Post Met Essay Brainstorms by Mary Beth Rodrigues

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:52:40 UTC

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:53:09 UTC

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:54:04 UTC

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:54:16 UTC

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:54:34 UTC

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:54:41 UTC

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-06 13:55:09 UTC

2023-04-17 14:16:58 UTC

A belief I have had to challenge is my religion. As a child you are practically bombarded with different ideals and things you should believe. As I grew older and gained my own mindset I found that I don't have to believe in god. The outcome was that I am now happier in life and don't have to worry whether I am sinning or not a good person.

2023-04-17 14:24:34 UTC

If there is one thing I could sit down and talk about for hours on end with no notes, it would be the idea of what you put out into the world comes back to you tenfold. I would say it captivates me not only because it is something I believe in, but something I have genuinely seen occurs. When I want to learn more I refer to the person who taught me this idea, my stepmom.

gabrielvillar2 — 2023-04-17 18:20:04 UTC

When I came back from a two month sailing trip it opened my eyes to a new career I had no knowledge about and now it's something I want to do as a career.

2023-04-17 18:20:26 UTC

seeing that i am, in fact, a queer trans woman, that definitely shapes how i navigate life. Moving through life may be harder but I still manage to do my best in everything i do.

2023-04-17 18:22:32 UTC

Something that caused a spark in me was having the opportunity to work with kids at my old elementary and it made me want to view teaching as a possible career later on

richardjallah1 — 2023-04-17 18:23:49 UTC

When I performed at the troop resturant for my job and when the dj played one of my unreleased songs, the audience went crazy because of my stage presence and my voice projection. On stage, I'm a whole different person like active yk.

2023-04-17 18:26:22 UTC

One lesson I had was when I failed my drivers test. I thought it was the end of the world. I was crying for mad long time because it was going to be summer. I did not really practice before I took my test I just figured I had it but I did not. This taught me to not always be overconfident and to keep going when I fail.

2023-04-17 18:28:02 UTC

Someone someone did that made me feel grateful was when I was prepping for my first CCRI exam I had the very next day. I spent the whole day studying and I stayed up until 2 in the morning and one of my parents stayed awake that entire time. It just showed me how much they supported me and wanted to accompany me during that time.

2023-04-17 18:29:35 UTC

My mom cleaned up my bloody nose after I bleed everywhere like on my white shirt, shoes and arms. This showed that my mom really cared about me because I cant say that I would do that for someone else. I would for my mom but not much other people because there was blood everywhere and we was in the middle of the city with little to no napkins.

anthonywilds — 2023-04-17 18:32:23 UTC

Something I grew up with that stuck with me as a challenge was my IEP turned 504 plan. It was always something I was ashamed of, not even that I could change it but it had everything to do with the inside of my brain. I still hated it, the stigma of being "Slow" "Stupid" when in all actuality I was just someone who need more processing time. This added to setbacks, I didn't want to be known as the person who received "special help" or more time on test, so I canceled on a lot of that. Choosing not to accept the help that would have put me on the same playing field as everyone else. I learned that with the assistance of this plan would only better my academic achievements, and I learned to embrace this minor setback to life. I use my 504 as a tool as an aid to achieve my goals.

alexagomez5 — 2023-04-17 18:34:13 UTC

i'm pretty flexible to an extent which i wasn't so much, before I changed what i was doing. im eager to expand my knowledge in calisthenics but first comes flexibility. i can also fold my thumb behind my hand lol

2023-04-17 18:35:28 UTC

Ever since early 2020, I have stuck with one game for a while. I couldn't say what exactly got me interested in the game but honestly, I don't regret it one bit. look I stuck around for the story and art and I ain't elaborating. It's been kinda like a secret interest that took over my life. I keep it a secret since I'm a bit scared about what people will think of me and the game if I tell them about it. My explanations aren't the best anyways but I could babble on and on about it when I was at the peak of this obsession and I definitely talked one friend's ear off during that golden year of 2020 before we had to stay home. I have tried to get a few friends into it but it just didn't work out. My obsession with it had died down around mid-2021 since my phone broke so couldn't play it for months. I got back to it when it got fixed but I didn't have much motivation to play, but I still stuck around with the fandom. It got me more interested in mythology and helped me think about the way I create my characters. It's still in the background of my life and I hope it never leaves my mind. nah but I did spend about 100-200 hours on that game. I don't have the records anymore sadly.

