Brothers Bother: College Admission Essay Sample

Feet. It’s 6:30 in the morning and I wake up to the sight of ten mini-sausage toes. Exasperated, I recount last night’s struggles trying to sleep with my little brother at my side. First came the turning upside-down. He had a habit of gradually rotating when he sleeps so that his feet end up where my head is and vice versa. Then, came the inevitable harsh grinding of teeth. This was accompanied by his small, overheated chubby body pushing relentlessly against mine. “William, get back on your side. Oh my God!” I threateningly whispered. But every time his response was more grinding of his teeth or the occasional snore: a clear cut dismissal of my futile efforts to wake him up. He shoved without pause, until my poor body was flung out of the bed. Annoyed, I would walk around to the opposite side, but like a magnet attracting another, I would feel his body come rolling right back at me.

Sleeping beside my little brother every time we travel is one of the most frustrating experiences. However, through these ordeals, I gained two very vital characteristics: patience and determination. These qualities did not come easy. Night after night, it would have been so easy for me to wake my little brother up and tell him to go back on his side of the bed. But rather than waking him up and making him cranky, I decided to sacrifice my own sleep and deal with the problem. This is where my determination kicks in: the determination to achieve my goal (in this case, sleep) no matter the hardships. Through these two qualities, I have slowly forged an image of myself.

Most of my extracurriculars have to do with children, and I'm pretty sure that most exasperated parents would agree with me about all the frustrations dealing with children. At Camp Galileo, the total number of kids and the chaos that inevitably follows make patience one of the most important virtues. Many employees at Camp Galileo actually quit because they are overwhelmed by the troublesome nature of the kids. Only the truly determined get through the day with ease. The fact that I can do what most others can’t is reason enough for me to be proud. So many people that I know can’t deal with children, thinking that they’re annoying and burdensome, but ironically, thanks to a kid, my little brother, I have developed the qualities to overcome most hardships.