Spring 2024 College Essay Workshop: Show Not Tell by Erin Powers

Claire Getson

2024-06-07 15:26:36 UTC

That night I remember whipping my head back behind my shoulder, just enough to make sure nothing was behind me. A second that went by on the clock, my head was already turned behind my shoulder. My foot was tapping the floor, my knees swaying. My heart was jumping out of my skin. I couldn't just feel it, I could hear it - ba boom ba boom. I was shaking so much it felt like I was in Antarctica in a bathing suit.

Remi Haberle

2024-06-07 15:31:52 UTC

I knocked my head down, slouching against the lamppost. I hear my heart beating like it's about to rip a hole out through my chest. When I breathe, my throat feels like sandpaper scraping against the air I'm desperately pulling in to fill my collapsing lungs.

Riley Rupprecht

2024-06-08 00:03:30 UTC

My friend threw her hands in the air, letting them fly carelessly. Her mouth was curled in a snarl and her cheeks were as red as cherries. When she spoke again her voice was shaky and low, each syllable marked with a cutting edge. She plopped herself down in her chair, arms crossed, eyes shooting daggers into mine.

Myles Kaye

2024-06-08 20:30:09 UTC

Consumed by darkness, my eyes darted back and forth, scanning the surroundings for the mysterious sound I heard. As the shadow grew nearer, I wanted to run, yet my legs were glued to the concrete with no courage to carry them. Fear was finally overcome with adrenaline, and I dashed forward without ever looking back.

jackson d

2024-06-09 04:28:50 UTC

She stared with the weight of a thousand boulders, crushing me with each one as she let out a vicious tirade of insults. Her hands gripped the sides of the desk like she was trying to break it in half, then do the same to me. I really should not have eaten my friend's cookie, but who could've expected her to act like I killed her whole family?

Olivia Teeters

2024-06-09 16:23:57 UTC

I stood still for a short moment before my body sagged down to the ground. I lay glued to the floor, each of my limbs feeling heavier than usual. My chest burned as I took long, deep breaths. I blinked my eyes slowly until I couldn't keep them open any longer.

Ry Bass

2024-06-10 00:48:00 UTC

what used to be a living room had become a graveyard of shredded pillows, gnawed on furniture, knocked over plants, and a rug doused in urine and fecal matter. the furry wrecking ball that had caused this mass destruction came in at 4 pounds only capable of making high pitched-little barks in lieu of growls.

James Fassbender

2024-06-10 01:43:53 UTC

My coach stood tall with his chest held high as we listened eagerly to what he had to say. His words were so articulate and spoken with such positivity that we completely forgot we were down three runs in the 4th Quarter. After he finished his magnificent speech, we were jumping around with eager faces to mount the comeback.

Avery Plon

2024-06-10 02:26:10 UTC

My limbs heavy with fatigue, my body sagged while each reoccurring breath felt like a laborious task. My eyes, which were once bright with energy, dropped with weariness, heavy enough to weigh down my entire being.

Daine Knittel

2024-06-10 05:52:44 UTC

I sat in my room, suddenly hyper-aware of every sound around me: floorboards creaked, my fan whooshed, and birds chirped outside. It became increasingly laborious to open my eyelids, and every movement felt like trudging through quicksand. My head nodded occasionally, and soon I succumbed to the allure of sleep.

Charlie Spause

2024-06-10 07:39:41 UTC

He kept pacing around the room, one hand clutching his phone close while the other was glued to his forehand. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Soon the shock turned to anger. He looked at me for confirmation to do the only thing he knew to do, but I was silent in my response. I didn't want to give into his dark, twisted world. However, I was at the forefront. I was either with him or against him. The sinister look on his face told me I had only one choice.

Julie Dinofa

2024-06-10 11:29:36 UTC

My coach called the team over and we followed immediately. With just a few minutes left in the game, morale was low all around. However, simply the commanding presence of his voice brought us back. He shot out a line of plays to the team while somehow speaking to each player individually. We went back into the game and we were ready.

