#dream of having a plush of one of my favorite characters finally achieved ...

[throughpatchesofviolet]

He's here!! Oh my goodness, he's perfect ... sturdy rather than squishy, but that doesn't matter because he's so soft and cute ... my little guy ...

[curewhimsy]

Utane Uta x Soune Taya infodump (Shiro-Sora)

General Chemistry Uta is pretty sarcastic, blunt, and reserved, so it’s an interesting development to see her grow and interact with the pure and shy Taya as they both overcome their shortcomings together. Uta just lost her passion to depression, but that's touched on eventually/later. She's all like "I hate life" but that's because of depression. She also lost her interest in music to depression, but being with Taya and being in a musical school has her slowly regain it. Taya tries to help out Uta and make her smile but... he ends up upsetting her one time... When Taya finds out how depressed Uta really is he starts crying for her and saying "I'm sorry..." and Uta is like "Why are you crying? Nothing is your fault..." And Taya apologizes again and says it's a habit that he feels responsible for his friend's sadness. Uta hugs him. "I haven't been able to cry for years, so I'm a bit jealous..." She says. "But... I still don't want you to cry though... I like to see your smile, ok?" Taya is very polite, and selfless. He's always willing to do favors for people. He speaks in polite language. He bows at many occasions (Even in this universe that takes place in the USA, and not Japan.) He is humble as well. These may seem like quirks or obsessions as first, but it stems from his feeling of obligation to do things for people and "not be a burden," because he had friends and teachers who treated him like a burden before. When his anemia caused him to faint or miss classes, everyone treated him as a burden. When he starts hanging out with Uta, she comments on how he feels like a butler and tells him to loosen up, it's okay to be a bit more relaxed, and selfish even. Well I think the day Uta finally cries and lets out her emotions is when something bad happens to her (fighting with her father perhaps,) but Taya comes and helps and comforts her, then confesses his love for her. And then come the waterworks, from both of them! Other General Background Stuff (including their gender identities and such) Uta Utane is non-binary, and first discovers it at age 20 through Taya, after getting to know him and realizing she is non-binary as well. Uta eventually switches to identifying as demigirl and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. Taya Soune is non-binary (he/him, trans-masculine, lesbian) and discovered his identity at age 14. He is DFAB and had been raised as a girl until then. A lot of his gender identity is still a secret from his parents, even though they know he takes testosterone hormone therapy. (They assume he is a trans man.)

Uta’s mother died when she was 4 years old. This fanfic takes place in the USA, so she is Japanese-American. Uta’s mother loved music and singing, and named her daughter after the Japanese word for song. After Uta’s mother died, her father didn’t take it well. He abandoned all music and began to hate it, because it brought back painful memories of Uta’s mother. Taya is also Japanese-American. His parents named him “Taya” with the intent of giving him an easy name to pronounce and relate to for Americans. Since Taya was designated female at birth, he was also given a name that sounded female to Americans. He still decided to keep the name after transitioning, however.

Taya picked up his habit of politely bowing when he was 15 years old and took a summer trip to Japan for two months. For this trip, he studied Japanese extensively to be able to communicate with the local people. He can speak Japanese at an intermediate skill level because of this. While he was in Japan, he felt that bowing was an expression of utmost politeness and now continues to do it back in the USA out of both out of reflex and courtesy. Uta had never been to Japan. Her father, who abandoned music after Uta’s mother died, never taught Uta the meaning of her name. When Uta was 10 years old, she was mistaken as being named Utah by everyone and was teased for it. So she Googled her name. She learned that it meant “song” in Japanese. She began to learn about Japanese culture, especially pop culture and music, in secret from her father. Quirks and Funny Moments Uta’s catchphrase is “Yare yare...” (“Good grief...”) Taya’s catchphrase is “Is that sou, desu ne?” (“Sou desu ne” is basically “Is that so?” in Japanese. I combined the two. He also tends to mumble “Sou, ne” which means “oh, well,” and alludes to... his last name! Taya is smart and dignified but... very clumsy and naive as well. Uta is badass, but kind of “chaotic dumb” in certain ways. Sometimes she forgets to do her homework while doing her homework. Don’t ask. Taya loves sweets, and his favorite is strawberry shortcake. He is also a good pastry chef... Uta is horrible at cooking! She is so horrible, that she makes things mega-explode! She is so horrible, she needs Taya to cook for her just so she can get by! Taya gets completely drunk after just a few sips of alcohol. When his 21st birthday comes in the story, he has his first drink. He gets drunk almost instantly and becomes a lot less shy. He starts singing drunk karaoke along with an intoxicated Meiko. (The songs Ghost Rule and World is Mine come to mind.) Taya and Momo Momone once got into a rather heated argument over whether strawberries or peaches are better. Uta asked herself why she was surrounded by airheads. Uta buys Taya a strawberry Squishmallow for his birthday. In no time, Taya is able to think of a personality and an extensive backstory for his new plush friend. Uta is... impressed.

