My daughter is completing college application essays. I feel for her because not only does she hate to write, she's not the best at it, either. She's applying to the University of Georgia and one of the required essay questions is:
"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent."
Victor Hugo
If someone were to look at your music collection right now, they would probably know a great deal about who you are. Individuals are drawn to music, and each song conveys something about that person. Select a musical piece to be your theme song. Tell us what it would be, and more specifically, why it represents who you are. (200 Word Limit)
I would write it for her but I don't know much about the music she listens to and therefore can't even pick a song. Actually, between you and me, I don't want to write it anyway!
It did, however, get me thinking about music. I love music. Since I was a little girl, it's always been a part of my life. I remember sitting in my childhood living room listening to "A Hole in the Bucket" and "Sweet Caroline" while eating Malted Milk Balls and drinking Dr. Pepper with my dad.
Songs bring back memories and feelings and take me back in time. They remind me of friends, of situations and events; some good and some well, not so much.
I'm not sure though, if there is a song that defines me. I think that's a hard essay to write. There are songs that relate to times in my life but I don't think I can pick just one song as my theme. There are simply too many me's to consider.
There's the mom-me. She loves "Can't Touch This" because my son dances to it as a bribe to get Dairy Queen. He doesn't know I'm usually planning to get it for him anyway and I'm not going to tell him because I love to see him dance!
There's the misses my mom-me. I can barely listen to Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" without bursting into tears.
There's the wife-me who loves basically every cheesy love song out there and thinks about her husband during each of them.
Then I've got the 7th and 8th Grade Carolyn who loves Air Supply and REO Speedwagon's "Time for Me to Fly". The single woman who thinks BoDeans rule. This one also ties to a friend who went to virtually every BoDeans concert with me. There's my spin class songs that make me want to exercise and 80's music that makes me feel like a high school kid again.
There are just too many songs to define who I am at any given moment. What I can define though, is what music does for me. It inspires me. It releases me. It brings out feelings in me, some I like and some that just need to be released. It makes me happy. Motivates me. Annoys me. Sticks in my head until I can't stand it anymore and gets lost in time with barely a verse remembered.
Music helps me get through hard times. It makes the fun times more fun. It brightens my mood. It makes me dance (mostly by myself because I am not a good dancer!).
I'm not sure how my daughter plans to write this essay but I hope she finds a song to help her through it.
I completely agree! Music has always been a part of my life since I was 3 years old and continues to be a defining factor in my life. It's like a scent - it takes you directly back to the emotions that you were feeling and what was going on at that particular time.
ReplyDeleteThis inspires me to create a music list (maybe 5 songs per decade or stage) that has defined my life so far. If I complete it, I'll post it on my blog. Stay tuned!
I'm with you, Music is huge. I'd love to have to answer that question. it would be a fun exercise to do, if I had a blog. Instead I read other people's blogs, comment on them, and avoid doing any real work. Such is life!
ReplyDeleteNot a bad life, Ed. I think I'm going to go your route! :)
ReplyDeleteI WOULD ALMOST PUT IT TO HER AS YOU STATED IT. THE COLLEGES TODAY WANT YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN WRITING THESE PAPERS, SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO HER TO TAKE A GROUP OF SONGS THAT BEST DEFINE HER AND GIVE A FIVE WORD SUMMARY FOR EACH SONG. THIS WOULD LET THEM KNOW THAT SHE IS NOT JUST ONE DIMENSIONAL.
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