2023-04-17 18:35:36 UTC

I loveeee the lord and I wouldn't be who I am without him and without my christian belief that is a really really big part of who I am.

2023-04-17 18:37:17 UTC

I remember there was one day that I was having a bad day at my house and I just didnt wanna be there because all of the drama and negativity. I went otp with my sister explaining what was happening and all that and she was relating it to her and just letting me know how its relateable and how she used to feel. So when I got off the phone I took a shower and then straight to sleep. she said because she knew I was having a bad day and didnt wanna be home so she took me out shopping and get are nails done.

2023-04-17 18:37:17 UTC

One thing I could talk about for hours is psychology and how the mind works and why people do the things they do and speak the way they speak. Also how we have grown as a society but also not in a way. Also like how people lived mad long ago, like BC the Roman Empire and the Egyptians. How they built the things they built and how they were very smart and ran things very differently.

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-21 17:16:14 UTC

my hidden talent is a being a photographer and a baker

marybethrodrigues — 2023-04-21 17:19:28 UTC

I love astrology and I could talk about it for hours. I learn through instagram and TikTok and reading

Hello kitty. I love Hello kitty. I wish I had 1,000 Hello kitty's

2023-04-21 17:22:02 UTC

2023-04-21 17:24:31 UTC

My co workers always supports me and I can go talk to them about a problem or when i need advice on something. We have trust with each other and i'm grateful for that

2023-04-21 17:27:16 UTC

When I was younger I always loved to please people because it was all I knew. If I obeyed them I was considered a good girl, if I spoke of what I felt and said no I was being disrespectful. I learned to say how I feel because I stopped letting people walk all over me.

2023-04-21 17:28:23 UTC

I used to be embarrassed of my culture. Only to find out we are the ones who contribute the most to the United States economy.

2023-04-21 17:29:08 UTC

In the last 3 years I've lost 2 uncles. one to cancer and another to an addiction

2023-04-21 17:29:46 UTC

that i'm a queer latina

2023-04-21 17:32:06 UTC

Always moving every 2 years and never having a secure place to live in

Prompt 1

2023-04-21 17:33:03 UTC

I am a Latina who has grown up in a community where we are not seen. I want to be seen. I have taken on so many opportunities whether they are physical like sports to internships at a law firm. I want to be recognized and i want to represent our people one day. I want to be someone that the young Latina girls look at because when I was younger I didn't have someone in my community to look at that was a great example. I have ambition and I will put it to work later on in the future.

2023-04-21 17:35:23 UTC

An obstacle I overcame was not having a hello kitty girlfriend to make my life better and more enjoyable.

2023-04-21 17:35:27 UTC

Leaving my church after 5 years. I left because they had homophopic views and the people were very judgey so I had anxiety being there. My aunt in the begining tried very hard to make me go back but now she has accepted that i'm not going back. but it doesn't mean that i still don't believe in god

gym

2023-04-21 17:36:22 UTC

I love chest day.

2023-04-21 17:36:57 UTC

Once you learn about how the body works you are more aware

2023-04-21 17:39:04 UTC

benching 225

2023-04-21 17:41:01 UTC

mannnnn.... :(

2023-04-21 17:41:30 UTC

my dad giving up all his time to train me when it comes to sports. makes me what to push more knowing i have people behind me

2023-04-21 17:44:49 UTC

Adding effort into friendships and understanding who i am.

2023-04-21 17:45:14 UTC

doing nails, its something I want to have more knowledge and skills on.

2023-04-21 17:45:58 UTC

Bills/ sometimes politics

2023-04-21 17:50:58 UTC

As a Latina who has grown up with a catholic family i have been in the church since i was baptized at 1 years old. I have had many struggles with staying in the church and just being persistent with my religion. I'd ask myself " God if you were real why are all of these terrible things happening in the world?" but the past year i have been getting more in touch with my beliefs and I know that God has a plan and I just have to believe and trust him. Especially now that i have been more engaged in the church i feel more connected to God and it is a great feeling. Taking confirmation classes and being in youth group has changed my perspective on the church. It has made it more fun having other kids my age come together and celebrate God together.

welcome to fortnite

2024-04-05 15:17:34 UTC

dycutzz

2024-04-05 15:24:56 UTC

when I broke my trimmer and someone helped me get them fixed, made my spark come back after a week and a half, got more clients and upgraded some stuff, also payed them back for the help

2024-04-05 15:25:03 UTC

im domincan

2024-04-05 15:28:01 UTC

i am a female interested in male dominated trades

2024-04-05 15:28:18 UTC

I am a Latina who is also bisexual, but due to me growing up religiously there is a lot of grief and guilt that comes with it.