Lauren Elgart

2024-06-10 18:13:43 UTC

The bed was whispering at me, "lie down, go to sleep," but I still had two more paragraphs to write. My eyes, sagging and bloodshot, slowly drifted from the computer to the floor as my head melted between my arms. Before I knew it, my eyes started to shudder close and the darkness took over.

Naomi Hoffman

2024-06-12 12:36:12 UTC

The mess on the ground, hardly able to be recognized as a man, sat in a sticky, red pile. With bite marks everywhere, the disturbing sight was accompanied by a dog looking akin to Clifford.

Sophia Dunoff

2026-06-02 17:35:34 UTC

A fervent red crept across her pale cheeks. The rise and fall of her chest became rapid as her foot tapped the ground at a mile a minute. Her furrowed eyebrows scolded me to stay away, I knew then to keep my distance.

Nesibe Ozkan

2026-06-03 17:54:06 UTC

Why were there 1,000 pounds on my shoulders? Had I been hit by a truck? Or perhaps a train? All I know was that I couldn't possibly keep my eyes open. Trying to stop my eyelids from closing in on me felt impossible. I second I stepped into my warm, cozy room, I collapsed onto my fresh, linen sheets. Before a single thought entered my mind, everything went black.

Hazel McKenny

2026-06-04 03:30:08 UTC

My hand cramped as I loosely dropped my pencil. I was eager to close my notebook as the clock had just struck 12, officially starting a new day. I promised myself I would no longer put off studying for my math final but here I was, tired, struggling, and anxious for what the morning's test would bring. I lay back and tried to close my eyes; however, it felt like my fear of failure was eating me alive.

Abby Ekbatani

2026-06-04 12:26:42 UTC

My eyes began to sting and droop as I attempted to push myself up from the ground. It felt as though my body was glued to the floor and I could hardly move. My limbs were heavy as bricks and it was as though my chest was caving in with each breath.

Taylor Cammarota

2026-06-04 12:58:30 UTC

I sat in the back of the class, my eyelids weighed down by an elephant. My legs were jelly and my arms were chained to the desk. I spent the next hour fighitng for my life against the monsters of the dream world, trying to suck me in and never let me out.

Rachel Jeon

2026-06-04 13:05:33 UTC

With my head rested on the window, I took all my strength to keep up the weight of my eyelids. The slightly bumpy road and the quiet sounds of the water droplets on the car seemed like a lullaby, luring me into a deep sleep.

Anna Tishler

2026-06-04 13:44:04 UTC

My heavy eyes were struggling to stay focused, as my shoulders slumped from the weight of the day. Every movement felt like lifting a boulder, the weight setting deep into my bones. Staying upright seemed impossible.

Austin Alderfer

2026-06-04 16:13:23 UTC

With each step, the weight of my legs grew from elephant to blue whale, pulling me down with all their strength. Air felt like a scarce luxury good as drawing another breath became more and more difficult. I looked around to search for the dog sitting next to me, aggressively panting in my ears, only to find the relentless sounds coming from my own body as I faded in and out of consciousness.

Maya Pryszlak

2026-06-04 20:51:58 UTC

My eyes stung and watered slightly as I blinked them slowly and heavily, savoring the few moments of rest I could have. The space around me felt thick and stuffy and all I could imagine was how nice it would feel to lay my head down on the desk in front of me. Though my teacher spoke loudly and clearly only a few feet away from me, I found that I could not understand most of what she was saying, that her lesson couldn't pierce through this molasses that clogged my brain.

Robert Blunt

2026-06-05 13:34:35 UTC

I could hear the blood pressure of my friend rising as his face became more and more flustered. He gritted his teeth before yelling at me with all of the force in his lungs. Each and every word pierced me like a spike, leaving me more and more broken.

Karly Williams

2026-06-05 14:31:56 UTC

I stood behind the curtains knowing in the next minute I would be on the other side performing. With my palms sweaty and heart beating abnormally, my mind began racing with thoughts. But then the moment came. It was time for us to put our routine on the mat. After I stepped on the mat and we all got set, an unsettling silence only got louder before the music started. Until I saw my coach. She locked eyes with me and nodded with an upmost sure expression. Only then did I believe in myself because she believed in me first.

