Common App Admissions Essays

The Power of Daydreams

Prompt:

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.

 


Daydreams are often regarded as a distraction and a sign of laziness. However, I believe in the creative power of daydreams, which allows me to escape from reality. Daydreaming allows me to look within my mind, which I need as an introvert. It's essential for introverts to recharge themselves after socializing with people.

Recently, my dad brought me a Time magazine featuring a small boy holding a megaphone at the corner of a white room. As I read the article, “The Upside of Being an Introvert,” by Bryan Walsh, I noticed that his description of an introvert mirrored my everyday life. Socially, I prefer to interact with a few close friends than to interact with a large group of acquaintances.  After socializing with people, I find a quiet place and run an intricate inner monologue. Like the small boy on the cover, I prefer to voice out my opinions without having to draw attention to myself. By reading this article, I discovered that I was not just shy, but an introvert, which empowered me to embrace my quiet temperament.

I was fascinated, so I watched a TED Talk featuring Susan Cain, the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking. In this book, she advocates the benefits of being an introvert in a society like America, where much emphasis is put on extroversion. She speaks about her personal experiences as an introvert and the misconceptions introverts deal with. For example, introverts are often labeled as antisocial and are repeatedly told by their peers to come out of their shell. In reality, introverts are crucial for social gatherings, as they listen before they speak and think through their actions. Without introverts, no one would not take the time to listen to other people and thus there would be no conversation.

After watching Susan Cain's talk, I came across another video describing some of the introverted personality types. Rather than reading the text, my attention was caught by a song, by Kate Nash, playing in the background. “People used to say she’s as quiet as a mouse. She just doesn’t make a peep.” These lyrics sounded like me, because I tend to not talk at all when I am around people I do not know well.

After hearing the song, I drifted off into a daydream and slipped into the persona of Mariella, named after the protagonist of the song. She wears black from head to toe and no makeup. She despises the color pink and pearls because she finds them too feminine and girly. Some people find her strange because she does not like to interact in groups. She does not like to go to social events, preferring to stay at home in her bedroom alone. People find her unusual and tell her to talk to people more, which annoys her immensely because she is perfectly content with holding conversations and creating stories in her head. She has the habit of writing every single thought in her “brown book,” which is actually her diary. She writes about her daily life and her thoughts, dreams, observations, and plans. Mariella feels more comfortable writing her thoughts down than saying them out loud because she does not like to speak at all.

Daydreaming is an essential part for my imagination.  By detaching myself from the physical world, I look through the eyes of another person. I prefer to explore new, unrealistic ideas and understand how other people view the world than to just face the harsh realities of life nonstop. It's fine to have the occasional daydream as a way to relax from powering through my tasks and responsibilities.

 

 


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How to cite this essay (MLA)

Bidon, Hana. "The Power of Daydreams" StudyNotes.org. Study Notes, LLC., 11 Oct. 2015. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.apstudynotes.org/common-app/the-power-of-daydreams/>.
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