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EXCUSE THIS BASIC STUDYBLR POST
// trying to catch up on physics notes + college apps at the same time
Wise words from @appsademia on twitter
hey guys, my nameâs mackenzie and iâm a rising senior! if youâre in the same boat as me, youâre freaking about all your essays, test scores, and whatnot.Â
even though iâm also starting the college app process, i want to give you guys some tips and tricks iâm using to try to stay organized!
tip #1: make a college spreadsheet!
to start off, do LOTS of research and find some colleges youâre interested in! if you see my spreadsheet below, youâll see that i have a wide arrangement of choices. personally, i use google docs bc itâs free and very simple to use.
i keep track of each collegeâs different deadlines, tuition/app fees, act averages, and more! keeping track of these things here in one place makes everything easy to find and compare.
you can even liven up your spreadsheet w color coding. for instance, i assign each college with a color corresponding to their school colors.
tip #2: start those essays! revise, revise, revise!
now is the perfect time to get the ball rolling. if youâre like me, writing essays takes an INSANE amount of time. even if you find essays considerably easy, these are definitely ones that you cannot write up in one week or even one day before the final deadline.
personal essays are your time to shine. take advantage of them to tell admissions counselors what they cannot see from your transcripts.
you may want to ask yourself these questions:Â
do they know how much of a hard worker i am? do they know how much i struggled with a particular problem and how i dealt with it? do they know how much of a kind and caring person i am?Â
as for those dreaded âwhyâ essays, ask yourself these questions:Â
what about this school appeals to me the most? what can i contribute to their community? what makes this school so special? what makes me so special? why should they accept me? what will i contribute to the community?
keep in mind when writing these essays, your main goal is to express who you are as a person, and not brag about your accomplishments. make sure you make no grammar errors, and make sure you get your guidance counselor and favorite english teacher to read it over.
youâre going to write many, many, MANY different drafts and thatâs exactly what you want! by the time you finally have the perfect essay, youâll be proud of yourself and glad you dedicated so much time into it.
tip #3: time management!
managing your time throughout these next few months is CRUCIAL. keep track of dates not only in your spreadsheet, but also in your calendar / planner / journal.
if you donât have a planner of some sort, i highly recommend getting one so you can not only keep track of applications, but also your school work, extra-curriculars, and social events. it makes staying on top of things incredibly easy.Â
do your best to stay productive! now of course, there are going to be many periods of time where you really donât feel like working, and that brings me to my next tip.
tip #4 treat yourself!
itâs no surprise that college app season is very stressful. and thatâs why you should work at your own place. take time out of your days to relax. take a few days off, but donât lose yourself!Â
when youâre feeling stressed i recommend listening to your favorite artists/soundtracks, watching funny videos online, making your favorite meal, taking a walk by yourself or with your friend or pet, watching the stars/sky, putting on your favorite movie/television show, drawing/painting whatever comes to mind, tidying up your work space, buying some sweets or cute stationary at the store, taking a nap, drinking some tea or water, playing a fun game, or drawing a nice bath!
your mental health is very important. if you feel overwhelmed or overworked, donât feel bad or hesitate to take any off days.Â
alright! so there you go, those are some of my tips of getting through the college app season! feel free to message me with any questions, and i wish you guys the best of luck these next few months!
you can do this. stop sabotaging yourself and your dreams. there will be risks, there will be stress, but go on and actually pursue what you want to do. you will not regret having tried, all things considered. self-doubt can destroy so much of your life. donât let it, please.Â
a guide by a former applicant who never received a single rejection letter!
table of contents
where to begin
essays
transcripts + test scores
letters of recommendation
interviews
before we begin, please remember that while the process of applying to college may seem like it will never end, in just a few short months it will. yes, it is a stressful time full of uncertainty, and you may start to think that college isnât even worth it, but this is the time where all the hard work youâve been putting in for the past four years really comes to fruition. you know how hard youâve worked to get where you are, and let your applications accurately reflect that.
where to begin
figure out where you want to apply. have a backup, somewhere you can get in for sure, at least two schools youâd be happy to attend including one you know you can for sure afford, and then of course your dream/reach school. some people do more than this (I applied to 8 in total), but this is a good starting point.
set up your common app account. the common app application usually launches on august 1, but go in before that and get your account set up so you can get a head start. the first thing I would do is fill out the application part itself, sans essays. itâs a ton of information, and itâll be overwhelming at first, but if you can get it done, especially before you go back to school, then you wonât have to worry about it.
get organized! go through the requirements of every school youâre applying to. figure out what you need to submit and when. be aware of your deadlines from the beginning and make a checklist to mark everything off as you go.
essays
to be perfectly honest, the essays are the most time-consuming and most daunting part of this process. hereâs how to tackle them:
first of all, start early. in august it may seem like you have plenty of time, but then youâll blink, and itâll be november. I spent a first week and a half of my christmas break trying to finish a 2000-word essay because I didnât really start my essays until october. please save yourself that stress and aim to finish at least a first draft of all your essays by halloween.
KNOW. YOUR. SCHOOL. I cannot stress this enough. this is the one thing I can tell you that will make or break your entire application. certain schools and even programs value certain qualities in their applicants, and knowing what theyâre looking for can help you cater your essay to their specific tastes. for example, NYU values the diversity of their student body and their reputation as a global institution. express why you also value diversity and how you would contribute to or take advantage of that globality. donât go into your essay writing without some semblance of what the schools youâre applying to stand for. if you can demonstrate that you understand their missions and their vision, you can turn your borderline acceptance into a much more solid one.
on a similar note, get familiar with your school or programâs website. for one thing, it will help you get to know your school better and understand what theyâre looking for (point above). you can also prove just how interested you are by naming specific programs or opportunities available that youâre interested in or even a professor youâd like to study under. do outside research too: watch youtube videos, talk to current students, and read student publications. a deeper understanding not only strengthens your essays but also helps you to know whatâs available to you.
show some enthusiasm, even if an essay is for a school thatâs lower on your list. admissions officers want students who want to be there. you may think youâre above gushing, but youâre not. gush, even if itâs your backup and youâre a shoo-in. apathy is not impressive to an admissions officer.