One time Taya tried playing Uta’s violin instead of his usual cello. He played an earsplitting tune and ended up breaking the violin. Not only does it just break, it comically explodes into little pieces! Taya wears fancy and posh menswear all the time. To every occasion. Even to sleep. Don’t judge him. Taya is 5’4” but wishes he were at least 5’8”. He has a slight Napoleonic complex, which is somewhat unexpected. It is eventually revealed that Taya started dressing in such an elegant way to make up for his lack of height. Uta reassures Taya that his height is fine. (Once before they started dating, she accidentally slipped out that she thinks Taya is “handsome the way he is” and became flustered. However, Taya didn’t take Uta’s compliment as having any romantic undertones.) Uta’s height is 5’0” and she is rather fine with it. Deep down, she doesn’t want Taya to be tall. She likes Taya just the way he is. “Why did you set me on fire, Uta? Why didn’t you just write your essay?” -Quote from Taya, when Uta didn’t write her essay and ended up setting Taya on fire instead. (Don’t ask.) Their Part-Time Jobs Uta works part time at a hat shop. This is because Uta loves hats. In fact, she is usually never seen without her favorite hat, a black beret. Even when she is wearing a different hat, such as a beanie, she still usually is carrying her beret with her somewhere. Uta’s hat shop is at the mall, in the dimly-lit corner where nobody really goes to. It is a small shop and she is the head of it. The sales at the shop are poor. The place is named “Defoko’s Hats,” after the nickname Miki gave Uta. The nickname Defoko came from now Miki thought Uta was such a “default” type of person the first time she met her, whatever that was supposed to mean. (The word default written in Japanese katakana is pronounced “deforuto.” The first part of “deforuto” was combined with “ko,” a common ending in Japanese girls’ names, to make the nickname Defoko.) Taya works part-time at Denny’s as a waiter. He started working there to pay back the funds it took to fix a window that he broke by crashing through said window like the Kool-Aid man while he was drunk after having only one drink on his 21st birthday. (Because he cannot hold his alcohol.) Taya over-achieves at his job at Denny’s and acts as if he is a waiter in a five-star restaurant. Along with always wearing his posh, elegant clothing to the job, he is very overly-polite and tactful when taking orders, even bowing at times... people have commented that he feels more like a butler than a waiter. Taya also tends to pour the drinks at the table. In fancy teacups. He pours from a fancy kettle into the cup from a high angle. In fact, he pours them from so high, he has to get a ladder. Everyone in the restaurant stares at him. Taya is quite odd, but he does get a lot of tips. And more people have been coming to the restaurant since he had started working there. He isn’t even going for a gimmick however. He is literally just being Taya. The Theatre Club Taya wanted Uta to join the musical theatre club with him. He felt unconfident in himself alone. Taya is somewhat experienced in singing, though he is a complete beginner in the acting aspect of musical theatre. Uta has no interest in theatre, though joins to help out Taya. The biggest reason Taya wanted this is because he had a play he dreamed of acting out with everyone. It’s a play he wrote himself, from his heart. Taya is alone a lot, but he hopes this play can bring him and his schoolmates closer together. This is all Taya asks for. Uta admires his sincerity. However, since Taya is a newcomer, and the other members of the club are well-established, nobody is thinking of considering Taya’s play as their acting source material, even though nobody else’s ideas are really clicking. Given his nature, Taya doesn’t speak up. They only pay attention to him when Uta tells everyone that he’d like to share an idea. The play is… short, and similar to the one in Clannad? Except with… more people… lol. Haven’t thought too hard about the plot yet. However, it has the line, “Take my hand, I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” Taya’s character will be the one to say this line. Note: Okay so I thought harder and brought in the lyrics to “Dolls” by Rozenkreuz-P. So it’s basically about a child who felt alone in the world, so he built a mechanical doll to have as a friend, though he had to leave the doll behind one day to depart to “a world beyond ours” AKA death. The doll was left all alone to age and weather. The doll comes to life and is able to move. It becomes able to speak, so it sets out on an adventure, meeting people in the world it was left behind in. The doll helps out many people with its magical power. The doll’s favorite saying is “Take my hand, I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” One day, the doll eventually breaks, and is unable to contain the spirit within it. The