microbezzzz
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Hello everyone,
Hoping to hear some thoughts on a possible challenge/adversity essay topic I am considering:
After freshman year I went through a period of existential depression associated with the loss of faith that I had grown up with. For someone who hasn't ever been religiously involved, this might not seem like much, but it essentially meant I went from having a concrete defined purpose/meaning in life to having none. Went through the whole "life is meaningless" and "what makes life worth living" stuff, read several books, took a few weeks off from classes to spend time in nature and figure out what could make life meaningful in the absence of meaning. Took a while but I'm in a better place now and feel like I have a better idea of the reason I'm doing this. Grew a lot from it.
My questions are:
A) Does this seem like a reasonable topic?
B) Does an experience like this raise red flags? I know it's not usually a good idea to discuss mental illness in essays, but I'm not sure existential depression really qualifies because I don't think it's a medical condition. What say you?
Alternatively, I can discuss the challenges I faced starting my position in a new lab. Huge learning curve from undergrad research. More responsibility, bigger opportunities for failure, messed up a lot. Got really discouraged but developed some new coping skills and grew from them. More sure of myself now. Now I'm applying to MD/PhDs. My concern with this one is that it will come off as "cookie-cutter."
Appreciate any thoughts.
Thanks!
Hoping to hear some thoughts on a possible challenge/adversity essay topic I am considering:
After freshman year I went through a period of existential depression associated with the loss of faith that I had grown up with. For someone who hasn't ever been religiously involved, this might not seem like much, but it essentially meant I went from having a concrete defined purpose/meaning in life to having none. Went through the whole "life is meaningless" and "what makes life worth living" stuff, read several books, took a few weeks off from classes to spend time in nature and figure out what could make life meaningful in the absence of meaning. Took a while but I'm in a better place now and feel like I have a better idea of the reason I'm doing this. Grew a lot from it.
My questions are:
A) Does this seem like a reasonable topic?
B) Does an experience like this raise red flags? I know it's not usually a good idea to discuss mental illness in essays, but I'm not sure existential depression really qualifies because I don't think it's a medical condition. What say you?
Alternatively, I can discuss the challenges I faced starting my position in a new lab. Huge learning curve from undergrad research. More responsibility, bigger opportunities for failure, messed up a lot. Got really discouraged but developed some new coping skills and grew from them. More sure of myself now. Now I'm applying to MD/PhDs. My concern with this one is that it will come off as "cookie-cutter."
Appreciate any thoughts.
Thanks!