2024-04-05 15:28:31 UTC

As a transgender person my experience in life is unlike a cis persons in most ways. As a child I was allowed to experience and enjoy things like barbie, fairies, and Disney princesses, without push back from the adults around me like a cis boy would've gotten. Despite it being the closest to my upbringing I can never relate to the flamboyant boy childhood because I didn't experience the prejudice that comes with it.

2024-04-05 15:28:35 UTC

im a Haitian American man

2024-04-05 15:29:48 UTC

womanhood/girlhood

2024-04-05 15:30:12 UTC

im a tatted cape verdean barber

2024-04-05 15:30:15 UTC

An ex who treated me horribly and I didn't know it in the moment, but now 3 years later that experience has taught me how to protect myself by making boundaries and calling out those who hurt me which I'm very thankful for.

2024-04-05 15:30:24 UTC

getting kicked out of schools and learning to change to different places all the time

2024-04-05 15:31:27 UTC

Being a dancer.

2024-04-05 15:31:54 UTC

How my life and mental state shifted after I had to quit my sport due to an injury.
My grandmothers Passing
Sophomore Year

2024-04-05 15:32:13 UTC

my advisor made me into a barber

2024-04-05 15:32:21 UTC

Being an immigrant who grew up in the United States has always affected how I view things in life and the choices I make everyday.

2024-04-05 15:32:41 UTC

life in general

2024-04-05 15:33:20 UTC

My family were all pretty big feminists, and considering everyone thought I was a girl I'd constantly get gifts of different flavors of "girl power". Once I got older I started disliking everything relating to that mentality, and I actually got mad at family who'd get me those things. I had convinced myself that I didn't like these things because they were childish, but looking back on them that wasn't the case. I'm trans, and those gifts brought attention to the gender I was perceived as, which subconsciously upset me.

2024-04-05 15:33:41 UTC

Making and editing videos on my phone.

2024-04-05 15:34:46 UTC

I could talk about internet/fandom history for hours

2024-04-05 15:35:40 UTC

losing a loved family member due to domestic abuse

2024-04-05 15:35:50 UTC

For a college class I wrote an essay analyzing a pro same-sex marriage and from the late 2000s

2024-04-05 15:35:57 UTC

My scoliosis.

2024-04-05 15:35:58 UTC

Shifting my mentality from I don't need anyone to it's ok to ask for help was and still is very big challenge for me. Growing up Hyper-independent has been the cause of this.

2024-04-05 15:36:55 UTC

One of the biggest obstacles I had to face at a young age was having to move into a state that I was very unfamiliar with. Leaving my childhood home made me feel very lost for a chunk of my life.

something I could talk about for hours is my perspective on men

2024-04-05 15:37:51 UTC

2024-04-05 15:38:51 UTC

Something I could talk about for hours is myself, and my insecurities.

2024-04-05 15:40:00 UTC

reading graphic novels or learning about barbering

A Puerto Rican scorpio

2024-04-05 15:40:22 UTC

2024-04-05 15:40:28 UTC

My grandmother being my biggest advocate specifically when I was in 4th grade. I was constantly going to the hospital for 3-4 months straight and she never gave up until we found out what was wrong with me.

a Dominican queen.

2024-04-05 15:40:47 UTC

2024-04-05 15:41:15 UTC

I was very thankful and happy when my parents'close friend helped change my family's life.

2024-04-05 15:41:49 UTC

losing a parent set me back a lot and im still trying to get back on track

2024-04-05 15:42:01 UTC

realizing that men are selfish and only care about their own feelings

2024-04-05 15:43:00 UTC

music and reading brings back my spark, buried in worlds that one can only dream of.

2024-04-05 15:43:12 UTC

I learned how not to put my feelings in things at all so it don't effect what I do

2024-04-05 15:43:20 UTC

A topic that I love spending time on and could talk about for hours is music. I love listening to songs and learning about the stories and information being spread in the world of music.

2024-04-05 15:45:52 UTC

Someone that made me happy in a surprising way is my bf, and all the things he's done for me without me asking.