doll’s spirit is able to reunite with its beloved owner who created it. Also the doll is a genderless character, because well… Taya wrote this. The work is eventually given the name “Fantasia Story,” exactly like Nagisa’s play from Clannad. Taya is playing the role of the doll. In-universe, it is said to have an “otherworldly feel” to it, and even “Wow, did you write this, Taya? That’s incredible…” A few songs are composed and written by the music club for the play, and the only one mentioned by name in the fic will be the solo Taya sings. It’ll be an actual song as well, Dolls by Rozenkreuz-P (feat. Kagamine Rin). Since this fic takes place in the USA… pretend it’s been translated to English or something. I imagine that maybe IA was the one who composed the song in-universe. Friendship Interactions (From when they were still just friends) Taya felt platonic (friendship) love for Uta the moment he first met her. He was lost on the college campus during his first day, and Uta offered to help Taya find where he was going, even though she didn’t know much about the campus herself. Taya immediately sensed that Uta was a good person. Taya wanted Uta to stay longer and talk with him for a while. When Uta went on her way and left Taya after she couldn’t help him, he felt dejected, but he felt so happy and blessed when he met Uta again later in the day and got to become close friends with her. He states the memory of their meeting is enough to make him cry. Taya is very fond of Uta. He sees her as such a wonderful and special person. He cannot stand seeing her hurt or upset, it hurts him as well. Uta grows to be very fond of Taya. The kindness and pureness of Taya’s heart widens Uta’s perspective on life. She is inspired to be someone more like him, who doesn’t harbor harsh feelings in their heart. Uta grows very protective of Taya. In a sense, she becomes willing to do anything for the sake of him, even doing something embarrassing in front of everyone in physics class to take the attention away from Taya sleep-talking in class. As best friends, they open up about their problems to each other and are always willing to be each other’s shoulder to cry on. When their lives take a turn for the stressful, they have each other. Their bond deeps this way. Uta’s crush on Taya began when she saw how confident he became when acting in the play he wrote himself. Also through the story in the play, Uta felt she got to learn so much about what’s in Taya’s heart. Uta began to see Taya as a wonderful, sweet, humble, and charming person. Taya’s crush on Uta started out as a “platonic crush.” It gradually grew into a romantic one. Taya began seeing Uta in a different light when he realized she was not only kind, but very brave and willing to help anyone in need. Once when Taya wasn’t feeling good, he still felt obligated to work and to do Uta favors. Uta told Taya he needed to rest and to take it easy. She attempted to cook chicken and vegetable porridge for Taya but nearly made the kitchen explode... however, by a miracle of friendship (or love?) the actual porridge didn’t turn out so bad. However, that night Taya’s condition worsened and became severe. He needed to go to the emergency room for pneumonia and a blood transfusion (due to anemia.) Taya began to feel like a burden, but Uta reassured him he wasn’t and blamed herself. They then worked out that maybe it was nobody’s fault. This bout of illness happened shortly before Taya was to perform his musical theatre play. Therefore, Taya isn’t in top condition when he performs. However, he still does his best and gives a good performance. Shippy Details and Interactions (From after they became lovers) Taya is a very gentle and affectionate person. Right after he confesses his love to Uta, he is rather chaste about showing his affection out of shyness. But they grow to trust each other more about these feelings. Taya is a huge hugger and loves to cuddle. Uta is gray-romantic, meaning she rarely feels romantic attraction. She seldom felt romantic feelings in her life. She never felt them substantially before meeting Taya, who she considers her first, and really, only love. Uta never thought she would be big with hugging and cuddling, but physical affection with Taya gives her comfort. (DISCLAIMER: I’m not trying to state that people who lack romantic attraction are “broken” or need to be “repaired.” Other types of love, such as platonic or familial love can be just as, or even more meaningful and fulfilling than the romantic kind.) Taya likes singing Uta to sleep. He even recorded his voice softly singing lullabies for Uta to listen to while falling asleep for when he can’t be available to sing for her. Uta thinks this is very sweet of him. Taya likes holding/hugging or clinging to Uta gently as they fall asleep together. Sometimes when Taya is feeling down, Uta does this to Taya and it comforts him greatly. The Emotional Part TW: ABUSIVE PARENT

