is happiness, love, hard work, achieving success,...

In Pursuit Of Joy And Happiness

Somebody told me yesterday that I will achieve my inner peace when I would finish what I had started. At that time, I haven’t finished my chocolate cake, but I finished it when I got the support of my friend. Same as chocolate cake, we...

• Personal Goals

My Experience of the First Snow: Excitement and Joy

I awaken, very excited and ready to see snow for the first time in my life. I was informed at work yesterday that Atlanta was expecting to see four inches of snow. The house is extremely quiet because everyone was sleep. As I get out...

How I Learned to Cherish Every Moment of My Life

Growing up in a family that frequently moved was difficult. Whenever we would leave for another town, I was overcome with a feeling of sadness. The most distressing aspect of each move was losing the affectionate friends I had made while needing to then adjust...

• Thankfulness

Understanding Suffering And Mission For A Better Cause

Suffering in a broad sense may be an experience of trouble in a person. Suffering can be either physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of severity, from moderate to unbearable. Attitudes toward suffering depend upon the situations. It may vary from person...

• Christian Worldview

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The Joy Soccer Brings to Me and Many Others

Joy is an essential feeling for us human beings. It is basically the feeling you get when you are doing something you love. Joy has long been identified as an important feeling for humans. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato believed that...

• Favorite Sport

A Movie Night In School

We have many great things at Duluth High School. We have a wide variety of sports, and clubs to get involved in. We have vending machines and the school store, where you can buy chips, and drinks. We also have a large number of wonderful...

• High School

Best topics on Joy

1. What Is The Good Life And How To Achieve It

2. In Pursuit Of Joy And Happiness

3. My Experience of the First Snow: Excitement and Joy

4. How I Learned to Cherish Every Moment of My Life

5. Understanding Suffering And Mission For A Better Cause

6. The Joy Soccer Brings to Me and Many Others

7. A Movie Night In School

• Career Goals
• Personal Experience
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words

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Essay on Things That Make Me Happy

Students are often asked to write an essay on Things That Make Me Happy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Things That Make Me Happy

Introduction.

Happiness is a feeling that everyone enjoys. It comes from different things for different people. For me, there are many things that make me happy. They range from simple pleasures to cherished moments with loved ones.

Family Time

Spending time with my family is one of the things that makes me very happy. Whether it’s a simple dinner, a movie night, or a family trip, these moments are precious to me. I love the laughter, stories, and love that we share.

Reading Books

Reading books is another thing that brings me joy. Books take me to different worlds and let me live different lives. The thrill of a good story always makes me happy.

Helping Others

Helping others is something that gives me great joy. Seeing the smile on someone’s face when I help them is priceless. It makes me feel good about myself and brings me happiness.

In conclusion, many things make me happy. They may seem simple, but they fill my heart with joy. Remember, it’s the small things in life that often bring the most happiness.

250 Words Essay on Things That Make Me Happy

Happiness is a feeling that everyone cherishes. Each person has different things that make them happy. I also have a list of things that bring a smile to my face and fill my heart with joy.

The first thing that makes me happy is my family. Their love and support give me strength. We share laughter, stories, and meals together. These moments are very special to me.

My friends are another source of my happiness. We play, study, and share secrets together. Their company brings me immense joy. They are always there for me, in good times and bad, which makes me feel loved and valued.

Reading books is another thing that makes me happy. Books take me to different worlds and time periods. I learn about new things, people, and places. This knowledge and the journey of imagination that books provide make me very happy.

Music is like magic to me. It can change my mood in an instant. When I listen to my favorite songs, I feel a sense of joy that is hard to explain. It’s like the music speaks to my soul and makes me feel at peace.

In conclusion, happiness comes from simple things in life. For me, it’s my family, friends, books, and music that bring me the most joy. These things make my life beautiful and worth living. Remember, it’s the little things that often bring the greatest happiness.

500 Words Essay on Things That Make Me Happy

Happiness is a feeling that everyone cherishes. It is like a warm bubble of joy that fills our hearts and makes us smile. What makes me happy might be different from what makes you happy because happiness is personal. For me, there are many things that bring happiness. Some of these things are simple, while others are more complex.

Spending Time with Family and Friends

One of the main things that make me happy is spending time with my family and friends. Whether we are laughing, talking, or just being together, these moments bring me great joy. I feel loved and cared for when I am with them. They understand me and accept me just as I am. This feeling of love and acceptance is a big source of happiness for me.

Another thing that makes me happy is reading books. Books take me to different worlds and let me live many lives. They teach me new things and help me see the world from different points of view. When I read a good book, I feel a kind of joy that is hard to describe. It’s like finding a new friend who understands you and shares your thoughts.

Playing Sports

Playing sports is another thing that makes me happy. When I play sports, I feel alive and full of energy. I love the feeling of running fast, the thrill of scoring a goal, and the joy of being part of a team. Sports help me stay fit and healthy, which also makes me feel good about myself.

Helping others also brings me happiness. When I help someone, I feel a sense of satisfaction that is very rewarding. It makes me feel good to know that I have made a difference in someone’s life, no matter how small. This feeling of making a positive impact gives me a deep sense of happiness.

Nature’s Beauty

Finally, the beauty of nature makes me happy. I love watching the sunrise, the birds flying in the sky, and the flowers blooming in the garden. These simple things fill me with a sense of wonder and joy. They remind me of the beauty in the world and make me feel happy and peaceful.