2024-04-05 15:46:00 UTC

realizing that you don't need to tell everyone evrything

2024-04-05 15:59:52 UTC

Music, theatre, and the entertainment industry is something I can talk about for hours. My favorite topics would be talking about how Latino representation has changed throughout the years, and how Hollywood is now expanding to the younger generation of Latinos. Specifically America Ferrera, Jenna Ortega and Xochitl Gomez.

2024-04-08 13:46:03 UTC

Losing a family member to a hospital that didn't do something right

2024-04-08 13:47:19 UTC

One concept that I find so engaging to talk about is how often new opportunities are found very close by, if you try

2024-04-08 13:47:45 UTC

any time i'm going through something my brother will always be able to answer and hear me out and give me advice even thought our fathers passing

2024-04-08 13:48:38 UTC

a topic that makes me lose all track of time is true crime shows/movies. They interest me because I'm too interested in the show/ movie to be in my head about anything. They also interest me because they go over details with a fine tooth comb so I'm never confused

2024-04-08 13:50:27 UTC

A huge realization that sparked personal growth was realizing that not everyone is going to be there for you and you shouldn't seek validation from anyone. Your choices and feelings should be your own and everything you do shouldn't be prompted by someone else's thoughts/pressure/opinion. You can look out for yourself without being selfish.

2024-04-08 13:50:41 UTC

Coming to this school opened up so many opportunities and also helped me want to take entrepreneurship to the next level.

2024-04-08 13:51:01 UTC

My mom supported me when starting up my business. Apart from what I had saved up, my mom helped fund for my supplies and everything that I needed in order to start. This really motivated me to take advantage of the opportunity and really get something out of it .

josephdiaz10 — 2024-04-08 13:51:45 UTC

I have a big interest with spiderman and anything when it comes to marvel, there's so much to learn about and read which is why you can easily lose track, as well with making your own theorys with it. There's a YouTuber that is called The Cosmic Wonder and they go over a bunch of different things when it comes to marvel and spiderman.

nicholasnestor — 2024-04-08 13:51:48 UTC

tryna overcome social anxiety

2024-04-08 13:52:38 UTC

Me being a man of God. God is the Lord of lords king of kings. My religion means everything to me

2024-04-08 13:52:53 UTC

The people who can come into your life for better than for good.

2024-04-08 13:53:39 UTC

I feel as if I wasn't able to make music then I would just sit in my room and rot. Without music I would have no career path and I wouldn't have all the connections/bonds that I have right now.

2024-04-08 13:54:08 UTC

Me being a man of God. God is the Lord of lords and king of kings, my religion means everything to me

2024-04-08 13:54:31 UTC

The necessary removal of toxic people or activities in your life, for good.

2024-04-08 13:56:45 UTC

I had broken a collar bone due to mixed martial arts and I wasn't able to train for months, I wasn't able to do much and after this incident, it made me appreciate God because things could've gotten worse at the time of the incident.

josephdiaz10 — 2024-04-08 13:56:51 UTC

finding different genres of music really helped me find my music taste which helped me feel better about myself and find myself in a way

2024-04-08 13:57:12 UTC

my talent is I taught myself how to do hair at 11 years old, I learned how to braid add hair and do many different styles. I learned because my grandma cant do my hair and I was sick of looking crazy. over the years I've gotten much better and can do my own hair , it definitely cuts cost of hairstylists

2024-04-08 13:57:15 UTC

My dad moving away affected me and it set me back a bit because moving after a while was difficult to get used to and so was the fact that he was out of my reach.

2024-04-08 13:57:41 UTC

spending my first 500 dollars from working on food clothes and other unnecessary stuff

2024-04-08 13:58:04 UTC

An accomplishment for me was finally being able to get to perform my songs

nicholasnestor — 2024-04-08 13:59:10 UTC

conspiracy theories

jademejiatroche — 2024-04-08 13:59:11 UTC

A topic/idea I can talk about for hours and lose track of time while talking is my interest in veterinary. I've had such a deep passion and love for caring for animals that started at such a young age. Knowing I can help and care for animals that can't do it on their own is something I find a big interest in, and overall it makes me feel better about myself because the road to recovery for those animals all starts with the vet/vet tech that helped them start that recovery process.

2024-04-08 13:59:12 UTC

A challenge I faced was moving in with my grandma after my mom passed away, I didn't know why I had to do that, I was more confused than anything. over the years ive made peace with it and realized she sacrificed a lot to take care of me for the past 11 years.