———

Taya is practicing lines from the short play he wrote himself. He reaches his hand out and says “Take my hand... I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” This captures Uta’s heart.

Eventually in the story, something emotional happens. Uta gets in a fight with her father over her college major. Uta has learned to love music again and now truly wants to pursue it. However, Uta’s father still hates music, and hates that his daughter’s name is Uta (meaning “song”), and hates that the family’s name is Utane (“singing sound”.) Uta’s mother died when she was young. Her now single father is distant, abusive, and wants Uta to be a business major.

Things get emotional between them, and even a bit physical. Taya sees the whole thing, and steps in at a certain point as Uta’s father is about to hit his daughter. Uta tells Taya to stop for his own good, not wanting Taya to have to get hurt. Uta grabs Taya by the hand and runs off.

Once away from the scene, Uta then vents to Taya and tells him that life has been terrible because it lost all its meaning... Uta starts sobbing and letting out all her pent-up emotions. Taya hugs her, unable to handle seeing Uta cry, letting tears slide down his own face. After crying and comforting Uta for a bit, Taya says... “Uta, take my hand... I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen...” This time he’s for real. He‘s reaching his hand out to Uta. He‘s trying to comfort her. Both of them are misty-eyed. Uta takes his hand... and smiles at him. “Now, shall we go?” Taya smiles back. “Yes...” They take a walk to the place where they first met... And after a talk about their memories, Taya confesses his love to Uta at the top of the hill under the stars. Uta’s Life, Music, and Singing Uta Utane started out not being a singer. Until she went to Sonare Community College, the music-oriented college the story takes place in, and met Taya, she had never taken a singing lesson in her life. Uta’s late mother used to love singing. Uta herself was exclusively a violinist at first. She started playing the violin in childhood. When she lost her passion for music to depression, she still continued to play the violin simply because she felt she’d come too far to abandon it. Early in the story, Uta went to karaoke with Taya to help themselves come out of their shells a bit and become less shy in performing. Their new acquaintances Ritsu Namine and Ruko Yokune gave very powerful performances of -ERROR and The Lost One’s Weeping, and blew everyone away. Next, shy Taya gave a performance of From Y to Y, and Uta found out that he actually had a really beautiful singing voice. Uta went up on stage next and sang Jitter Doll rather horribly. Her voice was screechy, scratchy, and off-key. It was actually so bad that the microphone started making a weird feedback noise. She became so embarrassed that she stopped in the middle... and confessed with shame that she wasn’t a singer, and that she just came to help out Taya. Everyone cheered Uta on regardless. It was a great feeling, and pushed Uta to want to pursue singing. Uta becomes Taya’s singing partner, and Taya coaches Uta with what he knows about vocals. Within a year, the quality of Uta’s voice develops well. Eventually, Uta is outside with Taya. A mood strikes them and they start singing. Uta is singing a solo part, and suddenly her father comes up. “Uta?” He says. Uta is suddenly revolted by his presence and ready to take Taya’s hand and run away. She hates her dad and was ready for him to say something awful. But rather... “When did you learn to sing like that? You sounded just like your mother. It brought back memories...” Uta’s father is smiling sentimentally? Uta still doesn’t trust him, and neither does Taya, but Uta’s legs somehow just won’t move. “I...” Uta starts to speak. “You know, I realized something.” Uta’s father interrupts. “I should’ve stayed strong for you. I should have let you pursue music if it made you this happy. Your mother may have passed, but... music is where she lives on. How... how have I not realized that she lives on in you...?” Uta’s father suddenly begins sobbing. Uta doesn’t know how to react at first... but Taya pats him on the back. “Dad...” Uta eventually finds the words to say. “It’s okay now. I’m sorry I never realized you felt this way. I’d recommend not bottling these things up. Seek some professional help, okay? The first step to recovering is realizing these things. I promise, things will get better.” Uta’s father never fully redeems himself, but he lets go all his hatred caused by a traumatic past he cannot change and stops burdening his daughter with his harsh feelings. Two years after the beginning of the story, Uta goes back to the same karaoke place where she first sang Jitter Doll horribly. Little does she know, her performance became somewhat infamous there among the workers for being awful. All 46 Vocaloid and UTAU characters featured in the fic will be present in this scene. This will be a party scene, and perhaps nearing the series’ finale. “Hey, isn’t she that one who couldn’t sing?” The staff says upon seeing her. “Yes, and I’m back.” Uta says. “Now let’s turn up the volume in here. I’ll be requesting Jitter Doll.” This time, Uta totally slays every note of the song with great power and technique. She isn’t impeccably skilled yet, but she’s getting there. Applause booms from the group. Uta’s improvement is as clear as day. Not only did Uta’s singing improve within those two years, but so did her life and character. Her personality is now more cheerful and less closed-off, and she managed to overcome depression alongside Taya, becoming much more confident and buoyant in the process. Eventually... (After Story and Epilogue...) Taya plans an event on the hill where he and Uta first met. It’s a formal evening cookout with a lot of karaoke. In the place where they first met, Taya proposes marriage to Uta on a day in April. They are 24 years old. Their honeymoon is in Tokyo that June. Two months after the honeymoon, in August, they have their wedding and get married. Three years later at age 27, the two adopt their first child, a baby girl they name Sonata.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Hidalgo’s Wife by Genevieve Turner