really focus on what makes you unique. I know that sounds cliche, but admissions officers read thousands of essays every application cycle, so you really need to find what can make you, and thus your essay, stand out. I promise you, you can find some unique experience to write about, even if itâs some obscure anecdote. spin it to be a thoughtful, profound experience. talk about something that has seriously impacted you or your trajectory. if youâre having a hard time writing about yourself (I know I did) ask a parent or a friend, someone who knows you well, what they think makes you different. I promise you thereâs something there you can use.
work smarter. reuse material from similar prompts. reuse old graded essays. I even reused a book review I had already written for my english class. writing these essays is not your full-time job (though it may feel like it), so be smart about it where you can.
transcripts + test scores
(combining these since really at this point all you have to do is submit them)
in terms of test scores: so itâs the beginning of your senior year and youâre still not happy with your standardized test scores. take them again! you still have time! you should doublecheck to be sure, but most schools will take your test scores all the way up to the application deadline, and sometimes even after, which gives you at least two or three more opportunities to take the SAT/ACT. also, sending scores to multiple schools can get really expensive really fast (roughly $15 per school, so you do the math), so see if youâre eligible for fee waivers before you submit.
in terms of transcripts: request them early. it took my guidance counselor at my smallish public school almost 6 weeks to submit my transcripts after I requested them to be sent. the longer you wait, the more time itâs going to take them, because theyâll be doing the same for hundreds of other kids. also, double check and see if your schools require mid-year transcripts; most donât unless youâre actually going there, but some do. make sure your guidance counselor knows you need those in by a certain date; mine almost didnât make it in time because it took the school district almost two months to get them done. youâve already done the hard work to make the grades on your transcript; donât let a lack of action create an issue with it.
letters of recommendation
(this is one area that can actually really help you if you take the time and put in some effort)
teacher recs: most schools require at least one teacher recommendation. start thinking about whom you want to write your recs once school starts, and then ask those teachers as soon as possible. chances are, theyâll have other students asking as well. it takes time to write a really good recommendation, and you have to remember your teacher is doing all of this on top of their other work. so be courteous and donât wait until three weeks before the deadline to ask.
counselor recs: pretty much every school requires a counselor recommendation. this process probably varies from high school to high school, but at least for mine, we had to print an online form and fill it out to give to them. I had no idea, however, that that was a thing until one of my friends told me. so get on your schoolâs website as soon as possible and see if your guidance office has a section posted about the college application process. then, as with teacher recs, make the request as soon as possible. counselor recs may take even longer (again, hundreds of students), and you donât want to wait until the last minute to get something so simple done.
other recs: recommendations from someone associated with the college youâre applying toâa prominent alumnus (the more money theyâve donated, the better) or a well-respected staff member are your best optionsâcan really tip the scale in favor of a borderline application. we all know that in the real world itâs not always what you know but whom you know. yeah, itâs unfair, but work that system anyways. ask your parents if they know anyone with some kind of connection to your school. if you live nearby, get in contact with a professor in your field. even if you donât, go on facebook and find your local alumni chapter. contact someone involved and ask them to meet you for lunch. express how important that school is to you, and Iâm sure theyâd be more than happy to help. make the system work for you!
interviews
*a total sidenote: interviewing was actually really helpful for me personally. my interview at my former top choice made me realize what I really wanted for myself in college and totally changed the trajectory of my college experience*
let me just say, interviewing is not for everyone. some people come off better in person than they do on paper, and some people donât. so do not feel like you need to interview at every single one of your schools if that really isnât your thing.
again, know your school. most schools offer interviews, but itâs rarely a requirement. if your school strongly recommends you interview (ex. wake forest), you should probably do it. if not, itâs really up to you.
just putting in the effort of interviewing, especially if you have to travel to get there, shows your interest in the school and can help you in the long run. an interview is typically weighted equally with all the other aspects of your application, so unless you really bomb it, it wonât make a big difference.
prioritize. some schools offer skype or local alumni interviews to make things more accessible if you farther away, but not all do. if you have to travel for an interview, especially if it involves getting on a plane, pick your top two or three choices to focus on, especially if you think youâll be more of a borderline applicant.
every school does interviews differently. some treat it more like a conversation, others like a Q&A. you may be interviewed by an alumnus, a current student, or an admissions director. it all varies. do your research ahead of time so youâll know what to expect. some schools even have sample questions you can practice answering.
prepare, prepare, prepare. the more prep you do, the more confident youâll feel, and the better youâll do. talk through the questions youâll be answering. have a mock interview with someone you trust, preferably who has interview experience and can give you pointers. if you know ahead of time who will be interviewing you, do a little research on that person so you know something about them and what to expect. and again, know your school and what they value in their students so you can exemplify those qualities.Â
random bonus tips
get in touch with the admissions director for your region. most schools have multiple admissions officers that read applications for a certain area of the country (ex. pacific northwest). most likely, theyâll be the one reading your application. so email them with your questions or issues (although, please, please donât ever ask anything that can be found on the website, and for the love of god, donât have your mom call or email for you). if you happen to be on campus, stop by admissions and make an effort to introduce yourself. by the time that person gets to your application, the hope is that even if they donât recognize your name right off that bat, it at least seems familiar enough that they know youâve made an effort and demonstrated your interest.
thank you notes! if you interview or have someone besides your teacher or counselor write a letter of rec for you, donât forget to send a handwritten thank you note. itâs just a little adult thing to start doing that goes that extra mile. plus, if you mail a thank you note to your interviewer via the admissions office, it may get put in your file, which will reflect well on your personal professionalism.
more helpful tips & resources
if you have any questions, please feel free to send an ask. also, if youâd like more specific advice here are the schools I applied to:Â emerson college, univ of central florida, colgate univ, wake forest univ, college of william & mary, middlebury college, new york univ, and univ of st andrews.
