Just Roll with It: College Admission Essay Sample

“Let’s try that again” my Mom says as she picks up the piece of dough that I have rolled into an unrecognizable shape. “Now remember, the key to making your roti round is to move your shoulders and loosen your grip on the rolling pin.” I do as my mom says and achieve a rounder, yet still unevenly shaped roti, an Indian flatbread that is made in Punjabi households every day. My brother strolls in and laughs as he sees me roll out yet another unrecognizable shape. “You better try that again and make your rotis as round as the moon, or you won’t get married” he jokes as he grabs a water bottle from the fridge. I laugh along with him to the simile that has been used for ages.

It’s true that to this day many young girls’ eligibility for marriage is based on the roundness of her roti. Thankfully, I won’t be as judged on it as harshly because that only remains prominent in the rural parts of India now. However, I am still expected to be able to make round rotis for my future in-laws. That is why my mom is ever-so-patiently teaching me to make my rotis round, or as round as I am able to get them.

After numerous failed attempts, I feel like giving up. Okay Sukhprit, you can do it. Let’s try that again. I take a pinch of dough off the freshly kneaded batch, showing it to my mom for her approval. I see her give a slight nod, one filled with a lot of hesitance. I keep going. I take the chunk of dough and loosely ball it up. Then I roll it in the palms of my hands in the opposite circular motions. Once the dough is as round as I can get it, I pat it down into a flatter circle, later tumbling it around in some dry flour so that it will not stick as I begin to pat it out into a disc. After sufficiently covering the disc of dough in flour, I use my hands to help me make a flatter and even circle.

Now comes the part that I dread the most: the rolling pin. I pick it up nervously and place my hands on both sides of the it. In the corner of my eye, I see my mom’s hand reaching towards the pin. Have I already made a mistake? I look down and see the countertop clean and white. “Oh!” I yell out loud so my mom knows I realized my mistake. I quickly take some dry flour and sprinkle it all over the countertop. My mom goes back to where she was originally standing, right behind me, indicating that I have fixed my mistake. I place the flour disc on the surface and position my rolling pin on top of it, in the center. Here we go. I apply some pressure and start rolling. I make sure to not hold the rolling pin too tightly and to move my shoulders more. I’m halfway done and this is starting to look like the best roti I have ever rolled. I look up at my mom to see if she shares my excitement, only to be faced with her solemn expression. I understand why, I am not yet finished. So I rapidly finish rolling the roti flip it onto the skillet.

I’m nervous to turn back but when I do I see a warm smile on my mom’s face, full of pride and sincere joy.