Los Caballeros #2

Josefa Avila Perez has done her duty as requested by her father and also as strongly recommended by her mother and as a result finds herself far from Mexico City ready to marry a man she has never seen before in a land that is really a frontier. Alejandro Vasquez Duarte is the man who will be her husband. He is a wealthy, honorable, educated, landowner who has high aspirations that he knows Josefa will help him achieve. Little do the two realize when they enter the marriage that many of their preconceived ideas will be incorrect and that to forge a true and wondrous marriage will take effort for both of them.  

In 1819 San Diego, Alta California, New Spain the topography may be as I remember it when I last visited BUT it was also much different. A tug of war was going on between church and state in a land that both had moved into while subjugating the native population.

What I liked:

* Josefa: I admired her courage, wisdom and willingness to make the best of the situation

* Alejandro: a good man who puts those he cares about first. He took a bit of time to get to know but I really liked him.

* Hector: Alejandro’s brother: fired up by his beliefs and eager to set the world’s wrongs right. I am hoping his story will be next up in the series

* The writing, plot and characters

* The setting

* The historical information about California, neophytes and all the rest

* The way Josefa adapted, found creative outlets and created her own place in her new home

* The incident with the bear

* Everything except

What I did not like:

* Being reminded of the mentality and actions of those who occupy lands not their own

* The plight of women in the past

* Having the book end and having to say goodbye to such wonderful characters

Did I enjoy this book? Definitely

Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

He wants a lady, not a temptation…

When Alejandro Vasquez sends for a wife from Mexico City, the glittering capital of New Spain, he imagines a lady of refinement and breeding—not an enchantress who tests his iron will. With secrets to protect, he’s determined to resist her allure and keep his carefully constructed life from falling to pieces.

The California frontier is nothing like home…

Josefa expects to find adventure and a long-awaited family to call her own when she agrees to marry Alejandro. But Alta California is shockingly unrefined—no society, no watercolors, no books. At least her husband is the perfect gentleman… and utterly distant and unapproachable, in and out of the bedroom. Josefa refuses to settle for anything less than the passionate union of her dreams, and she’ll do whatever it takes to set her husband’s heart free.

But secrets and danger lurk, threatening to tear their newly formed bonds apart. Will they cling to their safe illusions about what love should be or dare to seize a future beyond their wildest imaginings?