essays
âthose different essays that keep popping up tipsâ by @thisnerdsadventuresÂ
âcollege essay masterpostâ by @studyfandomÂ
âwould you admit you?â by @genericappblrurl
âcollege essaysâ by @sootudyingÂ
âcollege essay editsâ by @intellectys
letters of recommendation
âteacher recsâ by @etudiance
interviews
â15 questions to know for college interviewsâ by @solustudies
âcollege interviewsâ by @cyberstudiesÂ
general
âmassive college masterpostâ by @heyiwantyoutostay
âcollege application websites masterlistâ by @cyberstudiesÂ
âsmol college app tipsâ by @365textÂ
good luck, young ones!! you can do it!!
those different essays that keep popping up tips
the âwhy you wanna come hereâ essay
mention a department you really like, a professor you really like, a lab you really like, a program you really like
sometimes aspects of the school like an extensive research program, an internship program, an interesting major, a school philosophy will stand out (for instance, one school i applied to prided itself on balancing the humanities with STEM, which was a big focus in my essay)
talk about your experience when you visited or how you heard about the school and all the good things
any articles you read on it will help, basically just research a lot, talk about your interview (if applicable), talk about their programs and unique points
it wouldnât be a bad idea to talk about your interests (briefly) and why that school is uniquely good for you
the âwhat do you want to studyâ essay
again, mention a field, or if undecided, then talk about diverse interests
if you have a specific field, talk about your experiences (like for engineering, i talked about robotics and my internship and how that shaped my career path)
overcoming challenges, discovering new interests, creating connections with others, and becoming a leader are all good things to mention here if possible
if you donât know what to study, thats totally ok, but talk about your different interests, maybe how you plan to proceed with finding a specific course of study, or talk about a program youâre interested in at the school
the âchallengeâ essay
this essay is a challenge
you really gotta come up with something pretty good or at least try to; try to find something that involves being a leader and taking action/responsibility or maybe going out of your comfort zone.
tell it like a story!! talk about the problem then how you resolved it (ideally it should be a challenge you resolved?? it could also be one that went unresolved but you have to be v careful in that case)
tl;dr show off your good aspects like leadership, keeping calm, trustworthiness, etc etc etc
the âtalk about something you havenât talked about essay
i usually used this one for any topic i wanted to talk about but didnt get the chance to
basically waht i mean is i had three main topics i wanted to hit in every application: my internship, my sport, my music. If i didnât get a chance to talk about one through an essay, Iâd use my talk about whatever essay to talk about it.
why is this double spaced
donât waste this!!! this is a pretty good spot to show how youâre unique and tell a very âyouâ story to distinguish yourself from all the other applicants.Â
but also you can def use like another essay you wrote for another prompt for another school here if you find it appropriate -always make sure to reuse topics and ideas when possible~~
anyways if you guys have any questions about essays or in general, hmuâim p stressed about my own essay anyways :/
Would You Admit You? genericappblrurlâs College Essay Masterpost
Here it is: the college essay masterpost. Keep in mind that if youâve written an essay that fits the description of any of the âdonât do this!â bits, itâs not a reflection on you as a person. The makings of a good college essay are, at times, entirely counterintuitive, so many of the errors in here seem completely justified.
The most important thing to consider when writing a college essay is the degree to which you pass the Turing Test. Basically, do you sound like a person? Even if you think the answer is yes, spoiler alert! Thereâs a decent chance itâs no. Why? Well, consider the fact that each admissions officer at any selective school reads hundreds, probably thousands of essays per year. Now, consider the fact that most of them have been doing their job for multiple years. Thatâs a heckton of essays, my friends. Thatâs so many. And after a while, they all seem to blur together. Now, you might be thinking, hey, but my essay talks about an extremely personal struggle/experience/situation!!! Well, yeah. But so does literally everyone elseâs. Even if the specific content of your essay is different, the essay structure itself is still the same. If you designed a computer program that could write college essays, the resulting pieces would look just like the vast majority of college essays that land on any given admissions officerâs desk, and theyâd end up in the same sad pile. With that in mind, letâs get started.
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W R I T I N G
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The Common App Essay/Personal Statement
From an email I sent to a student whose essay I reviewed: âSomething to keep in mind is that the amount that any essay says about you is entirely dependent on your writing. You could write an essay about bagels that says a lot about you; you could write a deeply personal piece that says nothing. The mistake that many applicants tend to make is thinking that the subject matter itself has to be something profound; oftentimes, essays like this fall short because their authors put all their energy into writing about something personal and barely any of it into writing well.â
The common app essay/personal statement comes with a few prompts that, in many cases, immediately result in a âHey! I know exactly what to write about!â And, in many cases, this immediate response is way off base. The prompts are designed as such; these days, when almost everyone has good grades and SAT scores, the essays are the only real way to tell whoâs the very best. Even though your story - that immediate response - may be intensely personal, a key component of who you are, itâs still an immediate response to a prompt, and chances are every other person who chose that prompt immediately thought of a similar story from their own life.
Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Key Ideas: Spin it differently, think smaller, keep it positive.
Unless you have a story on par with the plot of Jane The Virgin, be careful. Your struggle to improve your grades/win that competition/make friends/overcome your fears just isnât that compelling. That doesnât mean itâs not important; it just isnât good college essay material unless you can find a way to spin it differently.
If youâre writing about an identity or talent, be sure to think first about the other people in the world who share that identity or talent. What makes your story different?
If youâre writing about overcoming an obstacle such as mental or physical illness, donât make it a pity party, but donât become detached. What makes your resilience unique?
Now, something that a lot of people donât realize is that this essay can also go smaller. You wouldnât be you without your love of bagels, hatred of carpeted floors, etc. so donât shy away from writing about something other than a Deeply Personal Struggle Or Experience. These are often the essays that go far, solely because they go against the grain and admissions officers are tired of the monotony. These are the essays that get a âHey Sue, look at this one!â And voila, a second read.
One other thing to note is that while this background may be painful - mental illness, deported parent, etc - you need to find a way to end on a positive note. A pity party wonât get you in. Regardless of how much the content of the essay makes your admissions officer cry, what theyâre looking for is resilience.
Prompt 2: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Key Ideas: Plot twist, think smaller, get weird.
The difficulties with this prompt are similar to the first - the essay that first strikes you is just not that compelling. Nobody wants to hear another âI failed a test and studied hard and aced the class!!â essay. Unless your specific incident of failure was wholly unique - maybe you didnât pull the parachute string on time when skydiving and are now writing this with two broken legs - youâre going to need to think of something else. There are a few easy ways to do this.
