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Can’t decide on a topic or don’t feel you have enough content yet? Here are a few more of my favorite brainstorming exercises: 

1.) 21 DETAILS

Instructions: Make a list of 21 details from your life, interesting facts that describe some small, random part of who you are.

Record your answers in your workbook. (See the examples below for inspiration!)

Example 21 Details

1. I went to a Jewish private school for the first 12 years of my life and hated it with a passion. It wasn’t until after I left that I began to appreciate it, and it also allowed me to meet my very best friend. I wrote a piece on it.

2. I have four younger siblings who it took me a long time to appreciate. My little sister, Jenna, is my favorite person in the universe (even when she takes my clothes). I also had two pet birds who flew away when we moved :(

3. I am annoyingly tall. I never stop growing.

4. I grew up in the mountains. It’s a significant part of who I am.

5. After reading A Mango-Shaped Space in third grade, I announced that I had synesthesia and I still use it for all my passwords ($Synesthesia4607#8 is certainly a secure password).

6. I think my parents are the most amazing people on this earth but I cannot stand the sound of them chewing. Like anyone else, I’m okay. My parents? I have to leave the room.

7. I have all of my clothes (seriously, all of them) organized in an app in my phone so that I never repeat outfits.

8. When I was seven, I watched House, MD dissect a brain on TV and a week later announced I wanted to be a surgeon. This has never changed.

9. Everyone associates me with the color sky blue.

10.  I really really enjoy meeting new people (especially if they haven’t heard my jokes yet)

11.  I constantly get made fun of for being unathletic and for “walking weird.” Not my fault!

12.  I began drawing in 6th grade on a trip to Israel to meet up with a friend. My parents sent me on the 12-hour flight alone, I had to find something to do.

    1. Big part of life in 7th-8th grade because I switched schools and didn’t have tons of friends, so connected with drawing community on Instagram

       1. Led to stereotypeproject.org 

13.  People come to me to help them write their Instagram captions and for inspirational advice (best of both worlds!)

14.  I dyed my hair blonde and chopped it short in 8th grade after being rejected from my top choice high school. It took so long to grow back.

15.  I skipped third grade, which is the grade you learn script. Thus, I have the worst handwriting on the planet.

16.  I hate wasabi so much. I can handle other spicy things, but wasabi and horseradish freak me out. I can taste it even if it just brushes the other food.

17.  If I could never sleep, I would. I think it’s a huge waste of time. I almost always wake up naturally before my alarm and can’t sleep past 10 am on weekends.

18.  Both my parents are from Chicago so I’ve been there more times than I can count. Chicago is better than New York 100 times.

19. I’ve walked on fire and I’m a certified scuba diver.

20. When I was little, my dad would go on business trips a lot and catch flights at 6, 7 am. I would always wake up with him at 5 am and eat breakfast with him.

21. I still visit my 7th grade history teacher who inspired me to be politically active. Mr. Andrews is the coolest.

2.) THE “EVERYTHING I WANT COLLEGES TO KNOW ABOUT ME” LIST

Instructions: Click here to begin the activity. Depending on how you choose to complete the assignment, record your answers in your workbook.

3.) THE ESSENCE OBJECTS EXERCISE 

Instructions: Complete the Essence Objects Exercise via the video below. Write down your objects in your workbook, and include a few words on what each one means to you.   

Examples:

Worn North Carolina Tarheel blue and white basketball: I've spent more time on a basketball court than virtually anywhere else (which is why the ball is worn), and basketball also represents my connection with my dad: when I was a kid we'd watch Carolina games together and play basketball in the backyard for hours.

Blue Bible with my name etched on it in gold lettering that my grandma gave me when I was seven: represents my having been raised in the Presbyterian Church. And my parents were missionaries and as a result I attended 12 different schools so the Bible represents moving around a lot.