EXTRACT

This man wasn’t anything like any man she’d seen before. First was his prodigious height. Josefa was often a head taller than most women she met, but this man was even taller than she. And his clothing… He wore a long, embroidered vest over his linen shirt, and the shirt was fastened by a tie at his neck instead of buttons. It was open enough that she could see the line of his throat and the beginnings of his chest. Her cheeks warmed, and instinctively she pulled her gaze away. The rest of his costume was just as unconventional. A sash was tied at his waist, and his pants had bright silver fastenings all down the side. These fastenings were open from his knee down, revealing high boots embroidered even more richly than his vest. As he shifted, his spurs jingled a soft, silvery melody. The effect was both old-fashioned and otherworldly.  Josefa had always imagined her husband to be a young gentleman in the mold of the ones she’d seen in Mexico City. But this man made them all seem unbearably pale. She let her gaze return to his face. His mouth—ah, that mouth, with full lips and the upper one remarkably plush—would rest comfortably on her forehead when he took her into his arms. That had been part of her imaginings, a person to touch and take comfort from. There had been little comfort for her since she’d left her home and come to this far-off place.  He was dark too. Not only from the sun, although it was clear he spent much time out of doors, but there was a deep glow beneath that, a sort of dark gold tinged with deepest amber that made her think of her favorite shade of burnt umber, so perfect for adding richness to a pastel portrait. Her heart began to pound, and her mouth went dry. He wasn’t at all what she’d been expecting… and perhaps that was all for the good. Certainly he was more intriguing than anyone like her father. More compelling.  Mama had spoken too of what Josefa had to do to please him. Making a study of men and their preferences had been Mama’s talent, honed on the off chance Papa grew tired of her and cast her out. If Mama found herself alone in the world, she’d need to find a new protector, and she intended to be ready. You’ll know what kind of wife you’ll need to be when you see him, she’d said. As if the man would press his thumb into the clay of Josefa and leave his imprint behind. The notion had kept her imaginings of him from running too far into the romantic.  Her notions were very much running into the romantic with him suddenly before her though. He stared at her as if he were as shocked by her as she was by him. There was heat in his gaze and a wild hope, a deep… hunger, she’d call it, although she’d never seen quite its like before. That mouth, with its overfull upper lip, tensed, released. Her heart felt as if it were unfurling, a bud teasing into bloom under that expression of his. Perhaps… perhaps her too-intimate fantasies weren’t far from the mark. Josefa had wanted contentment, security, respect in her upcoming marriage, but even marriage itself had once seemed a distant dream, so she couldn’t be too greedy. This man though… he made her feel so greedily hopeful she had to swallow some of it down lest it choke her. Your curtsy. It was Mama’s voice but confined to her thoughts. Still, it commanded her as if Mama were in the room.  “Señor.” She dipped, spreading her skirt. There, that ought to be low enough. He wasn’t the king, and he didn’t look cruel enough to command simpering obedience. She hoped. She so, so hoped. As she rose, he snapped into a bow. Hasty, sharp, not at all elegant. She only just pulled back in time for his forehead to miss her nose. “Señorita. My lady.” His voice was deep, a touch ragged. Pleasantly jagged. It made her fingertips tingle. There was a moment of long silence, where they simply stared at each other. Several pleasantries came to mind, but they seemed unequal to the event. She was going to spend the rest of her days with this man, share his bed, bear his children, be his helpmeet. His handsomeness made those notions tangle in her pulse, speed her heart. They would be… entwined. The center of each other’s worlds. Never again would she be pushed into insignificance. Nor would her children, when they came. She’d been grateful to him before she’d even met this man, but seeing him… The heat rushing through her was more than mere gratitude. Alejandro Vasquez Duarte. That was his name, the only true thing of him Josefa had been able to hold on to on the journey. And now she had all the rest of him, finally.

[jet39moores]

4 Secrets of Success From a High School Senior Who Got Into 5 Ivy League Schools

Choosing the right college is one of the biggest decisions you will have to make, and many hardworking students dream of getting into competitive, Ivy League schools.

There are several steps to getting into a prestigious college, and personal essays are a critical part of the application process. Figuring out a way to stand out from the crowd of thousands of applicants every year can be daunting, but one Concord High School senior did just that.

With an out-of-the-box approach to the essay portion of her college applications, Brittany Stinson was able to achieve the rare feat of getting into six of the top colleges in the country.

So, which schools was she able to get into with her powerhouse application?

The five Ivy League schools that sent her acceptance letters included:

Yale

Columbia

The University of Pennsylvania

Dartmouth

Cornell

To top off her incredible accomplishment, Brittany was also accepted into Stanford University. While not an Ivy League school, Stanford has the lowest rate of admission for any school on the list at a 4.69% acceptance rate.