Plot twist. You failed in a common way, but your response was super weird. Introduce this weirdness from the beginning. Pro tip: studying hard after failing is not weird.
Think smaller. This one is more creative writing than life story. Think of a really tiny instance of failure - maybe you slipped on the stairs! maybe you cut one nail slightly too short! - and write a mock epic.
Get hella experimental. Use an unconventional format - I know a girl who wrote hers as a series of limericks - or write from an unconventional perspective.
There are certainly other successful essays that arenât written as one of the three outlined above, so donât be afraid to do what you think is best. Still, remember to keep in mind the necessity of setting yourself apart.
Prompt 3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
Key Ideas: Stay humble.
The biggest mistake I see with this prompt is the tendency to wax philosophical & come across as someone who thinks theyâre profound. Pro tip: thatâs not a good thing. If you think you have something profound to say, write about something else. Seriously. It comes through & itâs not flattering. Note that this is absolutely different from being genuinely passionate about something; let your passion show, but curb your self-righteousness.
Prompt 4: Describe a problem youâve solved or a problem youâd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
Key Ideas: Stay humble, avoid waxing, let your passion show, get weird.
Many people who choose this prompt use it as an opportunity to wax philosophical about a Big Bad World Issue, but unless you have a truly unique take, donât bother. Admissions officers have read thousands of essays about the importance of solving world hunger, widespread ignorance, etc. so unless theyâll actually gain something new by reading yours specifically you should steer clear. Some other options for this essay include:
Choosing a smaller problem
Dramatization
An opinion piece on something trivial
And, again, there are many more beyond these, but this is a good starting point if you find yourself stuck.
One other thing to keep in mind is authorial distance. You want to stay close to whatever you choose to write. It needs to feel personal, whatever it is. It needs to feel like you.
Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
Key Ideas: Plot twist, think smaller, get weird, stay close.
A story of this nature is obviously personally important by definition, but itâs remarkably easy to write one that falls flat and blends in with the crowd. The most prominent issue Iâve seen with essays that use this prompt is the tendency to step back from the event in question through word choice and excessive summarization. What this essay calls for, fundamentally, is a sense of closeness and a feeling that we, as readers, are experiencing it for ourselves. If youâre not ready to get intensely personal, choose a different prompt.
For those of you who choose to write about a formal event or accomplishment, you have two workable options. First, you could write about an event that, while formal, is obscure. Maybe itâs a family tradition to run the perimeter of the city on your 15th birthday while carrying a pineapple. If your event/accomplishment falls into this category, youâre good to go. If it doesnât, though, youâll need to tell a truly unique story about the well-recognized event. This can be done through either plot or structure. Did something weird happen? Good. Did everything go according to plan? Spin it differently. Write about your bat mitzvah from the perspective of some relevant non-human object. Write about registering to vote in the format of a screenplay. Bonus points if you have a weird story and an interesting framing device or style.
For those of you who choose to write about an informal event or accomplishment, youâll have an easier time setting yourself apart because you could write about literally anything. Still, the advice above holds. Youâll either need a story that, plotwise, goes in unexpected directions, or youâll need to choose a style or framing device that makes an essay about something standard seem like a New York Times bestseller. Ultimately, your goal is to make the admissions team want to keep reading. How you do this is up to you.
Summary: Make the reader care. Make the reader want to keep reading. Seriously, thatâs it.
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The âWhy _______â Essay
A good âWhy _____â essay shows what you care about. These essays are usually much shorter - generally only about 150 to 250 words - so being concise here is key. As a general rule, if what you wrote could be found in a brochure, delete it. Reading the brochure and liking what it says doesnât make for a compelling essay. Instead, think smaller. Write about a conversation you had, an interaction you witnessed, etc. and do so in a personal manner. Keep your authorial distance as small as possible. Get weird. Choose a formatting style that fits your story. If you can say something to the admissions officers that they havenât already heard before, chances are youâll do much better.
For a more detailed procedure, click here.
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The Identity Essay
Several schools ask for a short essay about an identity that affects/matters to you in some context. The same advice from the Common App applies to this essay as well. If the identity itself is not unique, write about a unique way in which you interact with it. If youâre given a specific context, write about an identity that normally would not be associated with that context. For example, in my RA application, I was asked to write about how some aspect of my identity influences how I approach conversations about diversity. I couldâve written about being bisexual, Jewish, etc, but instead I wrote about being white and how my whiteness influences the ways in which I approach these conversations. Remember, finally, to keep it personal; donât wax philosophical about the identity in question. For bonus points, see if you can somehow mention other identities somewhere in there. This isnât mandatory, but showing that you understand intersectionality is always a plus.
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The âRespond To This Quoteâ Essay
This is a super common supplemental essay question, and itâs easy to get stuck when responding to it. The process that I used for this essay went something like this:
Brainstorm. Read the quote and write down everything that comes to your mind in response. This should be closer to a bulleted list than a paragraph; multiple thought trains are what you want to see. To really push yourself, set a timer for ten minutes and force yourself to write for the whole time.
Take a break, then brainstorm again. Youâd be surprised at how much you can generate when forced to sit and write for a while.
Look at your clusterfuck of thoughts. Physically cross out anything that doesnât seem writeable. Physically put a star next to anything you think youâd be excited to write. Donât think too much about this; go with your gut.
Donât waste time trying to find the âbestâ idea! Close your eyes, stick your finger on the page, and write about whichever starred idea is closest to your finger.
Write! And write! And write! Your first draft should be terrible and messy and structurally questionable! Just write!
Take a break, then read over what you wrote and figure out what it says about you. Now, what do you want it to say about you?
Figure out how to get from point A to point B. Which words should you change? Which sentences should you delete? What framing device would best convey what you want to convey? Form the completest plan possible.
Execute!
Read it again, repeat steps 6-9 as necessary until youâre happy.
Some extra tips: this essay is about you, not the quote. The quote is a framing device to get you to reveal more about who you are as a person. Thus, tone and style are crucial. Feel free to take stylistic risks; feel free to get weird. This isnât a literary analysis.
