Push or Pull: College Admission Essay Sample

As a child, whenever I would try to open a door, I would always attempt to push it open. Regardless of the fact that a door might have had a sign on it that said “Pull to Open”, I would always push. It became something I would do unconsciously. The thing about me is, I love to be in control. The glory and satisfaction that come with having control are feelings that make my life worth living. The part of me that loves being in control is also the part of me that accepts myself.

Growing up, all I knew was that I looked different. The skin around my eyes, elbows, ankles, wrists, and knees was constantly red, blotchy and dry. The nicknames that my peers gave me such as, “albino bunny” and “scratching weirdo” are names that I will remember forever. At the same time that all of this was happening, I was on experimental diets, therapies such as acupuncture, allergen immunotherapy, acupressure, and steroid creams, all in attempts to save my skin. At just 2 years old, I was diagnosed with eczema. Today, millions of people around the world suffer from this skin inflammation. It affects people of all age, sizes, and cultures. Growing up, I was unaware of these statistics. Although all of this seemed to be taking over my childhood, I had a childhood filled with love, hobbies, and friends. What I got out of the whole experience was that everything was up to me. From small decisions like deciding what I was going to eat for breakfast, to bigger things such as what I wanted my first job to be, I craved the desire to make a choice, say my opinion, and be in control of what I was doing.

Having eczema made me realize that no matter how much I want to be in control of all aspects of my life, it is impossible for me to have control over everything. No matter how much I try, I cannot do things that are out of my realm of possibility. Having struggled with Eczema for the past fifteen years, has made me come to the realization that although control is what I crave, I cannot be in control of every aspect of my life. About five years ago, my sister asked me, “If you could change the fact that you have eczema, would you?” After thinking about this question for five years, I have come to the realization that having Eczema has been a crucial part of my journey towards self discovery. Now, and in part because of my past, it is my goal to one day become a Pediatric Dermatologist and be able to use my own experiences to show children that their skin does not define who they are.

Through discovering who I am and accepting my skin my the way it is, I have realized that sometimes, you have to pull the doors open – even if you want to push. Now, I make sure to read the signs that say what to do to open the door. Sometimes I pull, sometimes I push. By realizing that I cannot control everything and accepting that everything happens for a reason, I have reached a point in my life where I am ready to move on and embrace the uncontrollable parts of life.