What should I write about during COVID times?
Photo by Bruce Mars from StockSnap
by Albert Leo
One of my teachers gave me valuable advice to become a better writer: “Get a life.” The logic was simple: writing will inevitably be easier if you have vivid stories and experiences to pull from.
However, with many schools stuck in various stages of lockdown, a lot of activities have either been postponed, hindered, or cancelled. You might no longer be able to run at track meets or dazzle a crowded room with your poignant arguments in a debate competition.
Students might be wondering: How can I write about anything when life has been disrupted so much?
It’s important to remember that there are sections on the college applications that might allow you to detail your circumstances regarding COVID-19. Writing about the pandemic in these designated areas can give admissions an idea of how your academics and life were affected.
So you don’t really have to directly write about COVID for your larger 650-word Common App essay. In fact, I would encourage people to not make the virus center stage or avoid the subject altogether unless you had a particularly insightful and reflective experience. You still want your Common App essay to tell a unique story about yourself that doesn’t define you based on just experiencing hardship. For example, writing just about how you can’t see your friends will not be that different from every other student that will be going through similar circumstances.
Here are some things you can do to keep your life as active as possible:
Seek out your passions in whatever capacity that you can continue to do. You might be stuck at home, but there are still activities you can take part in. Many activities have moved online. Continue to live life. Has there been a project that you’ve always wanted to be a part of?
If you love videogames and have been curious about design, instead of playing yet another round of a battle arena, why not explore that potential budding passion and build strong programming skills while exhibiting creativity by making your own videogame? You don’t wait for a teacher to assign you a project. Embed these passions into your routines if you have time.
Be part of communities. Retreating to yourself can be enticing during these times, but as social creatures, you should keep in touch with your humanity and emotions. Colleges want to accept people, not robots. This can mean bonding with your family, setting out times to make sure your friends are okay, or even having conversations with teachers beyond academics. The point of developing relationships is to learn from enriching perspectives.
Whether you love anime or animals, you can find communities where you can continue to find out more about yourself and people. Utilize online resources like Discord where you can find groups and express your eccentricities. With a community, you can both seek support and help your friends. Value interaction and building relationships over passive consumption.
Be in touch with your mental health because there are many stressors in life but understanding how to overcome them can be empowering. Not all essays will have to be written about big moments. Sometimes, just being in touch with how you connect and think about the world can show a lot about your personality and resilience.
This might involve resonating from outsider perspectives from reading BIPOC authors or learning about subjects that go more in depth about problems you want to solve. Some students might find they used to be adventurous, but maybe you can explore your neighborhood by riding your bike around town, helping those that might need help, or talking when you or others might be lonely.
So, while getting a life during these times might be harder, you’ll thank yourself for trying to be more active in your life when it comes time to writing your essay.