While Brittany’s accomplishments may not be the typical experience, her unique approach to her admissions essay is something that every high school student should take into consideration. With a little creativity and determination, you too can stand out from the crowd and make your voice heard in the sea of competitive college applications.

What Can You Learn From Brittany Stinson’s Powerful Essay?

The following statement was the essay prompt that resulted in Brittany’s outstanding essay: “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.”

Most students reading this prompt would generally fall back on a retelling of a dramatic or emotional event that changed an aspect of their lives. While this type of response can have a deep impact on admissions officers if told correctly, Brittany had a different approach. Below is the verbatim response that she gave for the aforementioned prompt:

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­-sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar- ­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well-­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross-­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart black-body radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

If that took a turn you weren’t expecting and grabbed your attention, you’re not the only one! Her innovative approach to describing her character strengths stood out enough to beat out thousands of other students applying to these prestigious schools.

So, how was she able to accomplish such an impressive feat? What can you take from her unique approach to craft your own home-run college essay?

Let’s go over four secrets to success that any high school student can use to follow Brittany’s refreshing example.

Secrets for Getting Your College Essay Noticed

1. Make a Plan Before you Begin

One of the first steps you need to take when writing an application essay is to understand the technical requirements of the prompt, such as maximum word count. From there, you need to get a clear idea of exactly what you want to say to your potential school.

During an interview following her success, Brittany described her process for planning out her essay by stating, “I really tried to think of my defining qualities, and narrowed it down to one or two qualities I wanted to convey to admissions officers.”

After determining the goal of your essay, the next step is to find your voice and decide how you want to convey that message. Will you take a humorous approach like Brittany? Can you draw a deep connection between your message and the future you see for yourself at your potential school? However you decide to approach it, the most important thing is to be sure that your voice is truly you.

2. Think Outside the Box

After reading through Brittany’s essay, what stands out the most is the way she used humor to draw in her audience and make her point. Thinking outside the box in this way is necessary to make an impact on admissions officers who read thousands of these essays every year. The key is finding the right tools to use in your essay to enhance what you are trying to say, not detract from it.

Remember that these colleges are looking for students that exemplify strong character traits that complement the values and mission of the school. While Brittany’s essay used a playful touch to make her point, it still came back to a focus on her curiosity, self-awareness, and critical thinking ability – all traits that are highly desirable in the student body of a prestigious school.

3. Don’t be Afraid to Show Your Personality

When asked how she chose the specific topic for her essay, Brittany stated, “Before I even started writing an essay, I read a quote from an admissions officer that said if your essay is on the ground and there is no name on it and one of your friends picks it up, they should know that you wrote it.”

Injecting your authentic self into your application is necessary to catch the eye of an admissions officer, but it has to be done in a way that is true to your personality. If you are not naturally a comedic, playful person, it will come off as inauthentic if you attempt to write an essay similar to Brittany’s. For the strongest application, you must embrace the uniqueness of your personality and then relate that back to your experience.

4. Back-Up Your Story with Experience

The essay is only one part of your application, although there’s no question that it has the potential to make a significant impact on your acceptance to the school. However, talking up your strong character traits isn’t enough on its own – you also have to prove that you walk your talk!

A strong GPA, high test scores, community involvement, and leadership experience all are looked at during the college application process. While Brittany’s essay is credited for her success in getting into so many top-level schools, she also had an impressive high school resume to back that up.

How to Get Into Your College of Choice

Getting into your school of choice is a journey that begins well before your senior year of high school.

As Brittany Stinson’s success shows, with a dedicated, long-term approach to your ultimate educational goals, anything is possible. There are several lessons that we can take away from Brittany’s innovative approach to the college essay process, but it all comes down to embracing the unique aspects of who you are and what you can share with the world.

Throughout the course of her high school years, Brittany scored extremely high on standardized testing, took several AP classes, was involved in her community, and participated in competitive STEM programs. Combined with her unique application essay, she had a very well-rounded application that was sure to leave a solid first impression.

If your goal is to attend an Ivy League or top-ranked college, small steps towards your goal can quickly add up. Be involved in your school, focus on your strengths, and take note of the secrets discussed above that helped Brittany break down the barriers and reach her well-earned success.

The post 4 Secrets of Success From a High School Senior Who Got Into 5 Ivy League Schools appeared first on My College Guide.

from My College Guide http://mycollegeguide.org/blog/2017/02/get-into-5-ivy-league-schools/