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Any Essay That Requires You To Discuss A Book
is not a book report. See extra tips above.
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The âTalk About A ______ You Love/Admireâ Essay
Since this one is super open-ended itâs hard to give concrete âdo this and donât do thisâ type advice. In general, your goal is still to make the reader want to keep reading. By the end of this essay, your admissions officer should desperately want to google the noun in question, but keep in mind that this is, again, an essay that should reveal something about you. What the reader gets from this essay should exceed that which they could find on Wikipedia, in a biography, etc.; you have to show passion. This is not the place to stay detached or academic; get personal. Love and admire are two strong words and you need to do them justice.
If you find yourself falling into the Wikipedia trap, consider:
Telling a story about [noun] thatâs specific to your life. This is always a good bet tbh
Examining your narrative distance. Care harder!
Making a list of things you love about [noun] using the timer method I described in the quote essay section. Go with two minutes instead of ten. This may lead you to see something you wouldnât have thought to write about beforehand.
Just writing. Stream of consciousness, no pressure to make it good writing. See where it takes you. See which format you naturally fall into.
If all else fails, choosing a different topic.
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The Extracurricular Essay
Unless you do some completely unheard-of independent work, youâre not the only one whoâs participated in a given extracurricular activity. Given this, you have to set yourself apart in other ways. Many of the main problems seen in various common app essays resurface in this one: standard perseverance stories, excessive summarization, etc. Depending on the wording of the prompt, your response will be slightly different, but regardless of wording keep in mind that the essay is about you and your relationship to the activity.
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The Leadership Essay
This is a fairly common category as well. When writing about leadership, youâll have a much higher success rate if you choose a narrative-based essay over one that merely summarizes your experiences. The same advice for all these other essays applies here, too; in order to set yourself apart, you need to tell a different story or you need to tell a familiar story differently, bonus points if both. Stay humble. Show instead of telling. Convince the admissions team that leadership is part of who you are, not just something you did to get into college.
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Stanfordâs Supplement
What Matters To You & Why?
Tell a story. Tell a story they havenât heard. This is truly the place to be yourself. It doesnât matter what you indicated as your intended major; it doesnât matter what your extracurriculars were; just answer honestly. I wrote about discovery, I have a friend who wrote about bagels. Regardless of the topic you choose, you have to convince the reader that it actually does matter to you. Keep your narrative distance as small as possible unless youâre making a deliberate stylistic choice; be as vivid as possible in your imagery. Make whatever it is matter to the reader too. Make it feel real.
Intellectual Vitality
This post is great and says everything I wouldâve said anyway. Key idea: show them how your mind works.
Letter To Your Future Roommate
Be as weird as you are. Letâs be real: nobody reads a letter from someone that starts with â
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Other Essays/In Summary
If youâre facing a prompt that doesnât appear on this list, take the general advice and run with it. In summary:
tell a story that hasnât been told before
you donât have to write about something inherently ~profound~
keep a close narrative distance unless youâre making a specific & deliberate stylistic choice not to
what matters most is that the reader wants to keep reading
avoid waxing anything other than passionate
vivid imagery is your friend
summarization is hardly ever useful
personal doesnât mean unique
donât be afraid to stray from the âtraditionalâ format
have fun with it!
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E D I T I N G
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Common Questions
What do I do if I know a phrase sounds weird but I donât know how to fix it?
Option 1: Read the phrase out loud. What do you want it to convey? Write several different variations of this on a note/side document and see if any of them work better. Adjust surrounding phrases accordingly.
Option 2: Delete the phrase altogether and read the piece without it. What meaning is now missing? What sort of transition is needed? Try to fill the gap. Does it work? If not, delete the replacement, take a ten minute break, and try again.
Option 3: Check the bits surrounding the offending phrase. The root of the problem might lie elsewhere, so donât get yourself all worked up trying to fix the wrong part!
Option 4: Ask someone for their opinion. Maybe theyâll see a solution that wouldnât immediately have crossed your mind!
What do I do if a friend/parent/mentor says that a phrase sounds awkward but I donât think thereâs anything wrong?
Ask. Always ask. Unless they gave you specific guidance, you wonât have any idea how to fix this unless you ask. Thereâs no shame in this; everybody wants you to succeed! If you still donât see the problem, getting multiple other opinions can be helpful. Ask another friend/parent/mentor to read over the section in question, and if they do point it out but donât give useful feedback itâs best to delete it and try Option 2 above.
Iâm way over word count, but I donât want to compromise the integrity of the piece! How can I cut down effectively without losing anything important?
How many words do you need to cut? If youâre more than 20% over word count, consider starting from scratch. If youâre not:
Identify redundancies. Highlight these and find a way to consolidate them.
Read your introduction, if you have one. Oftentimes, these words just take up space and donât add anything to the piece. If your introduction is just a result of years of being told that you need one and doesnât actually add anything meaningful to the essay, delete it all. Starting from the middle can actually be surprisingly effective!
Same goes for the conclusion. You donât need to wrap things up like you would in a literary analysis or a research paper; you just need to end strongly.
Identify phrases that could be simplified and simplify them. Did you lose anything important? If so, revert the edit, highlight the section, and come back to it later if youâre really pressed for words.
Contractions are fine. Seriously.
Identify sections that just straight up donât need to be there. Many people add unnecessary clarification, pointless parentheticals, etc. Not only do these deplete your word supply; they clutter your essay and make it less enjoyable to read. Donât feel bad if you end up cutting entire paragraphs!
If you use âveryâ at all, cut it & replace the following words with a stronger one. This one is very important crucial!
Is it okay to be way under word count?
Technically yes, but practically itâs rarely the case that youâll be able to answer the prompt meaningfully without at least getting close. If you feel done, let yourself be done, but revisit the piece later to confirm. Maybe youâre the master of being ridiculously concise, but chances are that an essay that doesnât even approach the word limit doesnât effectively answer the prompt.
~~~~~~~~~~
General Advice
Go through line by line and mark everything that leaves you less than satisfied
Read like an admissions officer. Would you admit you? Do your best to rid yourself of personal bias and just read as a reader.