2024-04-08 13:59:49 UTC

realizing that sometimes its better off to be alone and spend time w yourself

2024-04-08 14:00:14 UTC

My mother has done everything for me and is my biggest role model. She was there for me through everything. When my father left, she made sure I was good. When I came out, she comforted me. This gratitude has motivated me to be the best person I can be and lets me know that I will always have someone in my corner, fighting for me.

2024-04-08 14:00:31 UTC

There were times where I had struggled and gotten into a terrible state and I just kept saying to myself "everything is going to be okay, what is this trying to teach me? God has plans for me".

josephdiaz10 — 2024-04-08 14:01:24 UTC

Growing up was pretty difficult but I got through it and here I am

2024-04-08 14:02:41 UTC

I realization is that you have to trust that a person is gonna be the person you know they are, trust that a liar is gonna be a liar, trust that a theif is gonna steal , trust that a cheater is gonna cheat. never expect more than what a person has already showed you

2024-04-08 14:02:42 UTC

One topic is that superheros can open a door of hope, love, and different possibilities. I could talk about how superheros have influenced my life since I was 3 years old, this is a topic that I would never shut up about. Although superheros are fake, watching them makes me feel safe and grounded like they are actually there to protect me.

2024-04-08 14:02:54 UTC

When I make music I lose ALL track of time and my senses besides my hearing. I be so 🤬 locked in that one day I was making songs from eight am to ten pm without realizing and without eating or drinking

josephdiaz10 — 2024-04-08 14:04:47 UTC

My mental health in sophomore year wasn't the best and it affected me a lot and I just learned to deal with it and try to live my life without worrys

2024-04-08 14:06:03 UTC

Wrestling is something that turned me into a new person. The season was about 4 months and I was broken down mentally but it was building me into a new person by pushing myself past limits, being on top of other peoples work, and taught me lessons for me to help others and motivate others.

jademejiatroche — 2024-04-08 14:06:26 UTC

Growing up with an immigrant father
Losing my closest grandfather
Moving from 3 elementary schools

i have questioned many things in my life, religion, the universe, my beliefs in politics, identity, etc but 1 thing I will discuss will be my thoughts on "after so many struggles why i was kept alive on this planet?", so I will tackle my personal experiences with survivors guilt

2025-09-23 14:41:39 UTC

2025-09-23 14:42:49 UTC

Music, I get dragged into it deeply, every time I listen or make music I just go into this lockdown space, this bubble around people and just focus on that, it makes me lose track on other tasks but it is something that I find to get my mind stress free and feeling better, same with basketball, clears my brain when I play

A concept I find so engaging is getting rich every time think about getting rich I lose track of time it captures my full attention. It captivates knowing when I get rich in the future I'm gonna make sure everybody get a plate to eat but not get full.

2025-09-23 14:44:10 UTC

A.P

2025-09-23 14:45:43 UTC

I have questions many things the main one was what I want to do with my life either a job or a hobby I have always been thinking what what is important to me what do I think I can do and if it is a good job after trying many different things I found what I like to do but I still want to try more so I questioned why do I stick with this or I quit to try new things in the end I decided to stick with it and leave time to try new hobbies and new things I never thought I would ever do learning new things about myself

2025-09-23 17:06:42 UTC

A fact about me is I do game development on my free time, mainly the design part like 3D Modeling and such, and last year to pass time I would do some 3D Modeling, which I would make buildings on my laptop, and thing is I did this a ton during my Junior year, meanwhile I 3D Modeled, time would pass by quickly and hours felt like I had even less time than usual.

2025-09-23 17:07:33 UTC

The time I faced a challenge/ setback was when I reunited with my biological father. It wasn't what I expected it to be. The way he pictured me to be isn't how I am and he did not like that. He also always had a problem if I didn't text or call him but never felt the need to do the same. When I told him he would have to earn respect from me because he left for so long. He didn't agree with me on anything so we stopped communicating.

doing lashes I would love to learn more about it .

2025-09-25 17:12:55 UTC

2025-09-25 17:13:00 UTC

I hated god for taking someone away from me, and shunned them instead of trying to understand them.

I am trans too yippee

2025-09-25 17:13:56 UTC

To be honest I could yap about Borderlands.

2025-09-25 17:15:23 UTC

Criminology

2025-09-25 17:31:21 UTC

The topic of crime and figuring out the scenarios is very fascinating to me. I love finding clues and evidence that can lead to the justice of the crime scene.