Saturday, February 21

too personal, or not?

Initially, I didn't want to share this essay because it was a bit on the personal side. But since I found out that faceless, identityless people have read it and all, I figured, what the hell, let's go full monty. Crash and burn, baby. Crash and burn. Comments are, as always, very welcome.

You can find my personal account below. But because reading it might distort your own perception, I advise you to read the essay first. Your call.

Personal Experience Essay


This is an essay I'm supposed to write for college, titled "Personal Experience Essay". I didn't like it much, because it put me in a rather difficult position: I didn't want to write something too personal (yes I admit my definition of 'personal' is very different from yours), I didn't want to overly embellish my experiences, and I didn't want to lie. But the experiences that really matter, I don't want to share. The experiences I can share, don't really matter. So I compromised :(

This essay is an outrageous mangling of a precious childhood memory. The night was definitely much more beautiful than how I described it, that bloody song had nothing to do with me, my house didn't have a balcony (I put it there because I know the aesthetic rationale of Disney directors) and I wasn't even close to autistic.

It was just a moment in my life when I realize that the damn stars don't grant wishes. That means a lot for a 5-year-old, okay! I didn't need all those stuff about catharsis and faith to make it meaningful. But unfortunately, some people just do not know how to read between lines and into a kid's mind.

This is what students do to get their grades - distort their own reality. This is a small reminder to myself that I might do anything for grades, but I must never ever forget and I must never ever stop beating myself up over all the lies I weave into my words. Lies are lies, even if they get you the A.

if you do not like my essay, i forgive you. i don't like it too. but anyway, interesting sidenote! google brillo boxes! :D

1 comment:

Charis said...

Awesome essay (as expected), but the last sentence kind of spoils it all. Why the need for a moral? ;)

We've all had our childhood illusions shattered one way or the other. I think you described yours beautifully. Even if it is a little made-up. We change reality every time we write about it; there is no way to write the absolute truth about what happened, only the truth that appeals to us the most.