Unless youâre working with someone who does this regularly, get at least two opinions on anything you write from two very different people in your life. You have no idea whoâll be reading your essay in the end, so a variety of voices in your feedback can be useful.
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R E A D I N G
~~~~~~~~~~
When a friend asks you for feedback on an essay, it can be difficult to remain impartial while editing. The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that lying to spare their feelings will only do them dirty in the end. So yes, be as critical as you need to be. If something sucks, tell them. But - and this is important - stay friendly. Stay pleasant. Stay constructive. Donât say âthis sucks,â say âI think this section should be reworked so that ______.â And prior to even saying a word about the piece, ask them what sort of feedback theyâd find most useful. Those of you who have worked with me before know that this is how I start any editing relationship. This wonât constrain your feedback, necessarily, but it will dictate the manner in which you give it. If your friend has written an absolutely atrocious second paragraph but has asked only for comments on âoverall flow,â tell them that the second paragraph interrupts the flow of the rest of the piece because of X Y and Z. Itâs not wrong, and itâs not unnecessarily hurtful; your friend will examine the second paragraph carefully and rewrite it to fix X Y and Z, which would have been your goal anyway.
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A D D I T I O N A L Â R E S O U R C E S
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Essays that worked:
Remember: inspiration, not emulation. Copying an idea never turns out well; admissions officers are trained to sniff this out.
Johns Hopkins - Essays That Worked
Tufts - Essays That Worked
Hamilton - Essays That Worked
50 Successful Harvard Essays (amazon link with free preview)
Iâm not kidding about being weird
~~~~~~~~~~
If you have any specific questions about anything in here, feel free to ask. If you have an essay that youâd like me to read over, check out my contact page for submission details.
Best of luck with this admissions season! Iâm rooting for you!
APENG cramming!!
AP U.S History Masterpost
Hello! Iâve seen many masterposts floating around, a lot of them for AP in general. This one is going to reflect the changes to the curriculum and exam this year. A lot of credit in this goes to my awesome teacher:)
the only hard-copy book my teacher has been able to find that matches the new class: the AMSCO Review book
it has summaries of the periods, sample MS questions, and a sample exam. itâs so good that on days I got super busy, I read this and not the textbook
APUSH Concept Outline produced by the College Board. good for showing what they emphasize from each unit. tip from my teacher: any time this says âteachers have flexibility to use examples such as the followingâ, those examples are highly testable
****Gilder Lehrman Site***
my man Gilder is about to be your new best friend.
this site has videos that cover each period, cover the essay formats/rubrics, cover the historical thinking skills, etc. also, each period has its own page with a super informative timeline and documents.highly reccommended!!
Vocab to Know this is courtesy of my teacher. she gave us these as vocab quizzes. all of these terms are directly from the outline and are very testable.
APUSH Video Study Guide:
Part I(Periods 1-5)
Part II(Periods 6-9)
this guy made a video study guide for the entire class. Not quite as interesting as Crash Course, but exactly aligned with the new class p.s. the guy also made a billion other videos that align with the new curriculum so definitely check out the rest of his youtube channel Essay Writing
(see Gilder site above, plus)
How to Write the Short Answer
How to Write the Long Essay Question(LEQ)
How to Write the New DBQ
I may add onto this later. If you have any questions about a link or about APUSH, let me know!
Test Advice
Hello Peoples! So I get that this is mainly a Stray Kids blog, but since most of us are drowning in exams of various types, hereâs some advice from someone whoâs taken way too many and suffers from test anxiety reasonably often.
So: First off:
Find out if the test youâre taking takes off points for wrong answers. If it does not? then fill out every question you have pretty decent chances of just guessing it right.
come prepared. pencils, pens, back up pencils and pens
bring a watch!!! if the test is timed you really donât want to be stuck wasting time wondering how much time you have left.
wear layers because temperatures vary so much with ac and all? like the main testing room in my school is freezing and you could spend the whole time shivering.
bring snacks, eat well the day before if possible, specifically carbs since theyâll give you energy over time
water- stay hydrated otherwise youâll get a lovely headache and seriously thatâs never fun
Now then, for specific exams:
Keep reading
PRO TIP FOR TYPING NOTES FROM A TEXTBOOK
before you start taking notes on the actual content, type out all the headings and subheadings of the chapter. trust me.
count how many headings you now have in total. in your count, only include the headings or subheadings that contain the information youâll be writing down when you take the actual notes. any headings that contain useless information which you wonât be writing down do not need to be part of this number.
count how many days you have to complete the notes before they are due.
now divide the number of headings by the number of days. the resulting number will tell you how many headings of notes you need to take each day in order to stay on track with the assignment.
this is a reliable method to ensure that you donât fall behind when notes are assigned. using this has saved me so much sleep; i hope it does the same for you! :-)
Tip for anxiety
Pretend the whole exam is a BuzzFeed quiz. You know one of those ones thatâs like, âCan you get more than 50% right on this college Physics class test.â
Hereâs a compilation of the best tips that Iâve learned from others and found out myself after taking the SAT. Study hard and good luck xx
Tips and Tricks from Admissions Officers
On Tuesday night I attended a program called âExploring College Optionsâ in Portland. It was a seminar put on by admissions counselors from Georgetown, Duke, Stanford, Penn, and Harvard. Whether you are shooting for schools at this level or not, I thought Iâd share what I learned.Â
Applications
Letters of Rec: Find a teacher(s) who knows you well enough to actually give the college a sense of who you are as a student. One way to do this is to ask your teacher what would be missing from their class if you were not present. What do you bring to the table that no one else does? By portraying this they can capture exactly who you are as a person and student.Â
Extra-Curriculars: There is no right or wrong EC. However, colleges would rather see you committing and succeeding in one specific area rather than dabbling in several. The Harvard officer explained it as âdiving into the deep endâ How deep can you go (to what extent) and how big of a splash do you make (your impact)? Finally, do something because you are passionate about it, not because you think it will get you into college.
