::write rite, right? ::

below are the 3 essays required for my application for admissions. my responses are the premise for which i will write my essays. those who know me, know my blog, complete strangers, are welcome to offer your opinions via email or comments. this is only a starting block, and i'm providing some fun information as background for the reader, but i welcome the input. the clock is ticking.

Question One:
Focus: Academic Preparation
Rationale: The University seeks to enroll students who take initiative in pursuing their education (for example, developing a special interest in science, language or the performing arts; involvement in educational preparation programs including summer enrichment programs, research, or academic development programs such as EAOP, MESA, Puente, COSMOS or other similar programs.) This question seeks to understand a student's motivation and dedication to learning.
Question: What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the field developed and describe any experience you have had in the field - such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities - and what you have gained from your involvement.

literary journalism seems to be a new and forthcoming major not readily available here in southern california. Neither Chapman, CSULB or CSUF offer a comparable program in Journalism, which is unfortunate only because i am putting all of my eggs in one basket (UCI). sheesh!
my enjoyment for writing is something that has stemmed from early childhood. in third grade, it was the kats of kactus kountry. in junior high, i started a bit of fan fiction based on leroux's the phantom of the opera. in high school, it was mostly reports and research papers. since then, i find myself closely attached to this two-and-a-half-year-old blog of mine. by their own definition, literary journalism is "prose that has evolved into a distinct branch of literature, prose that adopts the aims and techniques of the finest fiction." and i say, let me show you my blog! is that asinine? or completely avant garde? or ______? i think i've got something here that i don't want to give up. i've enjoyed writing about my life here, doing the occasional music criticism, and a degree just my land me a job in this field because i know my blogging skillz aren't enough. i have no paid experience, but i derive so much personal satisfaction from this pastime to know that i want this. at 27, with a tasting of some bland career options and nearly ten years of post-high school living, i've considered a multitude of options. i've done my seeking, my soul-searching, and i've stewed over this decision for enough time to know that i am ready to commit fully to pursuing & achieving excellence in this area.

Question Two:
Focus: Potential to Contribute
Rationale: UC welcomes the contributions each student brings to the campus learning community. This question seeks to determine an applicant's academic or creative interests, and potential to contribute to the vitality of the University
Question: Tell us about a talent, experience, contribution or personal quality you will bring to the University of California.

fast approaching my thirties and desiring to apply myself to a formal education speaks volumes on my behalf. my life experience and maturity will make me a boon to the student population. i am a pianist, percussionist, a film buff, a music junkie, an ambitious son-of-a-gun. i am furious muse. i'm desperately passionate about my husband, my friends, my family, and my cats. i've traveled, unscathed, to different countries such australia, new zealand, and new york city. i've reveled in the cultures of the world by sampling various culinary cuisines at the cheesecake factory. my life experience is a preamble for my wit.
...i suddenly am at a loss here. i don't know how to handle bragging about myself (that's what this is, right?). besides, my nose i pressed against the monitor now and i have to see the fairy godmother for a quick fix. please don't ask me to explain that. think back through your disney movies, ok?

Question Three:
Focus: Open-ended
Rationale: This question seeks to give students the opportunity to share important aspects of their schooling or their lives, such as personal circumstances, family experiences and opportunities that were or were not available at their school or college, which may not have been sufficiently addressed elsewhere in the application.
Question: Is there anything you would like us to know about you or your academic record that you have not had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application?

this is where i get to explain the phenomenon known as 186 units attempted, 62 completed, and a 2.8 gpa. i'm really looking forward to that, since the whole "dropping classes streak" started after my parents moved to oregon and i was making stabs at self-sufficiency. it's tricky trying to balance work and paying the bills with school. and, i wasn't able to do it. others have been more successful than me. but, barely 21, i found myself unprepared to deal with life on my own. except for my desire to remain in the place i had lived my whole life, survival was teeth-grittingly scary. in the first year, i moved 7 times & lived with 5 different people. discombobulated and distraught, still unsure of my major but wanting that higher education, i kept trying. at the first sign of declining grades, of not getting all i could from my classes, i dropped. i didn't want to fail. finally, now, i'm married. life is stable. work is stable. and i know i'm ready to hold on and ride this out with a firm commitment.