Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate – and us – get to know you better. (250 words)
Dear future roomie,
I hope you won’t think I’m a book destroyer.
The first thing most people notice when they walk into my room is the beautifully calligraphed quotes printed on an assortment of colorful squares that adorn my walls. The quotes range from heartwarming (“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”-Proust) to motivational (“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”-Alcott) and are perfectly positioned for me to read every night from my bed as I doze off to sleep.
But what is hard to tell at first glance is that they are pages of a book that I have carefully unbound. At first, I was hesitant to perpetrate what I thought was clearly sacrilege for a book-lover like me. But when faced with the reality that my extensive book collection at home would have to be drastically whittled down in order to fit into my boarding school dorm room, I knew I’d have to get creative.
Whether intact on a bookshelf or dismantled and displayed on a wall, books are meant to be read, savored, and contemplated. My quotes have served as inspirations, reminders of my core values, sources of a good laugh, and as conversation starters for friends who stop by my room. I hope they’ll do the same for you.
Can’t wait to meet you!
-Sophia
Published in Successful College Essays, Successful Stanford Essays