Essays: It does not matter what you write but rather how you write it. The admissions team wants to get to know you. Get feedback on your essays, but not so much that it no longer sounds like you. The essays give a window into what you will bring to their campus.Â
Testing: Testing is a standardized yard stick and is not always fair. Admission people realize that. Do the best you can. Take it once junior year, study over the summer, and again senior year. Donât make standardized testing an extra curricular activity. In addition, know what tests or subject tests your schools require well before you have to start applying. Rushed testing is bad testing.Â
Overview: The application should be a compilation of the best parts of YOU. Donât try to be someone you arenât. Admissions officers are normal people and they are rooting for you.Â
The Promised No-study SAT Tips
I saw that a lot of you wanted these~ Disclaimer: You still have to know English and the basics of math for these. This goes especially if youâre not a native speaker - your English needs to be at a pretty good level.
General:
Read. A lot. Whenever you see a text thatâs at least a paragraph or two long, take time to practice skimming. If youâre bored and have a little time, take something, for example a food wrapper, and try to find occurrences of a word (for example âAcidâ for food) as quickly as possible. Hard mode: look for synonyms.
Practice filling out the answer sheet. This is a massive time-sink for a lot of people, so you should practice to eliminate it. Print out an example answer sheet and try filling out the circles quickly and accurately without distracting yourself a lot. Hard mode:Try doing it while not focusing only on the circles - look away or start thinking about the next question.
Check. A lot. The main goal of this strategy is to leave yourself enough time when youâve filled out an answer for each question when youâre calm, know the questions and can focus on checking. Try and go through the questions, thinking, âThis question tests this and that.â If you have the time, look at each answer and identify the error in it (harder for the math questions, but loads of fun if you can do it).
Think in patterns: Whenever youâre stuck on an example question, donât just check the answer. Try and understand how the person found it, if this question is similar to others you have seen. The SAT only uses a few different types of questions, there will rarely be something to surprise you if you know the common patterns.
Rest: The SAT is a very demanding exam. Give your brain time to relax - my advice would be not to do anything mentally strenuous the day before the test. Also, something I found out from competitions - bring chocolate. The sugar in it helps your brain work better and shrug off tiredness and eating it will draw blood away from your brain, effectively hibernating it for the break to conserve energy. Also, itâs just a really tasty snack!
Writing:
Use the right format for the essay. There are a lot of easy points for using the four/five paragraph system. Introduction, Reason 1, Reason 2, Conclusion. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence and follow up with a story from your life or a book/movie to illustrate it. This way, even without using fancy vocab or grammar, you can get the points for structure and critical thought. Now just try not to make any obvious spelling mistakes and call it a day!
Try to quickly find an argument for the essay. They donât actually rate how intelligent your argument is. So, take a minute or two, breathe deeply, and no matter how stupid your idea is, write it out. (You might still want to take caution with sensitive topics, especially if youâre an international. A dumb mistake I made in my first sitting was bashing on American charity - that definitely did not endear me to the proctors.)
Paragraphs: You have to have experience reading - look at how the topic never changes abruptly. Insert sentences that link whatâs written before and after the gap. Final sentences of paragraphs shouldnât raise more questions.
Sentence questions: Skim through the questions. Try to answer most of them, the first thing that comes to mind, and fill out the answer sheet immediately. Chances are, if it sounds good to you, itâs the correct choice. Do this quickly, then try and do the paragraphs. After youâve done this, go back to the questions and start checking.
They usually test for a few broad topics. Identify if each sentence fits one of the patterns and answer accordingly. For the others, try and think what error they might want you to make. If you know you have the time, look at each answer in turn and identify the mistake in it. The most common ways for you to change a sentence would be:
Fragments: Try and see if each clause has a subject and a verb. Example: âIn the dim light, making his way through the cave.â ->Â âIn the dim light, he makes his way through the cave.â
Subject-verb agreement: Make sure that the subject is the one actually doing the action and singular/plural match. Example:Â âGathering stones, the river was blocked by the men.â Did the river gather stones? No.
Consistency: Make sure that something introduced one way is always referred to like that (donât switch out âoneâ for âyouâ or âtheyâ). Make sure there are no extra linkers (âSince I was there, but he went too.â). Check if any verbs change tense when they shouldnât. Donât compare apples to oranges (âHis homework was as good as John.â -> âAs good as Johnâsâ).
Adverb or adjective? If it describes a verb, it has a âlyâ. Example: âShe winked playful.â -> âShe winked playfully.â
Singular or plural? Make sure not to refer to a plural object in singular. âPandas, numbering in the hundreds now, is an endangered species.â
Prepositions, linkers, all the small words Sadly, youâll have to know how theyâre used.
Reading
Word fill:Â Note the answers that obviously donât make sense. Mark the one of the others that sounds best to you (in the answer sheet, too!). If you donât know one or more of the words, aim for simplicity. After youâve quickly answered all of the reading questions, come back to these. Look at the relationships between the gap and the sentence - are you looking for a positive or negative word? Antonyms or synonyms to something before? Try and guess what unknown words mean. This way, you will probably be able to eliminate all the wrong answers.
Reading comprehension: You are not tested for understanding the text. Keep this in mind. What you are actually trying to do here is quickly find synonyms. If the question asks for âWas Annaâs family a) warm b) cold c) the spawn of Cthulhu?â, chances are that the text contains âAnnaâs relatives acted chilly.â or something like that. Read the first question. Skim the text until it comes to that topic, then look for synonyms of the answers. Donât make deductions! If you come across a âgeneral messageâ or âtone of the authorâ question, skip it and answer it at the end of the text. The other questions will be in the same order as the answers are mentioned in the text. Checking: If you have time, look at each answer and try to see what in the text could mislead somebody to make that mistake.
Mathematics
Calculator use: My advice would be to not bring a complex graphing calculator. They just slow you down. Try and do most operations by hand, then use the calculator only for, well, calculations.
Basic topics to know: You are expected to be familiar with how to rearrange equations (ab=1 is the same as a=1/b) and solve linear and quadratics; cosine and Pythagorean theorems; number representations of lines and their intersections; median, mean and mode.
Solve like a crab! One of the best things I learnt in âFun Mathâ classes was that problems are solved more easily if you work from the answer back. Try and see what you would need (in terms of information) to find the answer. Then look back to the text of the problem - is what you need there? In most SAT problems, it is, or you can easily find it.