Zoe Harris

2026-06-05 15:21:45 UTC

My eyes are heavy and blurred. My head feels like bricks trying to stay up from the soothing noise of the teacher's voice. The 2 hour sleep I had coming back like a storm surrounding my every nerve and muscle. My body threatening to drop at any moment to take back the sleep that was stolen from me.

Madeline Kavalow-Huie

2026-06-05 18:12:05 UTC

My coach climbed on the wall with the strength of a mighty mountain goat. The way she delicately placed her feet on the wall made her seem almost like spiderwoman herself. She went through the moves, step by step, as if the most complicated of moves what the easiest lesson ever. Then, when she saw me fumbling to grab the next hold, she simply cheered me on as if I was in the Olympics.

Spencer Long

2026-06-05 20:20:11 UTC

With each grudging, miserable step my legs felt more and more like freshly-cooked noodles. The thick, moist air continuously sucker-punched me as my mind could only focus on the sliver of hope I had that I could reach safety. If only I had taken the right turn, I would be basking in the sunshine, lying on the golden-brown sand rather than sinking into the murky mud below my feet with every trudging movement.

Isla Broad

2026-06-07 01:25:41 UTC

I could hear stomps racing towards me and as soon as I turned around, my eyes were met with furrowed eyebrows. Before it could even register to me, I was met with gritted teeth and a piercing sound. Each word that came out of my best friend's mouth hit me, as I realized there was no recovery from my past mistake.

Sophia Lombardo

2026-06-07 16:29:14 UTC

The tension in the air was so thick I could barely breathe. I glanced over at who I hope is still my best friend, although the look on her face says otherwise. Her eyes got even darker and my heart rate spiked as I anticipated the sharp words that she would throw at me.

Maddie Pomager

2026-06-07 16:36:32 UTC

My legs felt like jello, unwillingly dragging my body up the stairs. Sweat collects over my temples and upper lip, the salty smell adding to my dizzy headache. My eyes feel heavy, momentarily making my vision hazy. Relief sweeps over my body as I finally turn the doorknob and slump onto my bed.

Amelia Johnson

2026-06-07 21:49:31 UTC

After what felt like a lifetime I finally arrived home. My feet trailed behind me as I barely made it through the door before I collapsed on the couch in a heap of limps. My eyes droop by force of gravity as I finally get a moment of relaxation

Thea M

2026-06-07 22:05:24 UTC

My body felt like an anvil as I fell onto my bed. What little energy remained went into lifting my phone, fighting gravity to plug it in. Then I fell asleep: body over the covers, hand still on the cold plastic of my phone case.

Gianna Jensen

2026-06-08 00:55:00 UTC

My chest feeling heavy , feeling a longing for my soft comfortable bed . I collapsed onto the cloud filled mattress and my eyelids felt like they weighed 1000 pounds .

Maddox Starr

2026-06-08 01:31:32 UTC

I took a step, one after another, in a grueling monotonous fashion. The muscles, sore, wavered as each limb moved one after another. My head shook, following the rhythm as I envisioned a bed made of marshmallows and the feathers of the lightest weight.

Matt Bracchi

2026-06-08 03:07:59 UTC

Loud noises and shouting all around, I knew my friends party was getting out of hand. I glance over to the middle of the basement and see him stand there with his face red as a tomato and an expression that made him look like steam was coming out of his ears. All of sudden, above all the noise, I hear, "EVERYBODY OUT NOW!"

Melissa Park

2026-06-08 12:05:26 UTC

I felt the rage coursing through my best friend's veins as her boyfriend began to get on her nerves. As her face started to redden rapidly and her body shook, I distanced myself little by little.

Simon Davis

2026-06-09 11:39:40 UTC

Looking back at my friend I could see something was wrong. He was furiously pacing around the room, tearing the carpet up as he walked and walked. After pacing for what felt like hours, he looked at me with his cold, no longer mad eyes. It was a look of disappointment. I had to decide right there whether to tell him the rest of it, or let it go and try to move on with our day.