In conclusion, many things make me happy. Spending time with family and friends, reading books, playing sports, helping others, and enjoying nature’s beauty are just a few of them. These things bring me joy and make my life more meaningful. They remind me of the good things in life and help me stay positive and happy. Everyone has different things that make them happy. The key is to find what makes you happy and make time for it in your life. After all, happiness is not something we find, but something we create.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Things I Would Like To Change About Myself
• Essay on Things I Love About Myself
• Essay on Things I Like To Do

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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The Leaving Cert personal essay is a well loved and virtually permanent feature of Paper 1 (here is some evidence ).

It belongs in the 100 marks Composition section, the single biggest chunk of the English exam.

What is the personal essay?

It calls for a confessional, introspective tone.

Do you like the sound of these questions:

• Remember those times when you did not say what you really thought or felt. Why didn’t you? How do you feel about it now?
• How would you feel about a terrible event of your past if it happened today?
• What did you learn about building family relationships based on the experience of your parents and grandparents?

You get the message – this is serious life stuff! The Leaving Cert personal essay may be one of the only times you truly get to be yourself in a standardised exam.

The marking scheme allows us to interpret the term “personal essay”’ liberally, potentially even entirely or partly as personal (first person) narratives.

How to do well in the personal essay?

Reading such an essay, you should get the feeling that you are learning someone’s deeper thoughts and reflections. It shouldn’t feel like an opinion piece in a newspaper.

Even though a certain stream of consciousness quality is usually acceptable with these essays, remember that clarity (the P of PCLM) always gets priority .

By reading the correct and H1 sample essays below, you will learn how much to write, what kind of themes come up again and again and how you may be able to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

‘To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.’ – Oscar Wilde

Personal essay: pleasures particular to you for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post author: Martina
• Post published: April 18, 2019
• Post category: #625Lab / English / PCLM / Personal essay

Write a personal essay on what you perceive to be the pleasures particular to you. #625Lab. Corrected by an experienced examiner, graded as 83/100 with feedback on how to improve…

Personal essay: a time in your life in which you felt you were treated unfairly for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: March 22, 2019

Write a personal essay on a time in your life in which you felt you were treated unfairly. #625Lab. Corrected by an experienced examiner, graded as 79/100 with feedback on…

Personal essay: moments of insight and revelation for Leaving Cert English #625Lab (Divorce)

• Post published: September 23, 2018
• Post category: #625Lab / English / Personal essay

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on moments of insight and revelation you have experienced. (2017) #625Lab. Theme: divorce. Some parts of this essay are outstanding, but it…

Personal Essay: Uncertain about what you want for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: April 23, 2018

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on an occasion in your life when you felt uncertain about what you wanted. #625Lab. Wonderfully reflective, revelatory personal essay dealing with loss.…

Personal essay about significant endings for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: April 7, 2018

Write a personal essay about your response to an ending, or endings, in your life that you consider significant. (100 marks)   Stellar stuff via #625Lab. If you want to send…

Personal Essay: Moments of Insight and Revelation for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: February 25, 2018

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on moments of insight and revelation you have experienced (2017). This is a good attempt at a personal essay showing a lot…

Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced #625Lab

• Post published: February 15, 2018

This essay below is a beautiful exemplar of the genre of personal essay, full of cathartic confessions, teenage going on middle-aged angst and some incredibly deep insights and lessons learnt.…

Personal Essay: Experience of Dramatic Arts for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: November 9, 2017

Write a personal essay about your experience (as a performer and/or audience member) of the dramatic arts; plays, musicals, concerts, comedy etc. (2010) You may also like: Complete Guide to…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Irishness #625Lab

• Post published: October 1, 2017
• Post category: #625Lab / English / Personal essay / Too long

“The shoes of Irishness fit me well.” Write a personal essay in which you explore your sense of what it means to be Irish. (2001) This is a good essay…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Pretence and Unvarnished Truth #625Lab

• Post published: September 18, 2017

“Let’s stop all this pretence and tell each other the unvarnished truth for a change.”   Write a personal essay in response to this statement. (2006) This is an essay…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Useless Clutter #625Lab

• Post published: September 10, 2017

The village shops in Sara Baume’s novel contain a “surplus of useless clutter”.  Write a personal essay in which you reflect on the “useless clutter” that is a feature of…

Write a personal essay on the tension you find between the everyday treadmill and the gilded promises of life

• Post published: June 5, 2017
• Post category: English / Personal essay

Write a personal essay on the tension you find between the everyday treadmill and the gilded promises of life. (2013) Themes: social norms, choice, philosophy, religion ‘To live is the…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced.

• Post published: June 4, 2017

Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced. Themes: social disadvantage, divorce, homelessness Note: this is a personal essay, but it has a plot…

Write a personal essay in which you describe a place that you consider beautiful

• Post published: February 1, 2017

Themes: religion, family Please note that we are apolitical. We just like good essays. This came up on the 2008 paper. This essay is on the short side of the…

Personal Essay: Not all problems are physical

• Post published: October 23, 2016

'Not all problems are physical'. Write a personal essay about your response to this statement in light of experiences your life that you consider significant. Themes: mental health, anxiety ‘It is…

Personal Essay: Moments of Uncertainty

• Post published: September 26, 2016

  Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced.  Themes: sexuality, social conflict Candidates may adopt a variety of approaches (serious, humorous, anecdotal, discursive,…

How To Improve Your Grade If Your Teacher Isn’t Giving You Feedback

• Post published: November 3, 2014
• Post category: Durcan / English / Hamlet / Personal essay / Short Story / T.S. Eliot / Video

- How to write a strong introduction- How to craft impactful sentences- Common grammar, syntax and style problems- How to stay relevant to the question- Examples from Hamlet, Personal Essays,…