Visualise: Especially for distance or geometry problems, make a small chart of whatâs happening. Make lines for the distances the cars traveled or draw that pesky cylinder. Try and see in your mind how different elements move and which stay the same.
I guess this is all that I can say for now. Of course, this is my strategy so it might not work for everyone or it might not work without practice, so donât think itâs a miracle solve-all. Iâm always open for questions about ideas or specific problems, just write an ask~ And good luck to all future test-takers!
Calming masterpost:
crisis/urgent support lines and sites
hotlines/crisis lines for depression, domestic abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, teens, pregnancy, lgbt and more
mental support community - a forum where you can post that you are in a crisis right now and need peer support as soon as possible
imalive crisis chat - online one-on-one chat for if youâre in at risk of hurting yourself etc
self harm alternatives
si urges alternatives
relaxation/anxiety relief
do nothing for two minutes
interactive silk art
guided relaxation
watch a dream
100,000 stars
thisissand - create sandscapes on your screen with your mouse
calming gif
the quiet place project
the quiet place - find some quiet
the thoughts room - a super calm page to unburden yourself from bad thoughts
the comfort spot - a place for anonymous venting with out anybody judging you for who you are
the dawn room - my personal favourite, especially good for when you feel alone
know that it will be okay - when a moment is too hard for you - come here.
music and sounds
my anxiety relief playlist - on 8tracks
my positivity/recovery playlist - on 8tracks
âstay strongâ playlists - on 8tracks
coffee shop sounds
rain sounds
calmsound - nature sounds
rainycafe
comfort food
one minute cookie in a mug
brownie in a mug
several cookie recipes
25 hot chocolate recipes
loads and loads of snacks - 533 quick and easy recipes for a range of snacks on studentrecipe
lots of different in-a-mug recipes
chocolate pudding in a mug - my personal fave (lil tip: add mini marshmallows for extra gooey yumminess)
advice and tips
how to be okay with yourself
25 resolutions
life hacks
more life hacks
a hella ton more life hacks - so many life hacks dude soon ur gonna never have a day-to-day stress again
school masterpost - school sucks so bad but hopefully this can help ease the stress
how to love yourself
how to bypass restricted wifi omg
alleviate menstrual cramps
boost your confidence
love yourself!
self help after anxiety
stop biting your nails
stop procrastinating
stop skipping breakfast
videos and movies
cure to sadness (video)
the movie blog - a blog dedicated to movie masterposts you will never be without a movie to watch again
cute roulette - THE BEST PLACE ON THE INTERNET ITS LITERALLY JUST A HUGE ROULETTE OF VIDEOS OF CUTE ANIMALS WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT FROM LIFE
random acts of kindness caught on film
disney movies
movies for angsty teens
distractions etc
rice questions - answer simple questions and donate free rice to people in poverty!!
click to give - just click a button to donate (it costs nothing) food to animals shelters, people in poverty and homeless veterans; mammograms to fight breast cancer; therapy for people on the autism spectrum; alzheimerâs and diabetes research; a book to a child; protect wildlife habitat
break something - good for anger
loads of cute games
how to make a blanket nest
learn something new - a masterpost of hobbies
exercise like a superhero
nice words
things to do when your sad
slap a bald guy with an eel - this is ridiculously entertaining
watch a dog lick your screen - it loops, so you could literally watch for hours if you want
calmingmanatee
daily puppy
how to make a comfort box
download free books
extras
emergency compliment!
lots of compliments - they even include ur name aw
huge list of bloggers who have put themselves forward as willing to listen/chat without judgement
getting anon hate?
:) tag - all the posts that iâve tagged for making me happy
7cupsoftea - free, anonymous, confidential talks with trained listeners
get a hug
Calming songs, playlists and instrumentals:
Sing Me to Sleep
The Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Boost your Mood (peppier and happy songs)
The Driving Mixtape
Study
Summer Nights
Itâs Going to be Fine
Calm & Collected
Once Upon a December - Piano (song)
Clair de Lune (song)
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (song)
Calming/distracting Websites
The Quiet Place
Rainymood.com
Calm.com
Soundrown.com - calming sounds to mix and match
A website to distract yourself
A recovery masterpost
A post of interesting things
Ungruntle yourself
Press a magic button and fix everything
Play cute games
Almost every movie your little heart desires (i suggest you use with adblocker)
How to love yourself
A website that compliments you
Crafts and activities, easy and fun DYI projects
Glitter calm jars
A list of things to do to curb anxiety
Make a blanket nest
Silky summer legs
Lots of food recipes; mostly desserts Â
For bad days masterpost
Make some microwave snacks
Five minute fudge
Make a phone case
A bunch of hobbies!
Self care list!
Pretty gold-dipped feathers (for decorating or anything)
What to do when:
Youâve been triggered
Youâre having an anxiety attack
Youâre having a panic attack
Your face is red and puffy after crying
You just had a fight
You hate yourself
You want to avoid being stressed
You want to get over your ex
Meditation and breathing
Guided Meditations
Do Nothing for 2 Minutes
Calm Down
Meditation Tips
90 second relaxation exercise
Simple things
Pretty Tree
When You Feel You Have Lost Everything
See Some BLOOD
Press a Button to Make Everything OK
Calming Manatee
Calming Gif
Make Something!
Jump into a Sofa Fort!
Make a Comfort Box
Glitter Jar Or This One
Other Nice Things
A Page To Help You Recover!!!
Coping Skills & Distractions
The Quiet Place. Shhhhh
For When Youâre Upset
The Nicest Place on the Internet
Player 2
10 Most Relaxing Online Games
Talk To Someone That Will Listen
Not Having a Good Day?
How-to Love Yourself
Ground Yourself X X Â X
Mood Chart
Do Nothing For Two Minutes
Rainymood
The Comfort Spot
Weave Silk
Seed Plant Breeder
This Is Sand
C.A.L.M
Calming/Relaxing Music:
Soft Piano: x, x, x, x, x
The Sound of Waves: x
The Sound of a Storm + Waves: x
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