Common App Sample #1: Intro (Animation)

Summary

In eighth grade, the speaker faced a dilemma when asked to share their hobbies and career aspirations. They were hesitant to admit their love for collecting cosmetics and their dream of becoming a cosmetic scientist, fearing judgment as superficial. They compared their interests to their peers' more conventional ambitions, such as working at the UN or in cybersecurity, and questioned the validity of their own passion, reflecting on societal expectations and the internalization of these pressures.

Takeaways

• 📝 The speaker was asked to write about their hobbies and career goals in eighth grade.
• 😳 They hesitated to share their hobby and career aspirations due to fear of judgment.
• 💄 The hobby was collecting cosmetics, which the speaker felt was not taken seriously.
• 🔬 The career goal was to become a cosmetic scientist, a path they were passionate about.
• 👥 They compared their interests to their friends' more traditionally respected career goals.
• 🏛 Friends' aspirations included working at the UN in foreign affairs or in internet security.
• 🤔 The speaker's insecurity suggested a societal bias against hobbies and careers related to cosmetics.
• 👧 The speaker felt they were being judged as superficial for their interest in cosmetics.
• 🌐 There is an implied critique of societal expectations and gender stereotypes in career choices.
• 💡 The script highlights the importance of self-acceptance and pursuing one's passion despite societal pressures.

Q & A

What was the task given to the speaker in eighth grade?

The speaker was asked to write about their hobbies and career goals.

Why did the speaker hesitate to share their hobby and career goals?

The speaker was embarrassed because their hobby was collecting cosmetics and they wanted to become a cosmetic scientist, fearing that others would judge them as too girlish and less competent.

What were the career aspirations of the speaker's friends that they compared themselves to?

The speaker's friends wanted to work at the UN in foreign affairs or police the internet to crack down on hackers.

How did the speaker feel about their own hobby and career goal?

The speaker felt insecure and considered their hobby and career goal as trivial and superficial.

What was the speaker's hobby that they were hesitant to share?

The speaker's hobby was collecting cosmetics.

What career did the speaker aspire to pursue?

The speaker aspired to become a cosmetic scientist.

What was the speaker's concern about the perception of their hobby by others?

The speaker was concerned that others would view their hobby as girlish and judge them as less competent.

How did the speaker's insecurity reflect on their view of the cosmetics industry?

The speaker's insecurity led them to view the cosmetics industry as trivial and themselves as superficial for being interested in it.

What was the speaker's internal conflict regarding their hobby and career choice?

The speaker's internal conflict was between their passion for cosmetics and the fear of being judged for it, which made them question the validity of their interests.

How did the speaker's friends' career goals influence their own self-assessment?

The speaker's friends' career goals made them feel that their own goals were less significant and led to self-doubt about their competency and interests.

What was the speaker's realization about their hobby and career aspirations?

The speaker realized that their insecurity about their hobby and career aspirations was a reflection of societal expectations and judgments, rather than an inherent issue with their interests.